RSPCA Policy D9 Use of animals sheltered or owned by the RSPCA

Animals sheltered or owned by the RSPCA

Animals sheltered or owned by the RSPCA (including domestic and wild animals) must not be used for research or teaching activities unless the following seven conditions are met:

1. The procedures undertaken for the activity will not have any negative impact on the animals involved or are activities carried out in the course of veterinary treatment or normal animal husbandry*.
2. The activity has the potential to benefit animals.
3. The activity is consistent with RSPCA policies.
4. The activity is consistent with the set criteria outlined in the RSPCA Guidelines for Research and Teaching Activities.
5. The activity is approved by the relevant RSPCA Board and risk controls put in place.
6. The activity does not result in financial gain to the RSPCA.
7. If required, the activity is approved by an animal ethics committee, as outlined in the Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes. Where ethics approval is required, the activity must not commence until ethics approval has been granted.

An RSPCA Board may decide not to consider requests to use animals for research or teaching activities.

Note: Examples of procedures which will not have any negative impact include behavioural observations or obtaining hair or faeces samples in a non-invasive way. Examples of activities carried out in the course of veterinary treatment or normal animal husbandry include weighing and measuring animals, behavioural assessments, obtaining blood samples, desexing animals and conducting health assessments.