All schools in NSW must be accredited by the Department of Primary Industries as an animal research establishment if they wish to use animals for educational purposes.

As of May 2007, the Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AIS) has gained accreditation as an animal research establishment on behalf of independent schools. This means that the AIS will facilitate and supervise all use of animals for educational purposes in independent schools on behalf of the Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee (SACEC).

As a result the accreditation that each independent school has previously sought by the completion of Form D and submission to the Department of Primary Industries every three years is no longer required.

To facilitate this corporation accreditation, all independent schools must comply with the information in Animals in schools: Animal welfare guidelines for teachers and on this web site.

Sally Bannerman (Schools Animal Welfare Officer) continues to be the contact person for all schools in matters relating to the use of animals schools.

Animals in schools: Animal welfare guidelines for teachers, sets out the responsibilities and requirements of NSW schools and teachers that use animals for educational purposes. Teachers are required to obtain written approval from the Schools Animal Care and Ethics Committee (SACEC) prior to commencement of any activities using animals for which approval is required.

A full list of approved activities and their corresponding categories can be viewed at Categories of activities.

Approval from the SACEC is required when the teacher wishes to:

• allow students to carry out any category 4 or 5 activity
• demonstrate a category 5 activity
• allow students to carry out any activity, using animals, that are not included in the list of approved activities
• demonstrate any activity, using animals, that are not included in the list of approved activities
• apply for a Department of Environment and Climate Change scientific licence for keeping native animals.

The specified approval form should be printed, completed and submitted in the following situations:

• Students carrying out any category 4 or 5 activity: Application form 1 (pdf 375kb).
• A teacher demonstrating a category 5 activity: Application form 4 (pdf 302kb).
• Students to carrying out any activity, using animals, that is not included in the list of approved activities: Application form 1 (pdf 375kb).
• A teacher demonstrating any activity, using animals, that is not included in the list of approved activities: Application form 4 (pdf 302kb).
• Students carrying out a research project using animals, that involves any category 4 or 5 activity: Application form 2 (pdf 337kb).
• Students carrying out a research project using animals, that involves an activity that is not included in the list of approved activities: Application form 2 (pdf 337kb).
• A teacher is seeking a scientific licence for keeping native animals for educational purposes from the Department of Environment and Climate Change: Application form 3 (pdf 257kb).
• A teacher housing production animals intensively, e.g. poultry in battery cages or sows in farrowing crates: Application form 5 (pdf 239kb).

Note: Both the teacher and the principal must sign all application forms before sending to:

Schools Animal Welfare Officer
Private Bag 3
RYDE NSW 2112