Laboratory Animal Services
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES and POLICIES:
INFORMATION FOR USERS OF LAS FACILITIES
(Last updated: 29 April 2005)
Please note: The use of animals in research carries important legal and ethical obligations.
Failure to meet these obligations may result in termination of projects and disciplinary action.
Summary
The following points are presented for quick reference. Users of LAS facilities are, however,
expected to be fully aware of the relevant details.
Restrictions on animal use
 No animals may be supplied and no research may commence unless approved in
advance by the Animal Ethics Committee (AEC).
 Only procedures covered in the AEC approval may be undertaken and only persons
whose names appear on the AEC’s approval letter may conduct these procedures.
Responsibilities, monitoring and record-keeping
 Ultimate responsibility for the monitoring, well-being and use of animals rests with the
researcher. The main role of LAS staff is to provide general day to day care only.
 It is strict LAS policy that for each AEC protocol number in each animal room, there must
be a plastic folder containing the following documents:
Emergency contact details (including email address).
A full copy of the AEC letter of approval.
General observation record.
Acute monitoring sheet (if applicable).
Cage cards
 Every cage must have a card or label clearly identifying the researcher, AEC number,
number and type of animals and a brief record of procedures undertaken.
Occupational safety, genetically modified organisms and quarantine
 Researchers must inform animal house staff of any potential hazards and all injuries must
be promptly reported.
 Any work involving transgenic mice must be approved by the Institutional Biosafety
Committee and may only be conducted in a certified PC2 area.
 Importing animals must be conducted in accordance with AQIS requirements and
animals may not be removed from quarantine until cleared by the Director.
Emergency procedures
 For Fire, Police or Ambulance call 0-000 or Security Services on extension 13333.
 In the event of a fire or other emergency, all persons must leave the facility immediately.
 Veterinary or building emergencies: Call ext 13603 (office hours) or 13487 (after hours).
Other information. This document includes important information on:
 Access to LAS facilities
 Animal health status
 Transport of animals between sites
 Fees and expenditure
 Media recordings, visitors etc
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Laboratory Animal Services
Laboratory Animal Services is a central service unit of the University of Sydney. It currently has
responsibility for seven facilities, all of which are on the main campus.
All staff in LAS’s facilities hold tertiary qualifications in animal care. LAS also employs a Business
Manager, a part time Administrative Assistant and a Director who is a registered veterinarian.
Temporary arrangements during construction of the Central Rodent Facility
The Central Rodent Facility project represents the largest investment by the University in its
animal research infrastructure for many years. Due to commence operation in late 2006, the CRF
will be open to all University staff and research students wishing to conduct work with rodents of
any kind (it is not just a transgenic facility as it has been wrongly described in the past). As well
as providing greatly improved control over animal health, the facility has also been designed to
deliver more procedure room space, a cleaner work place for personnel, PC2 certification
throughout (thereby allowing work with transgenic animals and genetically modified microorganisms in any part of the facility), two PC3 rooms, cryogenic capabilities, greater labour
efficiency and improved quarantine capabilities.
The CRF will occupy the site of a former animal house which has now been closed. As a result,
you will find that space is limited in some of LAS’s other facilities due to the need to
accommodate the animals that were decanted. While LAS will make every reasonable effort to
see that no researchers are disadvantaged, we ask for your understanding if you happen to
experience any inconvenience as a result of this temporary arrangement.
Restrictions on animal use
All activities conducted in the University’s animal facilities must comply fully with the relevant
legislation, particularly the NSW Animal Research Act. Fundamental to this are the following
requirements:
 No animals may be ordered, supplied or used for research or teaching unless approved
under a current protocol number issued by the Animal Ethics Committee (AEC).
 Animals may only be used in the manner approved by the AEC for the project concerned.
 Only persons whose names appear on the AEC’s approval letter may conduct
procedures involving live animals. It is important that this approval is updated when
necessary to account for new appointees (particularly honours students for example).
Implicit in these requirements is the expectation that persons working with animals have either
the necessary skills to perform the intended procedures or are adequately supervised while
acquiring these skills. They must also have a clear understanding of the ethical issues involved
and will have preferably attended a training course to address this.
Responsibilities
While LAS staff are accountable for many of the basic aspects of animal care, it must be clearly
understood that the NSW Animal Research Act places ultimate responsibility for animal care and
use with the Chief Investigator named on the Animal Ethics application. This means that once
animals have been assigned to a project, it is the researcher/Chief Investigator who will be held
responsible for any concerns regarding their well-being or use.
Undoubtedly the greatest potential problem relating to the University’s use of animals is
the failure of some researchers to demonstrate that they are monitoring their animals
adequately. LAS has therefore prepared a separate set of procedures entitled “Monitoring and
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record keeping”. All animal house users are expected to be thoroughly familiar with and
meet these requirements.
In addition to the provision of routine daily care such as feeding, cage changing, washing and
general care of the facility, LAS staff also check all animal holding rooms 7 days a week and take
responsibility for supply of general consumable items such as feed, bedding and cleaning
materials. They also oversee the maintenance of animal house buildings and equipment.
Requirements for a specific project (e.g. special diets) are generally the responsibility of
researchers. However, additional tasks (such as management of animal breeding) may be
performed by LAS staff if requested providing these fall within relevant Duty Statements and
providing they do not prevent staff from meeting their primary obligations.
LAS staff involvement with research projects
LAS staff must not be listed as ‘approved persons’ on AEC applications. Any assistance provided
by LAS staff is to be limited (within reason) to the sort of duties outlined above.
Duties performed by animal house staff after hours must be limited to essential animal care.
Animal house staff are not available after hours on LAS-funded time to provide assistance with
research procedures or any non-essential duties on behalf of other parties. However, should they
wish to become involved in such activities independently, they are free to do so under their own
arrangements provided that these do not impair their ability to meet their obligations to LAS.
Monitoring and record-keeping
Serious problems can arise if a researcher fails to demonstrate that their animals are being
monitored adequately. All animal house users must therefore be familiar with LAS’s document on
monitoring and record-keeping referred to above.
It is strict LAS policy that for each AEC protocol number in each animal room, there must be a
plastic folder containing the following documents:
 Emergency contact details (including email address)
 A full copy of the AEC letter of approval (listing all conditions and persons approved)
 General observation record
 Acute monitoring sheet (if applicable to the work being undertaken).
Plastic folders and copies of the relevant forms are available from LAS staff.
It is also essential that each cage card is correctly filled in and up to date.
The frequency with which animals are to be monitored by researchers will vary with the nature of
the work – more invasive procedures clearly require more frequent and intensive monitoring.
However, at its meeting in March 2004, the AEC resolved that all animal holdings should be
visited by a suitably skilled person listed on the protocol at least once a week and more often if
specifically indicated by the AEC or by the nature of the work. Monitoring only once a week would
usually only be considered appropriate in situations where animals are not undergoing any form
of invasive procedure and there was no reason to suspect an adverse effect on the animals’ wellbeing.
Cage cards
Every cage must have a card or label clearly identifying the researcher, AEC number, number
and type of animals and a brief record of procedures undertaken.
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LAS provides cage cards for rodent cages in two formats – one is for stock or experimental
animals and the other allows the recording of breeding data. Both cards can be supplied in up to
12 different colours in order to assist in distinguishing cages belonging to different researchers or
different strains of animal for example. Please contact the animal house staff if you require
additional cards at any time.
Occupational safety, genetically modified organisms and quarantine

Occupational health and safety. LAS regards the health and safety of all staff and
students as extremely important. Common hazards encountered in animal houses
include lifting of heavy items, repetitive movements, exposure to allergy-inducing dust
(particularly from animal cages), scratches and bites from animals, and needle-stick
injuries. Users of LAS’s facilities must comply with occupational health requirements at all
times.

Genetically modified organisms. Under Commonwealth law, the holding or use of
genetically modified organisms requires approval that must be obtained in advance. In
the present context, the term ‘genetically modified organism’ refers to transgenic animals
(usually mice) and genetically modified micro-organisms. Approval for use with these
GMOs can be obtained by lodging an application with the University’s Institutional
Biosafety Committee which then seeks the necessary input from the Office of the Gene
Technology Regulator (OGTR - a Commonwealth government authority). It is particularly
important to be aware that GMOs may only be kept in sites that have been certified as
‘PC2 compliant’ by the OGTR. At present, only a few rooms have this certification.

Hazardous materials. Procedures that involve materials such as cytotoxic drugs, radioisotopes, micro-organisms, flammable materials etc must comply with the requirements
of the University’s Risk Management Office. In many cases this will require written
approval from the Risk Management Office before work commences.

Quarantine. There are only two areas within LAS’s facilities that have approval to house
animals under quarantine. Animals or materials requiring quarantine may only be brought
into these rooms with prior approval from the Director and must be accompanied by a
copy of the appropriate AQIS Import Permit. No animals or materials under quarantine
may be kept in any other location.
Emergency procedures
To contact Fire Brigade, Police or Ambulance, call 0-000. Alternatively, call Security Services on
extension 13333. Note that use of these numbers should be limited to potentially life-threatening
situations.
In the event of a fire or other emergency, all persons must leave the facility immediately. Do not
stay behind to collect animals or belongings. No person may re-enter the building until permission
has been given by an emergency officer.
Contacts for other emergencies
1)
During office hours:
Veterinary emergencies: Contact the animal house staff or call the LAS Director on
extension 13603 or 0401 719 456.
Building emergencies: Call the LAS Director on extension 13603 or Trades Services on
17838.
2)
After hours:
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Call Security Services on extension 13487. Although not intended for use in lifethreatening situations, dialing this number will still deliver a rapid response. This number
may be called to obtain assistance in situations such as:
- After hours veterinary emergencies;
- Major building systems failure which could affect animal safety or well-being;
- Serious breaches of security.
Upon receiving your call, Security Services will contact relevant person(s) on their
database who can provide assistance after hours.
The above emergency information is also displayed throughout each facility.
Access to LAS facilities
Facilities managed by LAS are deemed University facilities and so may be used by any staff
wishing to conduct work approved by the University of Sydney’s Animal Ethics Committee.
However, unless exceptional circumstances exist, new projects or new users will only be admitted
if their needs can be reasonably accommodated around those arising from existing projects.
Furthermore, existing users will be consulted in cases where there are any concerns regarding
proposals to admit new projects or staff.
Access to LAS facilities is granted on the understanding that users will comply with the NSW
Animal Research Act and all relevant University and LAS policies. In cases where the needs of a
particular project conflict with LAS policies, approval to work outside the policies may be given by
the Director provided that an application is made in advance and provided that the proposed work
still meets legislative requirements.
The issuing of swipe cards or keys is handled by making an application to the LAS Director or the
LAS Business Manager in the Director’s absence. Note that Security Services will not issue swipe
cards or keys to a LAS facility unless the request is accompanied by a signed approval from the
Director or Business Manager. To apply for access, please arrange for an email, fax or letter to
be sent to LAS from your supervisor, senior departmental administrator or other person in
authority known to LAS; this must provide:
 your applicant’s first and last name;
 your staff or student ID number;
 an indication if access is to on-going (in the case of permanent staff) or the date after which
access will no longer required (in the case of fixed term appointments and students).
 the facilities to which you require access.
Staff hours and contact numbers
Animal house staff generally commence work between 6.00 and 7.00 am; our part time
Administrative Assistant is available from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and
Wednesdays; the Business Manager and Director are available during normal office hours and
the Director is also available for consultation after hours in cases of genuine emergency involving
animal welfare or the security, function or safety of a facility.
A regularly updated list of Supervisors and contact numbers for each facility is available from the
Director.
Rodent health status
Please be aware that the status of animal health varies between LAS’s rodent facilities. Although
no facilities house animals endemically infected with agents that are likely to have an animal
welfare impact, agents are present in some areas that can affect research data. It is important,
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therefore, that researchers and LAS staff are aware of the animal health status in each facility
and that animals or equipment are not transferred between facilities without approval from the
Director. It is also important that the relevant Standard Operating Procedures are followed in
those facilities maintained under SPF (Specific Pathogen Free) conditions.
Obtaining animals

Purchase of animals from outside suppliers. All rodents purchased for use by the
University must be ordered through LAS; our suppliers will not accept orders placed
directly by a researcher. This is necessary to ensure that appropriate records are
maintained of animal use and supply so that we can meet our statutory reporting
obligations. To place and order, please complete a LAS order form; this must include a
current AEC approval number and account code otherwise the order will not be accepted.
LAS must also be contacted prior to ordering other animal species to ensure that
adequate staff, facilities and space are available to accommodate the animals and to
confirm that there is appropriate AEC approval.

Supply from other research institutions within Australia. Because of concerns about
the possible introduction of pathogens from elsewhere, animals must not be brought into
any LAS facility from another institution without prior approval from the Director. This is
usually a quick process and generally suitable accommodation can be found that will not
present a risk to existing animal colonies.

Importing animals from overseas. LAS operates an AQIS-approved facility for
importing rodents from overseas. Please contact the Director for more details.

Transgenic animals. Remember that transgenic animals may only be held if prior
approval has been obtained through the University’s Institutional Biosafety Committee.
Please contact the Director for more details.
Sharing of animal tissues
In an effort to reduce the number of animals used in research, researchers are encouraged to
make tissues available if required by other researchers when they are killing animals as part of
their AEC-approved protocol.
Provided that the animals are being killed in the manner and timeframe approved in an AEC
protocol, the researcher receiving the tissues does not require separate AEC approval. The
researcher supplying the tissues does not need to have this covered in their protocol although
they should satisfy themselves that the purposes for which the tissues have been requested is a
legitimate research activity and that the tissues are being used and disposed of in a responsible
manner. Tissues should not be provided for commercial other non-research purposes.
Researchers might wish to advise the AEC of any tissue-sharing arrangements since this will help
document that the University is taking positive steps towards reducing animal usage.
Note that tissue sharing is not permitted in cases where this might create a hazard. In particular,
tissues must not be distributed from animals that are under quarantine, restricted to PC2 areas,
infected with any sort of pathogen or treated with hazardous substances.
Procedure rooms
LAS’s facilities include dedicated rooms for conducting procedures involving animals. Apart from
certain generic items, the equipping and management of these procedure rooms is the
responsibility of researchers. LAS will, however, conduct a general cleaning of procedure rooms
once a week. Researchers must not leave animals unattended in a procedure room and staff are
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under instruction to inform the Director if this is found to be occurring. Researchers must also
leave the room clean and safe for the next user.
Transport of animals between facilities
For reasons of both animal welfare and security, any animals moved between facilities must be in
a securely closed cage and the cage must be covered. In the case of transgenic animals, the
means of transport must comply with OGTR requirements and such animals may only be moved
to another PC2 animal house or PC2 laboratory. Special boxes are provided for transporting
transgenic animals in order to meet these requirements.
The carrying of cages by hand is discouraged and the use of vehicles is strongly preferred. LAS
staff can help with transport and can also make vehicles available if necessary.
Standard Operating Procedures and Policies
Standard Operating Procedures and Policies covering the following areas have been prepared by
LAS and are updated regularly:
After hours and weekend work
Anaesthesia & pain management – rodents
Animal care – cane toads
Animal care – cats
Animal care – guinea pigs
Animal care – rabbits
Animal care – rodents
Animal care – sheep
Animal care – Xenopus
Animal supply – AEC policy on rodents
Casual staff
Complaints
Emergency contacts
Export of live rodents
GM organisms and PC2 facilities
Importing rodents from overseas
Information for user of LAS facilities
In-house inspections
LCM Virus
Media and public relations
Monitoring and record-keeping
Motor vehicles
Quarantine – Rodents
Quarantine – Piggery
Quarantine – Xenopus
Occupational health incidents
Sentinel animals
Sharps disposal
SPF husbandry
Staff training
Although most of the above documents are primarily intended for the use of LAS staff, copies are
freely available to other parties. Please contact the Director or animal house staff if you wish to
obtain a copy.
Fees and expenditure
Users of LAS facilities are charged a weekly fee for each weaned animal held. Invoices are
prepared from a census taken once a week and are issued monthly.
These fees are subsidised by LAS and are less than those charged by many other institutions.
The aim is to recover direct labour and consumable costs only. There are no additional fees for
equipment, building improvements or certain specialised services provided the items are deemed
to be of general benefit. There is also no charge for a range of services including animal health
monitoring, diagnostic investigations, veterinary treatments, internal deliveries, assistance with
animal import and export procedures, statutory annual fees, re-derivation of animals and PCR
testing of cell lines for use in SPF facilities.
At present, LAS also provides a 25% subsidy on the purchase price (excluding freight) of rodents
obtained for use in research projects by University staff. Note, however, that this subsidy is to be
phased out from July 2005 and will cease from July 2006. There is no subsidy for animals used in
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teaching. Researchers must meet costs specific to their project such as specialised equipment,
AQIS permits and animal freight.
LAS’s fees are set using actual expenditure data collected over the previous 12 months and are
reviewed in July during preparation of the following year’s budget. The budget is then scrutinised
by the University’s Budget Planning and Advisory Committee and once approved, notice of any
fee changes is given to the user-group representatives on the Laboratory Animal Management
Advisory Committee for distribution to their members; this usually takes place in September. Fee
increases come into effect in the following January.
For those requiring an estimate of future fee increases, a useful guide is to take into consideration
any salary rises set out in the Enterprise Agreement for General Staff as well as the preceding 12
month CPI increase. It should be stressed, however, that if unusual circumstances arise, it can be
necessary to implement a price rise above that of recent trends. Indeed, recent years have seen
fee increases in the order of 10%. While as much notice as possible would be given in such
situations, clients are strongly urged to contact the Director for updated information if a more
accurate indication of future costs is required.
Expenditure of LAS funds on new equipment and building improvements is at the discretion of the
Director who reports to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences). However, input is encouraged
and welcomed from facility users and from the University’s Laboratory Animal Management
Advisory Committee.
Commercially funded research
The University (through LAS) makes a substantial contribution towards the cost of animal house
operations. As a result, the fees charged by LAS are heavily subsidised by the University’s
central funds. Since it is not appropriate for government-derived funds to subsidise commercial
activities, the fees charged by LAS for privately-funded work will be on a full cost-recovery basis.
Note that private sector entities involved in animal-based research may require separate
accreditation even when this research is conducted within the University’s facilities. Please
contact the Director for more information.
Projects conducted by other research institutions
Researchers from other accredited institutions who have no collaborative arrangements with the
University of Sydney may use LAS facilities provided that this does not interfere with the work of
the University’s own staff or students. Fees charged to outside researchers will be on a full costrecovery basis. Arrangements of this nature must have approval from the Animal Ethics
Committees of each institution involved.
Media recordings, visitors etc
The entry of media personnel, the use of recording equipment or cameras and the entry of any
visitor not directly involved with the animal house activities is not permitted without prior approval
from the LAS Director. The need for this policy arises from both security concerns and from the
fact that persons who are not familiar with an animal house environment can create significant
problems through contamination, injury liability, animal stress, breach of quarantine, breach of
gene technology regulations and disruption to staff and other users.