Researchers, technicians or tertiary teachers are often directly responsible for animal welfare. The following information has been designed by ANZCCART to assist these groups when they are conducting research, testing and/or undertaking teaching involving animals.

Animal ethics and legislation in New Zealand

Please click to follow link for information on ethics and legislation in New Zealand.

Understanding Animal Ethics Committees

Please click to follow link for information on Animal Ethics Committees and the criteria for assessing applications.

Assistance with statistics in designing studies with animals

Appropriate research study design is an important part of reducing the numbers of animals used in research and testing. We strongly recommend the free interactive course on designing animal experiments provided by Michael Festing.

Designing and reporting animal experiments

ANZCCART (NZ) endorses the PREPARE and ARRIVE guidelines for the designing and reporting of animal experiments involving the use of animals. The guidelines are intended to improve the planning and reporting of research using animals – maximising information published and minimising unnecessary studies.

• PREPARE guidelines for planning animal experiments can be found here.

• ARRIVE guidelines for reporting animal experiments can be found here.

The ARRIVE reporting guidelines have been endorsed by over 1,000 scientific journals including nature, and the journals of the Royal Society Te Apārangi.

A 3-minute video about the PREPARE guidelines can be found here.

Animal welfare

Please click to follow link for information on managing pain and anaesthesia in research animals.

Alternatives to using animals in research, testing, or teaching

Please click to follow link for information on alternatives to using animals in research, testing, or teaching.

ComPass Animal Welfare Training

This free online course covers the Australian Code and NZ Guide and welfare issues relating to animal use in research and teaching. Successful completion of Phase one of the course and its quiz fulfills the mandated basic training needs of researchers and teachers using animals as well as members of Animal Ethics Committees (AEC) in Australia and NZ (except AEC members in Victoria who are required to complete the Animal Welfare Victoria training).

The aim is to standardize and augment the training offered for animal users in research and teaching throughout Australasia by offering this free online interactive and resource-rich course to all who need this training. For the course link and more information.

Resource bank and recommendations on best practice

There are ANZCCART resources and Links to resources from other organisations that contain information and resources about animal welfare and alternatives to using animals. If you would like to add information or resources to this database please contact us.

Information updates

Our regular newsletter ANZCCART News contains updates on animal welfare, legislation and alternatives to using animals. If you are doing work that has animal ethics approval you should receive this newsletter (via email). If you have not been receiving a copy of ANZCCART News please contact us. Archived editions are available here.

ANZCCART Conferences

ANZCCART holds an annual conference which discusses animal welfare in the context of research, testing and teaching. The conference location varies and usually is held two successive years in Australia followed by one year in New Zealand. For more details please see our conference page.

ANZCCART Contacts for questions

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us.