Animals in Schools
Under the Animal Welfare Act 1992 the ACT Department of Education and Training is required to hold a licence for the use or breeding of animals for the purpose of research or teaching. The conditions of this licence mean the department is required to establish and maintain an Animal Ethics Committee to ensure the humane care of animals used for scientific purposes. The Animal Ethics Committee is required to keep a record of all animals used in educational programs in schools and provide a report to the Minister of Education.
The Department of Education and Training has established the Animal Experimentation and Ethics Committee (AEEC) to ensure compliance with legislation around the use or breeding of animals for the purpose of teaching or research in schools.
The Curriculum Support P-12 section provides administrative services for the AEEC, processing annual requests to keep animals or use animal material and organising school inspections.
