The Irish Times View on the Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes in 2014

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/nearly-225-000-animals-used-for-scientific-tests-in-2014-1.2290257?utm_source=morning_digest&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news_digest

LAST IRELAND CERTIFICATION

With the new modularized training system supported by the EU, the Basic Last Ireland Certificate outlines the leaning objectives covered in the course and in compliance with those guidelines, which do not include any practical aspect of your training. Note that although you can get Last Ireland Certificate and therefore apply for your Individual Authorization, you cannot perform procedures unless you are signed of at level 3 in your training record! Also by doing your Last Ireland Course you get 5 ECTs acknowledgment for your structured PhD programme.

AMENDMENTS TO PROJECT AUTHORIZATION THAT REQUIRE THE COMPLIANCE OFFICER'S SIGNATURE

Changes to the application form which need to be referred back to the CO for signature:

1. Section A - Changes to proposed authorisation holder

2. Section B1 – Changes to project manager

3. Section B2 – Changes to deputy project manager

4. Section B3 – Addition of a collaborating establishment

5. Section B3 – Additional locations (other than the authorised user establishment)

6. Section C – Total number of animals per species to be used

7. Section C – Changes to individuals who will be performing procedures

8. Section F – Any changes whatsoever

9. Section G1 – Changes to the information under the Refinement heading only

10.       Section G3 – Any changes to information on animal species

Changes to the application form which do not need to be referred back to the CO for signature:

1. Section C – Project title

2. Section C – Regulatory requirements/production or diagnostic purposes/ethics committee questions

3. Section C – Duration of work

4. Section C – Estimated start date of work

5. Section D1 – Project details

6. Section D2 – Purpose of project

7. Section G1 – Replacement

8. Section G1 – Reduction

9. Section G2 – Animals to be used

Mouse Welfare Indicators

…..If you want a comprehensive check list for assessing the welfare of your mouse, you might find this link useful:

http://www.mousewelfareterms.org/doku.php

....and I am sure that you can also modify it for your rat!

HPRA FEES FROM 2015

No more project application/amendment fees will be charged from the 1st January 2015. A fee of 150 euro per year will be charged for each Individual Authorization from the first of January 2015 to become 250 in 2017.
For more details see below but also in your own "M drive Admin" folder

To Kill a Lab Rat

Those that use CO2 might find this article interesting:

http://www.the-scientist.com//?articles.view/articleNo/41378/title/To-Kill-a-Lab-Rat/

AWB Position Statement:

The AWB considers that the use of non-pharmaceutical grade reagents when an alternative pharmaceutical grade is available is not ethical, against the principle of refinement of the 3Rs and could compromise animal wellbeing, as these compounds are not normally tested for the presence of toxins or pyrogens. Additionally these reagents can potentially increase confounding experimental variables and reduce the reproducibility of a given experiment.

 (Image from http://rockposer.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/announcement.jpg)