{"id":"animal-welfare-scientific-purposes-regulations-2003","name":"Animal Welfare (Scientific Purposes) Regulations 2003","slug":"animal-welfare-scientific-purposes-regulations-2003","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"wa","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":173604,"registerId":"wa-animal-welfare-scientific-purposes-regulations-2003-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Animal Welfare (Scientific Purposes) Regulations 2003","content":"![Crest]()Western Australia\n\nAnimal Welfare Act 2002\n\nAnimal Welfare (Scientific Purposes) Regulations 2003\n\nWestern Australia\n\nAnimal Welfare (Scientific Purposes) Regulations 2003\n\nContents\n\nPart 1 — Preliminary\n\n1. Citation 1\n\n2. “Scientific use code” prescribed (s. 5) 1\n\n3. Activities constituting “scientific purposes” prescribed (s. 5) 1\n\nPart 2 — Licensing the use or supply of animals for scientific purposes\n\n4. Application for licence (s. 8) 2\n\n5. Prescribed matters to be considered by the Minister (s. 9) 2\n\n6. Licence conditions (s. 11) 2\n\nPart 3 — Miscellaneous\n\n7. Forms 4\n\n8. Fees 4\n\nSchedule 1 — Forms\n\nSchedule 2 — Fees\n\nNotes\n\nCompilation table 12\n\n  \n\nWestern Australia\n\nAnimal Welfare Act 2002\n\nAnimal Welfare (Scientific Purposes) Regulations 2003\n\n## Part 1 — Preliminary\n\n##### 1. Citation\n\nThese regulations may be cited as the *Animal Welfare (Scientific Purposes) Regulations 2003.*\n\n##### 2. “Scientific use code” prescribed (s. 5)\n\nThe latest edition of the “**Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes**” (including any amendments) published from time to time by, or on behalf of, the National Health and Medical Research Council is prescribed as the “scientific use code” for the purposes of that definition in section 5(1) of the Act.\n\n##### 3. Activities constituting “scientific purposes” prescribed (s. 5)\n\nThe use of an animal to demonstrate a product or a technique is a prescribed activity for the purposes of paragraph (d) of the definition of “scientific purposes” in section 5(1) of the Act.\n\n## Part 2 — Licensing the use or supply of animals for scientific purposes\n\n##### 4. Application for licence (s. 8)\n\n(1) An application for the issue or renewal of a licence is to be —\n\n(a) made in writing using Form 1;\n\n(b) made by the person or scientific establishment responsible; and\n\n(c) lodged with the Department.\n\n(2) An application for the issue or renewal of a licence is to be accompanied by —\n\n(a) any further information (if any) required to complete Form 1; and\n\n(b) the prescribed fee set out in Schedule 2 for the number of years that the licence is to be issued or renewed.\n\n##### 5. Prescribed matters to be considered by the Minister (s. 9)\n\nWhen considering an application for the issue or renewal of a licence, in addition to the matters set out in the Act, the Minister is to have regard to the following matters, prescribed for the purposes of section 9(2)(e) of the Act —\n\n(a) the information supplied on the application form;\n\n(b) the applicant’s access to an animal ethics committee that complies with the scientific use code.\n\n##### 6. Licence conditions (s. 11)\n\nIn addition to the conditions set out in the Act, a licence to use animals for scientific purposes is subject to the following conditions —\n\n(a) the licensee is to provide the chief executive officer of the Department with an annual statement from the relevant animal ethics committee indicating compliance with the scientific use code for that year;\n\n(b) the licensee is to provide the chief executive officer of the Department with such relevant details in relation to the licence (including details of the animals used or supplied), as are requested by the chief executive officer of the Department from time to time;\n\n(c) the licensee is to comply with such other conditions imposed by the Minister as are set out in, or provided to the licensee with, the licence.\n\n## Part 3 — Miscellaneous\n\n##### 7. Forms\n\n(1) The forms in Schedule 1 are prescribed in relation to the matters specified in the forms.\n\n(2) Subject to section 74 of the *Interpretation Act 1984*, if a form is prescribed in relation to a matter, the matter is to be done, effected or set out in that form.\n\n##### 8. Fees\n\nThe fees set out in Schedule 2 are payable in respect of the matters set out in that Schedule.\n\nSchedule 1 — Forms\n\nForm 1\n\n[r. 4, 7]\n\n*Animal Welfare Act 2002*\n\n**Application for licence to use/supply animals for scientific purposes**\n\n- **Person or Scientific Establishment****(Applicant)** Name: ..............................................................................................\n- Address: ........................................................................................... ........................................................................................... ........................................................................................... ...........................................................................................\n- **Type of licence that is required** Licence to **use** animals for scientific purposes\n- Issue Renewal\n- Licence to **supply** animals for scientific purposes\n- Issue Renewal\n- **If applying for a USE licence, indicate the PRIMARY activity for which the animals are to be used** Medical Research Agricultural Research Teaching Other (please specify) Academic Research Field Trials Veterinary Research (including Wildlife)\n- **Place(s) where animals are to be located under this licence** ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................\n- **Animal ethics committee****(***for USE licence only***)** The applicant has — established its own committee; or arranged for the committee of ............................................................................................ to act as its committee.\n\n- **Experience and competence of applicant and staff** *(Complete for a Use or a Supply licence )*\n\n- The applicant and the applicant’s staff are experienced and competent in caring for and handling animals of the kind to be used or supplied.\n*(Complete for a Use licence only)*\n\n- The applicant and the applicant’s staff are experienced and competent in using animals for scientific purposes.\nThe following details are in support of the above statement(s):....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................\n- **Prior offences and related matters** Has the applicant or (to the best of the applicant’s knowledge) have any of its staff or students been convicted of an offence under this Act (or the *Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1920*) or any equivalent legislation in another Australian jurisdiction, in the previous 3 years? No Yes. Give details:..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................Has the applicant —• ever had a licence under this Act or the *Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1920* or under any equivalent legislation in another Australian jurisdiction, suspended or revoked?or • been disqualified from holding such a licence? No Yes. Give details:..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................\n- **Signature of applicant or authorised person** ......................................................................... .................................. (*signature*) (*date*)\n- Name (please print):Contact DetailsPostal Address: ..................................................................................Business Phone: ..................................................................................Business Fax: ..................................................................................Mobile Phone: ..................................................................................Email: ..................................................................................\n\n\n**[Note: the penalty for giving information in this application that is known to be false or misleading in a material particular is $20 000 and imprisonment for 1 year (s. 76(a) of the *Animal Welfare Act 2002*).]**\n\nForm 2\n\n[r. 7]\n\n*Animal Welfare Act 2002*\n\n**Licence to use animals for scientific purposes**\n\n- **Duration of licence** Licence No: .....................................................................................\n- Issued for the period: ....................................................................\n- **Scientific Establishment** Name: ...........................................................................................\n- Address: ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................\n- Contact person: .............................................................................\n- **Animals may be used for scientific purposes** This licence permits the named scientific establishment, its staff and students, to use animals for scientific purposes in accordance with the scientific use code for the period of the licence.\n- **Conditions** The use of animals for scientific purposes under this licence is subject to the licence conditions imposed by the Act and regulations, and to the following additional conditions:\n\n- The licensee must maintain a register of all approved projects and be able to identify current projects.\n- The licensee must establish and maintain a method of ensuring any person who is to be involved in the conduct of an approved project under the licence has the appropriate veterinary skills for that project.\nThis licence may be suspended or revoked for reasons set out in the *Animal Welfare Act 2002*, section 17.\n- ________________________________________________Minister for Local Government and Regional Development\n\n\nForm 3\n\n[r. 7]\n\n*Animal Welfare Act 2002*\n\n**Licence to supply animals for scientific purposes**\n\n- **Duration of licence** Licence No: .....................................................................................\n- Issued for the period: .......................................................................\n- **Supplier** Name: ..............................................................................................\n- Address: ........................................................................................... ...........................................................................................\n- Contact person: ..................................................................................\n- **Animals may be supplied for scientific purposes** This licence permits the scientific establishment and its staff to supply animals for scientific purposes in accordance with the scientific use code.\n- **Place(s) covered by this licence** This licence permits the supply of animals from the following places and facilities:................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................\n- **Conditions** The supply of animals for scientific purposes under this licence is subject to the licence conditions imposed by the Act, and to the following additional conditions:................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................This licence may be suspended or revoked for reasons set out in the *Animal Welfare Act 2002*, section 17.\n- ________________________________________________Minister for Local Government and Regional Development\n\n\nSchedule 2 — Fees\n\n[r. 4(2)(b), 8]\n\n| **Section** | **Item** | **Fee** |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| 8(1) | Application for issue or renewal of licence — |  |\n|  | 1 year | $100 |\n|  | 2 years | $200 |\n|  | 3 years | $300 |\n\n\nNotes\n\n1 This is a compilation of the *Animal Welfare (Scientific Purposes) Regulations 2003*. The following table contains information about those regulations.\n\nCompilation table\n\n| **Citation** | **Gazettal** | **Commencement** |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| *Animal Welfare (Scientific Purposes) Regulations 2003* | 21 Mar 2003 p. 893-907 | 21 Mar 2003 |\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Scope cannot be assessed as the legislative text was not available for analysis. The page returned was an error/redirect notice from the Western Australian Parliamentary Counsel's Office, not the regulations themselves."},"complexity_factors":["No legislative content was retrievable — only an error page was provided","Cannot assess complexity without access to the actual text","Score of 1 reflects the absence of analysable content, not simplicity of the underlying law"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument would set standards and oversight for using animals in scientific research, testing, and education in Western Australia — covering responsibilities of institutions and researchers, welfare safeguards, licensing/oversight, and sanctions for breaches. It primarily affects universities, medical research bodies, pharmaceutical companies, and any organisation conducting animal procedures.\n\nThe actual text was unavailable, so no legal analysis can be given here; check the Western Australian legislation website for the instrument."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations remain tightly focused on their original purpose: establishing the administrative framework for licensing the use and supply of animals for scientific purposes under the Animal Welfare Act 2002. The scope has not expanded beyond this core function."},"complexity_factors":["Short length (8 regulations plus schedules)","Minimal cross-referencing (primarily references back to the parent Animal Welfare Act 2002)","Simple conditional logic (if applying for USE licence, complete specific sections)","Only 1 defined term introduced ('scientific use code' references external document)","Straightforward licensing structure with only two licence types (use and supply)","No nested exceptions or complex temporal provisions","Forms and fee schedule are prescriptive but not legally complex"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this legislation does:**\n\nThese regulations set up the rules for using and supplying animals for scientific research in Western Australia. They work alongside the *Animal Welfare Act 2002* to make sure animals used in labs, universities, and research facilities are treated humanely.\n\n**Key things the regulations cover:**\n\n- **Licensing system**: Anyone who wants to *use* animals for research (like medical or agricultural studies) or *supply* animals to researchers must get a licence from the government. Applications must use specific forms and pay fees (ranging from $100–$300 depending on licence length).\n\n- **Ethics oversight**: Licence holders must have access to an **animal ethics committee** — a group that reviews research proposals to ensure animal welfare. This committee must follow the national \"scientific use code\" (a set of guidelines published by the National Health and Medical Research Council).\n\n- **Ongoing reporting**: Licence holders must submit annual statements proving they followed the code, and provide details about animals used when requested.\n\n- **What counts as \"scientific purposes\"**: The regulations clarify that using animals to demonstrate products or techniques (like showing students how to perform surgery) counts as scientific use.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Universities and medical research institutes\n- Agricultural research facilities\n- Veterinary schools and teaching hospitals\n- Commercial suppliers of laboratory animals\n- Any organisation conducting animal experiments or field trials\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThese regulations create accountability. They ensure that before any animal is used in research, there's oversight, ethical review, and a paper trail. The system tries to balance scientific progress with animal welfare by requiring compliance with national standards."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Regulations clarify and narrow how the Act's definition of \"scientific purposes\" is applied by (1) prescribing the NHMRC Code as the controlling \"scientific use code\" (Reg 2) and (2) expressly including demonstrations of products or techniques as \"scientific purposes\" (Reg 3). They also add operational scope by imposing licensing, ethics-committee access, annual compliance statements and specific recordkeeping and fee requirements for users and suppliers of animals (Part 2, Regs 4–6, Schedule 2)."},"complexity_factors":["External standard prescribed: adoption of the NHMRC \"Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes\" as the statutory \"scientific use code\" (Reg 2) creates dependence on an external, evolving document.","Definition expansion: explicitly prescribes that using an animal to demonstrate a product or technique counts as a \"scientific purpose\" (Reg 3), altering how the Act's definition is applied.","Licensing mechanics: formal application requirements (Form 1), prescribed fees for 1–3 year licences (Reg 4, Schedule 2) and verification of applicant competence increase administrative steps for applicants.","Ethics oversight requirement: Minister must consider applicant access to an animal ethics committee compliant with the scientific use code (Reg 5); licencees must supply annual statements from that committee (Reg 6(a)), imposing recurring compliance and reporting burdens.","Recordkeeping and information powers: licencees must provide details (including animals used or supplied) on request to the chief executive officer (Reg 6(b)) and maintain registers of approved projects (Form 2), creating ongoing administrative duties.","Ministerial and executive discretion: Minister may impose other licence conditions (Reg 6(c)) and the chief executive requests information as needed (Reg 6(b)), leaving scope for case-by-case decisions.","Cross-references and penalties: forms warn of penalties for false or misleading information under the Act (Form 1 note, referencing s.76 of the Act), integrating regime enforcement with broader Act provisions.","Form prescriptiveness: prescribed forms are mandatory for the specified matters (Reg 7), reducing flexibility but increasing procedural clarity."],"plain_english_summary":"These Regulations set the practical rules for licensing and reporting when animals are used or supplied for scientific purposes in Western Australia. They prescribe the NHMRC “Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes” as the governing code, treat demonstrations of products or techniques as a scientific purpose, and require licence applications, fees, animal ethics committee access and annual compliance statements. They affect any person or scientific establishment that uses or supplies animals: those parties pay fees, maintain records and meet oversight and reporting requirements."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/animal-welfare-scientific-purposes-regulations-2003","history":"/api/acts/animal-welfare-scientific-purposes-regulations-2003/history","analysis":"/api/acts/animal-welfare-scientific-purposes-regulations-2003/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/animal-welfare-scientific-purposes-regulations-2003/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/animal-welfare-scientific-purposes-regulations-2003/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/animal-welfare-scientific-purposes-regulations-2003/documents"}}