Teachers – Apply for Animal Ethics approval online – Retrospective approval cannot be given

School Animal Ethics Teacher Approval 2025

Application for ethical approval for investigation/project involving live animals
1. All sections are to be completed before submission

2. There is the possibility that you might need to be present/available for this meeting date to answer any clarifying questions.

3. Under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, retrospective approval for projects or teaching that might affect an animal's physiology, behaviour, or anatomy cannot be given, and ethics approval is required before commencing such activities.
Committee meetings times*
- 3rd March (Submitted by 24th February)
- 31st March (Submitted by 24th March)
- 12th May (Submitted by 5th May)
- 23rd June (Submitted by 16th June)
- 28th July (Submitted by 21st July)
- 8th December (Submitted by 1st December)
In special circumstances the Committee may consider projects at other times.
Date application submitted:
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Investigation/Project Title*
School Name*
Supervising Teacher*
Supervising Teacher's Email*
Additional teachers involved in this project and their email addresses
School Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City Suburb Post Code Country
Intended dates of investigation
Approval is given for three years – please include the details below to the best of your ability.
You are not able to start until after approval has been given. Therefore, your earliest start date will be 3 days after the AEC meeting date.
Year 1
Year 1 start*
DD slash MM slash YYYY
Year 1 end*
DD slash MM slash YYYY
Age of students in Year 1*
Number of students in Year 1*
Year 2
Year 2 start
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Year 2 end
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Age of students in Year 2*
Number of students in Year 2
Year 3
Year 3 start
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Year 3 end
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Age of students in Year 3*
Number of students in Year 3
Year Level of students*
Completing the application form

You must email the Committee animalethicseommitee@nzase.org as soon as your investigation dates are confirmed each year. This allows planned monitoring of a selection of projects, a requirement of the Committee’s Code of Conduct under the Animal Welfare Act.
Consider the 3Rs
Ethical and welfare issues surrounding any teaching activity involving animals must be considered. The principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement, known as the 3Rs, should guide your activity planning

Replacement where possible animals should be replaced by, for example, models, software, or videos

Reduction use no more than the minimum number of animals necessary - reducing the number of animals, however, should not be at the expense of greater suffering of individual animals

Refinement activities must be streamlined to minimise handling, discomfort, distress or pain in animals
Supporting Material
Please include additional material (e.g., handouts provided to students, diagrams or photographs of any caging or devices used). The Committee need this information to understand and approve your project.

If your project involves catching, or obtaining the eggs, dead bodies or parts, of any native mammals, birds (except game birds), reptiles or amphibians, or bush and ground wetas, ground or carab beetles, Nelson cave spiders, snails, black and red coral, or spotted black groper, you need to get a permit from the Department of Conservation (www.doc.govt.nz/) and may need to consult with local iwi. A permit may also be required to remove native species from National Parks or Reserves. Please attach a copy of any permits required.
Department of Conservation Permit
Accepted file types: jpg, png, pdf, Max. file size: 10 MB.
Application for ethical approval for investigation/project involving live animals
Project Details
1. Investigation Purpose*
2. Animal Type
Provide details on the animal/s you plan to use
a. Animal Type*
b. Number of Animals*
c. Estimated age(s)*
d. Breed (if known)*
e. Where will you obtain the animal/s from?*

Pet from home

Animal from farm

Elsewhere
f. Address or location of animals obtained*
Street Address Address Line 2 City County / State / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country
3. Method
Please detail the plan of the materials and method you intend to use
a. Equipment - List all the equipment/tools that you will be using during the project*
b. Outline the project or investigation. Provide a detailed method
i. How are animals involved in your project?*
ii. Method of transport and/or transfer*
iii. What will you do with/to the animals in your project? – step by step method*
iv. For how long will the animals be used?*
v. What will you measure, observe or record?*
vi. Where will you keep the animals?*

At school

At home

Elsewhere
vii. Address or location of animals obtained*
Street Address Address Line 2 City County / State / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country
c. How have you considered each of the 3 R’s (replacement, reduction, and refinement)?*
4. Animal Husbandry
a. How will the animal(s) be contained e.g. caged, housed, paddock?*
Please attach diagrams/photos

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, pdf, docx, doc, Max. file size: 25 MB.
b. How will you keep the animal(s) environment clean?*
c. How and when will you provide food and water?*
d. How will you provide for the animal(s) mental wellbeing/environmental enrichment?*
e. How will you care for the animal in the weekend(s)?*
f. Identify any potential risks to the health or well-being of the animal(s) as a result of this project and mitigations*
g. How will you care for any animals that become unwell/sick/injured?*
Please include details of your local veterinary clinic
5. Teacher/s experience*
Provide details of the teacher/s experience who will be involved with this project.
6. Student Involvement*
How will student involvement be managed? How will you ensure your students are competent at handling and taking care of the animals?
7. Logbook: Will students keep a detailed logbook of their investigation?*
Yes
No
8. End of the Project: At the end of your project what will happen to the animals?*
Kept in, or returned to, their original environment
Returned to similar environment (please explain)
Kept elsewhere (please explain)
Explanation if required
Additional information you would like to upload
Accepted file types: jpg, png, pdf, docx, doc, Max. file size: 25 MB.
9. Applicant consent*
I agree to the terms
Subject to approval (and any associated conditions) - by signing this application you agree to complete the investigation as stipulated. You are aware of your obligations during and after the investigation including the requirement to complete monitoring during the investigation and submit an annual statistic return no later than one month following the completion of the investigation.
By ticking this, I acknowledge that if an adverse event e.g. illness/injury/death occurs, I will notify the Animal Ethic Committee via email within 24 hours of occurrence.*
I agree to the terms
By ticking this, I acknowledge that if an adverse event e.g. illness/injury/death occurs, I will notify the Animal Ethic Committee via email within 24 hours of occurrence.
During your investigation

You must email the Committee (animalethicscommittee@nzase.org.nz) as soon as your investigation dates are confirmed each year. This allows planned monitoring of a selection of projects, a requirement of the Committee’s Code of Conduct under the Animal Welfare Act.

After your investigation has been approved, if you need to change the design including the source, type, and numbers of animals or what you do to them, and any materials, housing or foods used, you must first seek approval from the Committee.

You must monitor your investigation as it happens and ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of the animals at all times. Evidence of this monitoring is required – and will include video footage of the students at work.

All involved in this Investigation should be mindful of the risks and carefully observe the animals so that the investigation can be stopped immediately if the animals show any signs of illness, pain, discomfort or distress.
After your investigation

After your investigation is completed each year, you must complete a Statistics Form detailing: Statistics Form covering:

✓ what animals were used

✓ how many were used

✓ what happened to them after the project.

This information is required by the Ministry of Primary Industries for annual reporting. Short video evidence of the investigation should be emailed to the Animal Ethics Committee.

Failure to return a statistics return within a month of completing the investigation may jeopardise your existing approval.
Important
Please ensure that you complete all sections of the form. If an application is received incomplete, the Animal Ethics Committee will not be able to consider the application during the meeting, leading to a delay in you being able to obtain approval and starting your project.

School Animal Ethics Teacher Approval 2025

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Completing the application form

Application for ethical approval for investigation/project involving live animals

Project Details

During your investigation

After your investigation

Important