Research & Innovation

Animal Ethics

As of January 1st, 2010, Ryerson has entered into an agreement that St. Michael's Hopsital will oversee the animal care and use program for the University. All research involving animals will need to be reviewed and approved by the St. Michael's Hospital Animal Care Committee.

The St. Michael's Hospital Animal Care Committee (ACC) will review all research proposals involving animals conducted by faculty, staff, or students at or under the auspices of the University. The Committee may recommend modifications to any proposed research, reject such research, approve the research for one year with annual review, or terminate any research project. No research on animals, as defined by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC), shall be undertaken without the prior approval of the ACC.

The approval of the St. Michael's Hospital Animal Care Committee (ACC) is required in order to protect animals used in research and to ensure that research is conducted in an ethical manner.

The Animal Care Committee:

• Reviews research protocols
• Interprets and applies the CCAC Guidelines and relevant legislation
• Establishes guidelines and procedures consistent with the CCAC Guidelines and relevant legislation
• Facilitates research by consulting with and assisting researchers
• Conducts an Annual Animal Inventory/Facility Review
• Reports annually to the Senate
• Reports to the Vice President, Research and Innovation as needed
• Approves the application processes and forms used for ethics review of animal research protocols
• Informs the research community about its work and animal care ethics review
  

For more information on how to submit a proposal to the St. Michael's Animal Care Committee, please contact Toni Fletcher, REB Coordinator, by phone (416-979-5000 ext. 7112) or by email (toni.fletcher@ryerson.ca).

Resources:

• Ethics Review of Research Involving Animals
• Policies
• Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC)
• Ontario Animal Welfare (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs)
• Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare (University of Guelph)
• American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
• Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R) Animal Subjects
• American Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC)
• American Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) Bookmarks/Resources
• The Norwegian Reference Centre for Laboratory Animal Science & Alternatives (The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science)
• The Shape of Enrichment