Guidance notes for the completion of the application form
All work involving animals conducted by or on behalf of the University of Warwick is considered by our
Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB) even if this work is below the threshold requiring
regulation under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA).
The University is committed to the principles of the 3Rs of Reduction, Refinement and Replacement. For
each project it ensures, as far as is reasonably practicable, that no alternative to the use of animals is
possible, that the number of animals used is minimised and that procedures, care routines and husbandry
are refined to maximise welfare. The welfare of animals is a primary concern of the University; it therefore
expects that such work is conducted to the highest standards. The importance of our moral and legal
obligations underpins our culture of care and compliance.
Section 1 - Research/Project Details
Please give as much background information to the research as possible, ensuring that you outline the
expected advantages that the research project will bring. The AWERB will need to perform harm - benefit
analysis based on the information given to assess whether the harm that would be caused is justified by the
expected outcome, taking into account ethical considerations and the expected benefit to human beings,
animals or the environment.
Please also attach any other relevant documentation for example; existing Home Office Project licenses
that cover the work, other ethical approvals etc.
Section 2 - Animal and Welfare Details
A list of endangered species can be found in appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora list (CITES)
Please give as much information as possible on the programme of work proposed and indicate clearly how
this work will meet your objectives. Where relevant indicate how any in vitro and ex vivo work integrates
with any in vivo work proposed. Please also give details of what data or products are needed to achieve the
purpose of the project, and how those data or products are generated and analysed. Please also include
details of the housing and welfare of the animals, and levels of competency and experience of the staff
involved with the animal research.
Please also attach any documentation the will help the committee better understand the work being
undertaken for example; protocols for the plan of work, humane endpoints for the research (if relevant),
training documents etc.
1
Section 3 – The 3Rs
This section does not need to be completed for non-interventional studies i.e. where there is no direct
impact on the animals’ health, welfare or natural behavior (schedule 1 culls would be classed as
interventional).
Please give as much information on the reduction, refinement and replacement of the work as possible.
Replacement: Methods that avoid or replace the use of animals defined as 'protected' under the Animals
(Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in an area where they would otherwise have been used. Examples include:
 Absolute replacements - techniques which do not involve animals at any point, such as computer
modelling, in vitro methodologies (e.g. tissue engineering), use of human volunteers
 Relative replacements, which replace the use of 'protected' animals with other species e.g.
invertebrates, larval forms of amphibians and fish.
Refinement: Improvements to scientific procedures and husbandry that minimise actual or potential pain,
suffering, distress or lasting harm and/or improve animal welfare in situations where the use of animals is
unavoidable. Examples could include reducing stress by developing new approaches such as training
animals, use of non-invasive techniques or enrichments that improve living conditions.
Reduction: Methods that minimise animal use and enable researchers to obtain comparable levels of
information from fewer animals, or to obtain more information from the same number of animals, thereby
reducing future use of animals. Examples could include: Improved experimental design and statistical
analysis; data and resource sharing; and use of techniques such as imaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to complete this form?
The AWERB has a duty of care to consider all projects using animals that are conducted at or by the
University of Warwick.
How long will it take to be approved by the AWERB?
The project details will be circulated to the committee via email, and we would aim to get approval within 3
weeks of receiving your application form.
How will I know when my project has been approved?
The AWERB secretary will notify you via email to let you know that your project has been approved by the
AWERB.
Can I start work on the project before I have approval from the AWERB?
You cannot start work on any part of your project that directly involves animals until you have approval
from the AWERB.
Is my project classed as interventional?
If there is a direct impact on the animal other than normal husbandry techniques then yes your project is
classed as interventional ie culling, giving an injection, restraining the animal to measure blood pressure
etc. An example of a non-interventional study would be the filming of an animal in its normal environment
to monitor feeding behaviour.
What happens if I want to alter my project once I have started work?
If the changes in your project will alter the purpose, number or species of animal, location or the impact
upon the animals, then you will need to update your form with these changes and resubmit this to the
AWERB for consideration.
2
Do I need to notify the AWERB once my project has finished?
You are not obliged to notify the AWERB once your project is complete, but we would always welcome any
feedback on developments, results, papers published or progressions made so that we can continue to
improve the welfare and 3R’s of animals used in research.
Useful Resources
Home Office pages on use of animals in research
National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research
Understanding Animal Research
EU Directive (2010/63/EU) on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes
Responsibility in the use of animals in bioscience research: expectations of the major research councils and
charitable funding bodies (2008)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences (BBSRC) Animals in research
Medical Research Council (MRC) Use of animals in medical research
3