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

Note:

1. All sections are to be completed before submission

2. 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.

Project title*

Date application submitted*

Student (Principal Investigator) Name*

Additional students involved in this project

Student Email Address*

Year level*

Year level of student/s involved in this project

When do you intend to start/finish your project

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.

Intended Start Date (for data collection)*

Intended Finish Date (for data collection)*

Home Details

Name of responsible parent/caregiver*

Parent/Caregiver Email Address*

Parent/Caregiver Phone*

Home Postal Address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City Suburb Post Code Country

School Details

Name of responsible teacher*

Have you discussed this application with your teacher?

Yes
No

Teacher's Email Address*

School Name*

School Postal Address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City Suburb Post Code Country

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

Additional Approval may be required

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. Does your project involve live animals?*

Yes (However, if you are unsure, please email animalethicscommitteenz@gmail.com)
No
Human Participants (You will need to obtain written consent from them).

A live animal is a: mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish (bony or cartilaginous), octopus, squid, crab, lobster, or crayfish (including freshwater crayfish); mammalian foetus, avian or reptilian pre-hatched young that is in the last half of gestation or development; or any marsupial pouch young.

2. Provide details on the animals you plan to use

a. Animal Type*

(e.g. cat, dog, cow, sheep, fish)

b. Number of Animals*

c. Estimated age(s)*

d. Breed if known:*

(e.g. domestic cat, border collie, Friesian, Suffolk, goldfish)

e. Where will you obtain the animals from?

Pet from home
Animal from a farm
Elsewhere

Please give address of the farm, if different from your home address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City County / State / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

3. Aim – in a couple of sentences, explain what you are trying to find out, or what you are trying to develop*

4. Equipment – list all the equipment/tools that you will be using during your project

Equipment

5. Method – Outline your project or investigation. Think about what you are going to do and how you will do it

a. How are animals involved in your project?*

b. What will you do with/to the animal(s) in your project? – step by step method*

c. For how long will the animals be used?*

d. What will you measure, observe or record?*

e. Where will you keep the animal(s)?*

At School
At Home
Elsewhere

Address or location where the animal(s) will be kept*

Street Address Address Line 2 City County / State / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

If you have any photos of your projects method please upload them here.

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, pdf, docx, doc, Max. file size: 25 MB.

6. Animal husbandry - care for your animal(s)

a. How will the animal(s) be contained (for example - caged, housed, in a paddock)?*

If you have any photos of the animal(s) house or enclosure please upload them here.

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 well-being/environmental enrichment?*

e. How will you care for the animal(s) in the weekend(s)?*

f. How will you care for any animal(s) that become unwell/sick/injured? Please also provide details of your local veterinary clinic in this section.*

7. Risks to Animals

a. Identify any potential risks to the health or well-being of the animal(s) as a result of this project*

b. What experienced person have you spoken to about your project, including how you will collect the data, to ensure that you have thought about all the actual and potential risk to the animal and/or yourself.

Name*

Experience or qualification(s)*

What advice or answers were you given?*

Should any of these risks occur what will you do?*

8. At the end of your project what will happen to the animals?*

Kept in, or returned to, their original environment
Returned to similar environment
Kept Elsewhere

Please explain further what will happen to the animals*

During your project

Once your investigation has been approved, if you need to change the design or method including the 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.

It is important to monitor your project as it is happening and ensure that the animals are well. Evidence of this monitoring is required (more details below).

You should be mindful of the risks that you identified in question 7, and carefully watch the animals so that you can stop your project if any of these risks do happen.

After your project

After your project has been approved and completed, you need to complete a Statistics Form covering:

✓ what animals were used

✓ how many were used

✓ what happened to them after the project.

The Committee will send you this form. The information is required by the Ministry of Primary Industries.

As part of the Statistics Form you will be asked to provide evidence about how your project went. This self-monitoring evidence can include:

✓ A short-written description of the project, including how the animals responded

✓ A series of photos or a short video taken during your project

✓ A video recording of you explaining how your project went

✓ A photo of your science fair board.

9. I acknowledge that at the completion of the project I am required to complete the Animal Use Statistics form.*

I agree to the terms outlined above

10. 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

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.

Additional information you would like to upload

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, pdf, docx, doc, Max. file size: 25 MB.

School Animal Ethics Student Approval 2025

Home Details

School Details

Application for ethical approval for investigation/project involving live animals

Project Details