Animal Care & Use Program

The Canadian Council on Animal Care provides national oversight of the use of animals in including research, teaching, and testing. Acting in the interest of Canadians and on behalf of the Government of Canada, a rigorous process of assessment, certification, and standards development is used to ensure the ethical treatment and best care of animals used in scientific activities in Canada. The CCAC fosters a culture of care, compassion, and respect by ensuring that animals in science are only used when necessary and in alignment with evidence-based ethical standards that maximize animal welfare and promote public trust.

CCAC guidelines establish the basic requirements that all institutional animal care and use programs in Canada must follow as part of animal ethics and care. The use of animals in teaching and research is considered acceptable only if it promises to contribute to the understanding of fundamental biological principles or the development of knowledge that can reasonably be expected to benefit humans or animals. Animals should only be used in teaching or research when best efforts to find an alternative have failed, as outlined by the Three Rs: Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement.

The Three Rs are widely accepted ethical principles that are embedded in the conduct of animal-based scientific research in Canada and other countries worldwide. These principles are a critical component of teaching and research at BCIT, and researchers are required to use the Three Rs when developing any animal-based research projects or activities. Every effort is made to replace animals with appropriate alternatives, minimize the number of animals needed to successfully complete a project or activity, and refine procedures to minimize impacts on animals. There are, however, cases where the complexity and unpredictability of ecosystems and their organisms necessitate the use of animals.

The CCAC requires institutions conducting animal-based research, teaching, or testing to have established a functioning animal care committee (ACC) governed by formal Terms of Reference that reflect CCAC policies. BCIT will maintain a shared ACC in partnership with and supported by Vancouver Island University (VIU) – referred to as the BCIT Animal Care Committee (BCIT-ACC) – whenever animals are used in research or teaching by BCIT Persons. The BCIT Animal Care Committee (BCIT-ACC) is an executive level committee reporting directly to the Provost and VP Academic (VPA). The BCIT-ACC exercises authority delegated by the President to the VPA who acts as the senior administrator for matters concerning animal care, pursuant to BCIT Policy 6505 (Animal Care: Ethical Use of Animals in Research and Teaching).

The BCIT-ACC includes an appointed chair, faculty from both institutes, students, external community members, and a veterinarian. Committee membership requirements are outlined in the BCIT- ACC Terms of Reference [PDF] in accordance with guidelines established by the CCAC. The committee is responsible for establishing and overseeing procedures and policies required to ensure the ethical use and treatment of animals in research and teaching at BCIT. This is accomplished through the review, approval, and post-approval monitoring processes for all animal-based teaching and research activities associated with BCIT. The BCIT-ACC also ensures that all animal users are adequately trained and comply with the Institute’s animal care and use policy and procedures.

1. Applicants must submit an RUA form via email to bcit-acc@bcit.ca for any activities that involve animals prior to commencing the activity. This requirement applies regardless of the CCAC Category of Invasiveness for the activity and includes any work with invertebrates.
2. RUA forms will be reviewed to determine if an AUP is required. Applicants requesting to use animals for an activity that is in Category of Invasiveness A (COI A) will receive an approval letter indicating that their activity does not require an AUP.
3. Applicants requesting to use animals for an activity that requires an AUP (COI B to E) will have their requests reviewed for merit. For requests that have been deemed to have scientific or pedagogical merit, applicants may submit an AUP.
4. Applicants must submit an AUP for review through the ROMEO research application portal after their RUA has been confirmed to have either pedagogical or scientific merit.
5. At the BCIT-ACC review meeting, the AUP will be either: (i) approved, (ii) approved with revisions, (iii) major revisions requested, or (iv) declined.

Submission deadlines are established by VIU as part of the agreement that creates the framework for the shared animal care committee with BCIT. Visit the VIU Animal Care website where you will find submission deadlines for each academic term.

The CCAC requires that all ongoing activities that use animals and have an animal use protocol are subject to a post-approval monitoring (PAM) program that audits approved animal use protocols to ensure the animal users understand and comply with the expectations of the BCIT-ACC and the CCAC.

PAM can include routine audits and annual assessments of activities that occur under an animal use protocol, BCIT-ACC site visits, and assessments by the Consulting Veterinarian.

This program helps improve best practices and animal care standards at BCIT and identifies when protocol amendments may be needed.

Animal Use Protocol approval is valid for a maximum of one year, may be renewed annually up to three times, and expires after four years. Requests to renew an approved Animal Use Protocol should be submitted on ROMEO at least one month prior to date of expiry to allow time for revisions if required.

Theoretical training is delivered online via the Animal User Training course, which is discoverable for all BCIT members.

The course includes the following core modules:

• Ethics in Animal Experimentation
• Three Rs of Humane Animal Experimentation (Reduction, Refinement and Replacement)
• Guidelines, Legislation and Regulations
• Occupational Health and Safety

Any faculty member, employee, or student working with animals must also demonstrate competency to perform relevant activities or procedures before completing any activities independently.

Practical training provides animal users with the appropriate technical skills for the work or activities they will perform and knowledge of the animals in their care. This training may include hands-on training in animal handling, sample collection, or any other procedures that may be involved in the proposed activity.