CCAC

All the material on this page has been abstracted from the web site of the council. All experimental care and use of animals in this country is subject to the requirements of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC), a national, peer review organization founded in Ottawa in 1968. Its mandate is straightforward and concise: "to work for the improvement of animal care and use on a Canada-wide basis".

Ethics of Animal Investigation (1989)

The use of animals in research, teaching, and testing is acceptable ONLY if it promises to contribute to understanding of fundamental biological principles, or to the development of knowledge that can reasonably be expected to benefit humans or animals. Animals should be used only if the researcher's best efforts to find an alternative have failed. A continuing sharing of knowledge, review of the literature, and adherence to the Russell-Burch "3R" tenet of "Replacement, Reduction and Refinement" are also requisites. Those using animals should employ the most humane methods on the smallest number of appropriate animals required to obtain valid information.

Pre-University Use of Animals

Animal use in the school is subject to the requirements of legislation such as the Health of Animals Act (Bill C-66), the Criminal Code of Canada, Section 446, Cruelty to Animals, and provincial legislation, where such exists. Primary responsibility for animal use at the pre-university level now lies, however, with Youth Science Canada which requires compliance with the CCAC guidelines in the conduct of biological research.

Youth Science Canada, amongst its responsibilities, regulates animal experimentation in Science Fairs. All research intended for Science Fairs must be screened by a committee cognizant of current requirements; if none is available, Youth Science Canada may be contacted. Science Fair Regulations permit use of lower forms of life (bacteria, fungi, protozoa, insects, plants and most, but not all, invertebrate animals). Vertebrate animals (birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians) "are not to be used in any active experiments which may be deleterious to the health, comfort or physical integrity of the animal..." Observation of wild animals, animals in zoological parks, farm animals and pets is permitted. It should be noted that, before any such projects are undertaken, adequate arrangements should be made for the care of the animal while in the classroom, and its subsequent disposition, which may involve euthanasia.

Link to the current CCAC document, dated 1993.

Youth Science Canada policies on the use on animals have been updated significantly since this document referred to above was written. This set of web pages on animals defines current rules and policies.