54CRehoming animals after research

54C Rehoming animals after research

54C Rehoming animals after research

(1) An authorised person who keeps a relevant animal for animal research must take all reasonable steps to rehome the animal on the occurrence of the first of the following—

(a) the animal ceases to be used by the authorised person for animal research,

(b) the animal has been kept by 1 or more authorised persons for animal research for a total of 3 years.

Maximum penalty—30 penalty units.

(2) For the purpose of subsection (1), reasonable steps include giving the following information about the relevant animal to a suitable individual or an animal rescue organisation who may be able to rehome the animal—

(a) the animal’s species, breed, age, weight and gender,

(b) a description of the animal’s general health, physical condition and temperament,

(c) whether or not the animal is desexed,

(d) whether or not the animal is microchipped and, if so, the microchip number,

(e) the date the animal was last vaccinated and wormed,

(f) the medications the animal is currently taking,

(g) other information prescribed by the regulations.

(3) The information may be given under subsection (2) by a database maintained by the Department for the purposes of rehoming animals kept for animal research.

(4) Subsection (1)(b) does not apply to an authorised person who keeps an animal for animal research if—

(a) on application from the authorised person, the Panel approves the keeping of the animal for research for longer than 3 years, and

(b) the authorised person complies with any conditions of the approval.

(5) An application for approval under subsection (4)(a) must not be made without the approval of the animal care and ethics committee supervising the research project.

(6) The animal care and ethics committee must not give approval unless—

(a) the committee is satisfied the animal research project is justified to run for longer than 3 years, and