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University Animal Care Committee (UACC)

Queen’s University regards the use of animals in science as an integral component to our research-intensive program.  We are committed to conducting the highest-quality research and to providing animals with the best care as mandated by the policies and guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and the Animals for Research Act, enforced by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).  A component of the CCAC Certification of Ethical Animal Care and Use Programs includes Reportable Animal Welfare Incidents (RAWI).

A reportable animal welfare incident (RAWI) is an event that leads to significant unanticipated death of research, teaching or testing animals; or serious or continuous noncompliance with CCAC standards that poses a threat to animal health or welfare. 

Examples of reportable incidents include:

•    a catastrophic failure of critical life-support system(s)
•    disregard of, or unintended failure to follow approved practices or procedures
•    significant and unanticipated morbidity or mortality unrelated to the above
•    serious or repeated noncompliance with CCAC standards that leads to the suspension by the animal care committee or the institution of an animal-based activity that threatens animal health or welfare

Significant mortality is defined as 20% greater than the anticipated baseline mortality rate referenced in the approved animal use protocol (AUP), based on the total number of animals by species, per specific project component/objective within an approved protocol on-site at the time of the incident.  If the components/objectives are not independent but related, mortality is not calculated per specific project but against the entire protocol.

The animal use protocol (AUP) should indicate expected mortality associated to models (whether procedural, model or phenotypically driven) and PIs must report significant morbidity/mortality to the University Veterinarian at the time it occurs. Timely reporting and discussion with the University Veterinarian helps to promptly flag mortality that has reached a greater degree than anticipated. If no baseline mortality is clarified in the AUP, 20% automatically becomes the reportable threshold. For these purposes, mortality includes animals that are euthanized when they reach humane intervention points and animals that are found dead (excess healthy animals that are euthanized, and all animals euthanized at study endpoint are not included in mortality calculations.)

The University Veterinarian and/or UACC Chair will confirm that animal welfare incidents have reached the reportable threshold of a RAWI and will notify the CCAC within 14 days of occurrence. The Vice Principal Research (VPR) will be copied on all RAWI notifications.  Principal Investigators (PIs) do not report RAWIs to the CCAC directly. The University Veterinarian submits RAWIs after discussing details with the PI, ensuring the following information is included and accurate:

• date of event
• description of incident including nature and cause, location, outcomes, and impacts on animals
• calculations of numbers impacted as compared to number of approved animals (taking into consideration approved baseline mortality)
• resolution and mitigation steps taken following incident and actions being implemented to prevent similar occurrences

The University Animal Care Committee (UACC) will be updated on all RAWIs and provided opportunities to discuss appropriate risk mitigation strategies and final outcomes.

Failure of the University to notify the CCAC of a RAWI could result in serious non-compliance consequences including a Major or Serious recommendation and a probationary certificate significantly impacting the animal care & use program.