Animal Care Services
Support and care for the housing and management of laboratory animals
On this page
About ACS
Animal Care Services (ACS) supports biological and biomedical research projects in a range of contained housing environments and research facilities for laboratory animals, including other domestic species.
Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) and disease free, genetically validated animals are supported by the well-regulated and contained environments provided by ACS.
ACS is proudly an AAALAC accredited program. ACS was awarded fuIl accreditation in 2014, reaccreditation in 2017 and again in 2023 – highlighting both the commitment to outstanding research and best practice for animal care and wellbeing outcomes.
AAALAC Accreditation Letter 2023 [PDF File, 481 KB]
Our services
Support and services for housing, conditioning and management of laboratory animals
Animal Care Services facilitates and provides:
- Quality control over processes and procedures. (UWA Pheme login required)
- Specialist technical support.
- High containment quarantine, PC2 (physical containment level 2), PC3 facilities for small laboratory animal research.
- Assistance to ensure all necessary compliance and regulatory issues are properly addressed.
- A point of reference and information for multi-faceted research programs.
- Veterinary advice and support.
- Management through the tailored software system tick@lab for all aspects of facility and animal management.
Our staff are willing to assist and liaise at all stages with the development of research projects. (Pheme login required)
At UWA, animal welfare is everyone’s responsibility and any concerns must be immediately reported to the Director of Animal Care Services and the Animal Welfare Officer.
Working with us
All UWA animal ethics applications, renewals or amendments require an endorsement from the Director of Animal Care Services (DACS).
Wildlife and farm-based research activities must be discussed with your relevant Head of the School in the first instance.
Researchers must approach key Animal Care Services (ACS) staff at least four weeks before the ethics application submission deadline to discuss animal care, husbandry issues and assess if the application can be supported by ACS staff and existing UWA infrastructure.
Further information is available in the UWA staff intranet (Pheme login required)
ACS facilities
Animal Care Services manages contained facilities with staff responsible for the care of animals that are being housed for research and teaching projects:
Further information is available in the UWA staff intranet (Pheme login required)
We provide high containment, quarantine, PC2 (physical containment level 2) and PC3 facilities for small laboratory animal research and facilitate housing and management of large animals.
Animal Care Services hosts a zebrafish research facility within the Biomedical Research Facility:
- 4000 litre, 400 tanks, 10 fish per litre.
- Barcoded Inventory Management.
- OGTR PC-2 Aquatic Facility.
- Biosecurity Approved Arrangement 5.2.3 Compliant.
- Importation and clearance of embryos and larvae from international collaborators.
- Use of CRISPR/CAS9 recombinant technologies to develop novel translational research models.
- Access to laboratory support equipment and space.
ACS costs
Animal Care Services support three different user groups:
Internal:
Subsidised internal rates apply to UWA Staff, Students, Visitors and Affiliates (including Adjunct, Clinical and Honorary appointments), when the project grant funding is administered by UWA. If the funding is administered by another organisation, or has been commissioned by the funder, or has a commercial focus and UWA has no claim on the intellectual property or outcomes of the project, then associate or external rates will apply.
Click here for Internal costs (UWA Pheme login required).
Associate:
Associate rates are available to publicly funded researchers and Government organisations.
External:
External rates apply to commercial and industry-based projects. Get in touch with us [email protected] to discuss your project.
Processes and procedures
Our policies on monitoring, reporting and post mortem assessment ensure concerns are reported to the Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) in a timely manner and post mortem procedures are carried out as required by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes 8th edition (the Code).
General policies covering facility use are also available with further policies and information accessible by contacting ACS.
Training ACS Induction Program
The ACS Induction Program is a facility attendance requirement for all staff and students participating in a UWA Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) research project conducted within Animal Care Services (ACS). The ACS Induction Program is a two-step process that involves the ACS Facility Induction, followed by a site-specific facility induction. This forms part of the Worksafe staff safety requirements and as an obligation by ACS to uphold best practice for safety and access to the facilities and promoting best practice animal care and welfare.
About the ACS Induction Program
The two hour session includes:
- Introduction, Overview and Expectations
- ACS Responsibilities and Safety
- Principles of Laboratory Animal Husbandry and Care
- Animal Care Services Facilities
- Lab animal wellbeing and housing
- tick@lab
- What we can do for you
- Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Technical Working Instructions (TWI)
- Vet Care and Quality Control Programs
- Post Approval Monitoring
- Anaesthesia and Analgesia
Fees
The ACS Induction Program is offered free of charge to UWA staff and students, including adjunct status.
Dates
Details regarding 2024 inductions will be released in the new year. Please register your interest with [email protected].
Other areas with responsibility for animals at UWA
Wildlife and farm-based research must be discussed with your relevant Head of School in the first instance.
Useful links
