VIC Animal Welfare Scientific Procedures Premises/Field Licence audit. Animal Facility Manager Interview & Animal Facility Inspection

• Audit Date

• Auditors

• Location/site being audited

• Other Attendees

• Have past the previous audit report and debrief forms been reviewed?

• Have all action items from the previous audit been addressed and completed?

SECTION 1 Interview with Animal facility manager (AFM)

Details

• Licence name and number

• Licence nominee

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Animal facility name and location

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Animal facility manager name

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Date of interview

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Name of auditor(s)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Additional information

  Yes

  No

  N/A

General

• Is AEC approval for all activities associated with the care and management of animals in the facility, and for any amendments to such activities. AEC approval in place for: • procedures applicable to breeding programs that are integral to the maintenance of an animal line • acquisition • transport • breeding • housing • husbandry?

• Are SOPs reviewed and approved by AEC at least every three years?

• Are necessary permits, approvals and licences relating to the holding and supply of animals in place?

Training

• Are actions are taken to ensure all people involved in the care of animals at the facility understand and accept their role and responsibilities? Consider is there an animal facility induction program?

• Are procedures and resources in place so that all people involved in the care of animals can meet their responsibilities: • education • training • supervision of staff?

• Is there a skills register to demonstrate provision and training: • maintained • up to date?

• Is training or access to training provided for animal house personnel and investigators for: • competent handling • basic procedures • experimental approved procedures?

Animal care and management

• Is a program of veterinary care in place? Refer to guidance note – Veterinarians in animal research and teaching

• Is the wellbeing of animals monitored on a day-to-day basis: • by a competent person • appropriate, in accordance with both institutional and AEC policies and procedures; • documented in animal care procedures approved by the AEC.

• Is there regular assessment in accordance with current best practice of the: • health status of all animals including before arrival • breeding performance of all animals • genetic integrity: inbred lines and outbred strains?

• Does the AFM ensure that animals are suitable for their proposed use, and identify suitable animals for supply to a project?

• Are animal care staff aware of and special care and housing requirements provided for all animals as appropriate? Consider: • albino • genetically modified • cloned • aged • immunocompromised • affected by disease • surgery • pharmacological compounds

Effective lines of communication

• Does the AFM liaise between investigators and facility staff, including informing investigators of any intended changes to the holding conditions for animals that may affect their studies?

• Does the AFM communicate with the AEC regarding the management of the facility?

• Are reports are provided to the AEC in accordance with AEC and institutional policies and procedure

• Does the report to the AEC include records kept in accordance with licence conditions including for: • SPPL: the number and species of animals held for the purposes of the licence which were destroyed during the month without being used in any scientific procedures under the licence and the date of and reason for each animal's destruction?

Specified animals

• Does source and supply of specified animals comply with licence conditions?

• Are special containment facilities available and used as required for the use of radioisotopes, infectious agents and highly toxic substances?

• Are staff are advised of the work health and safety issues associated with the animals under their care and the precautions they must take, in accordance with institutional procedures?

Record keeping

• Are monthly records maintained in compliance with licence conditions?

• Does the AFM maintain appropriate records of assessment, and make these records available to investigators, the AEC, the institution and authorised external people • health status of all animals • breeding performance of all animals • genetic integrity: inbred lines and outbred strains?

• Animals displaying adverse effects, pain, distress or ill health must be monitored. Does the AFM recorded this data to enable trends to be identified and possible disease or adverse phenotypes to be detected and reported if necessary?

Outcomes

• Do all people involved in the care of animals at the facility understand and accept their role and responsibilities?

• Are activities are implemented and conducted in accordance with the conditions and requirements of the AEC approval, and cease if approval from the AEC is suspended or withdrawn?

• Do the procedures and resources provided result in all people involved in the care of animals understanding and meeting their responsibilities?

• Are quality management systems and procedures promoted to manage the day-to-day care of animals.

• Does the program of veterinary care provide effective oversight and result in staff following veterinary advice regarding care, husbandry and health of animals, and biosecurity?

• Does the development and regular review of procedures for the care and management of animals result in implementation of current best practice within the animal facility?

• Are there effective lines of communication between the animal facility and the • AEC • investigators?

SECTION 2 Inspection of research animal facility

Part A: List of all premises nominated on licence

Room details

• Fit for purpose (Y/N)

• Remove from licence including reason why

• Action required - comment and action to be taken

Part B: Animal facility general checklist to be used at inspection of each animal facility

Management

• Person with ultimate responsibility

• Are facilities centrally managed

• undefined

Emergency plans & alarm systems

• Emergency plan in place

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Alarm systems present for:<br>• plant (chillers, boilers etc)<br>• room temperature <br>• power interruption<br>• fire / smoke<br>• individually ventilated cages (IVCs) <br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Alarms:<br>• tested regularly<br>• notifying correct people<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Essential services backup tested regularly (generator switchover; chiller switchover)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Fuel present for generator, UPS (uninterrupted power supply) for alarm systems?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Handling and basic procedures

• Training provided to animal house personnel and investigators

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Training register

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Contemporary practices<br>(Note any retro-orbital bleeding without GA, using animals for Abs production, etc)<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Health monitoring

• Appropriate monitoring program

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Use of sentinels covered by AEC approval

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• AEC-approved procedures for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease and for quarantine.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Appropriate biosecurity/ biohazard containment (radiation, GM, infectious disease etc)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Transportation

• AEC-approval transport containers/vehicles where possible.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• SOP for domestic/internal and external transportation

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Transport containers/vehicles (where possible).

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Transport methods and arrangements must:<br>be appropriate for the species and the circumstances:<br>• minimise harm, including pain and distress, arising from factors such as containment, movement, noise, disruption of social groups, and changes in the environment and personnel <br>• ensure that animals are:<br>o provided with appropriate food and water when necessary<br>o provided with the physical and social environment appropriate for the species<br>o protected from, and treated for, injury and disease.<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Both suppliers and recipients of animals must ensure that satisfactory delivery procedures are in place, including receipt of the animals by a responsible person, accountability for animal numbers, and adherence to other regulatory codes, such as quarantine.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• The sender must ensure that the animals to be transported are in good health.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• An assessment of the health and welfare of the animals must be made upon arrival.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Containers for domestic, local and internal transportation of animals must be: • adequately ventilated (with reduced stocking rates in containers with filters) • vermin- and escape-proof • durable (including crush-proof) • sufficiently spacious (higher stocking densities than normal housing may be required to prevent injury) • provided with appropriate bedding (for thermoregulation and impact absorption) • clearly labelled.

• Appropriate transport of young animals

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Humane killing

• Yes

  No

  N/A

Records

• Yes

  No

  N/A

AEC approval

• Yes

  No

  N/A

New admissions

• Yes

  No

  N/A

Part C: Checklist – Animal Holding Rooms

Maintenance and hygiene

• Animal rooms/yards/stables:<br>• clean, tidy<br>• vermin-proof<br>• in good repair to facilitate effective cleaning (see also Reg 93)<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Animal bedding appropriately changed so animals kept dry, comfortable, clean unless contraindicated

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Secure to avoid escapes<br>• Rodent barriers (as appropriate)<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Nutrition

• Suitable diet (species, age, stage, intervention level)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Food storage (cool, vermin-proof)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Communication re supplementation

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Condition score suitable

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Feeding consideration for handicapped/young animals

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Water

• Potable and available always

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Flooding prevented

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Water bottles or containers should be sanitised or sterilised. They should be sufficiently transparent to enable water availability to be easily checked

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Automatic watering systems should be serviced and cleaned regularly

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Animal enclosures

• Materials and Design:<br>• Durable, comfortable, good repair, escape-proof <br>• Safe, comfortable, withstand cleaning agents<br>• Easy monitoring enabled<br>• Nesting box for breeding animals<br>• If wire floor, solid mat also<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Space requirements:<br>• Adequate space and stocking density for exercise, social stability or single animals, breed, age, growth stage<br>• See appendix 1 Lab animal code- note exemption for short-term housing of post-weaned/pre-issue animals – note any welfare concerns.<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Social requirements:<br>• Social housing for social species, justification if not<br>• Mitigation of isolation or deprivation<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• NHP:<br>Outdoor exercise (see NHMRC guidelines)<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Furniture:<br>• Bedding material provided and appropriate<br>• Nesting material for breeding animals<br>• Materials –safe, absorbent, low allergenic, non-toxic, non-injurious, free from contaminants and vermin<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Labelling: <br>• Special care needs<br>• Experimental vs stock animals<br>• Responsible researcher / AEC #<br>• Emergency contacts (per room or project)<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Animals able to perform species-specific activities including sufficient exercise

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Temperatures

• Room temp recording- daily, Max & Min<br>Room temperature alarms regularly tested<br>Special conditions clearly displayed<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Ventilation and air quality

• Draught free, fresh or conditioned air in rooms (approx. 10-20 ACH) or IVCs

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• HVAC systems regularly serviced, alarmed and tested

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Relative Humidity within acceptable range 40-70%

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Light

• Max light intensity at 1 m is 350 lux, except albino animals (housing code)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Consider use of light meter at inspection

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Opportunity to withdraw to lower light intensities- tunnels, darkened areas/nesting box etc

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Periods of daily light and dark provided- photoperiods

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Access to natural light, as appropriate (cats, NHP)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Special requirements

• Animals with special requirements identified

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• The appropriate level of biohazard containment must be used for animals exposed to known infectious agents

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Other- biosecurity requirements for some NHPs

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Part D: Checklist – Experimental/Procedural Rooms temporarily holding animals

Maintenance and hygiene

• Room/facilities:<br>• clean, tidy <br>• vermin-proof<br>• in good repair to facilitate effective cleaning (see also Reg 93)<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Floor clear of:<br>• trip hazards<br>• places for escaped animals to hide

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Appropriate hygiene practices and sterile techniques/facilities available

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Equipment maintenance: <br>• Calibration/service schedule<br>• Manual available<br>

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• SOPs or equivalent for room maintenance available

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Room secure to avoid escapes

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Room/facilities booking history available

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Drugs – appropriate storage (refrigeration if required – within use by date ) – this is new

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Temperature

• Room temp recording- daily, Max & Min

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Room temperature alarms regularly tested

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Special conditions clearly displayed

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Ventilation and air quality

• Draught free, fresh or conditioned air in rooms (approx. 10-20 ACH) or IVCs

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• HVAC systems regularly serviced, alarmed and tested

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Relative Humidity within acceptable range 40-70%

  Yes

  No

  N/A

ACTION ITEMS

Items to address

• Item & Action required

• Timeframe for Completion

  Immediate

  1 month

  6 months

  As described
Sign Off

• Auditor 1 Name and Signature

  Sign