Mandatory annual reports

As required under Section 2.4.34 of the Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes 8th edition, 2013 (updated 2021)  'the Animal Use Code', Chief Investigators must submit reports for research projects involving the use of animals.

Major reports to be submitted by Research Ethics and Integrity on behalf of Chief Investigators include:

• Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) Mandatory Annual Report of Animal Usage
• Interstate Mandatory Annual Reports to relevant interstate regulators, when UQ staff and/or students have undertaken hands-on animals work interstate
• National Health and Medical Research Council Statement of Compliance 

Reports to be submitted by Chief Investigators to Research Ethics and Integrity for review by the relevant Animal Ethics Committee.

• Annual Progress Report (as part of the DAF Mandatory Annual Reporting process) – this report is to include any non-target species capture (bycatch).
• Completion Report (to be submitted to the relevant AEC within three months of the finalisation of hands-on animal work)
• Adverse Event Report (to be submitted to the relevant AEC as soon as possible after the event and in some instances included as part of the DAF Mandatory Annual Reporting process)

Investigators that use animals for research and teaching purposes are required to submit a Mandatory Annual Report every year for each Animal Ethics Committee project approval. The Mandatory Annual Report requests information on the use of animals between 1 January and 31 December of the reporting year. Submission of Mandatory Annual Reports serves several purposes.

1. Submission of annual reports to state regulators is a requirement under the Queensland Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 as well as with the relevant Acts in other states. Research Ethics and Integrity reports animal use at The University of Queensland to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and other state regulators, on behalf of investigators. The Mandatory Annual Report form allows investigators to provide the information that is needed to create reports for the regulators.
2. The Animal Use Code requires that an annual report for each approved project is submitted to the Animal Ethics Committee via MyResearch, regardless of the duration of approval for the project (Clause 2.4.34 (i.)). 

Extensions

The timing of the Mandatory Annual Report deadline is based upon the reporting deadlines to the state regulators. The Animal Ethics Committees must consider each Mandatory Annual Report prior to the submission of annual reports to state regulators and are therefore unable to provide extensions to the deadline.

Not submitting a Mandatory Annual Report

Failure to submit Mandatory Annual Reports is considered non-compliance with the Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes 8th edition, 2013 (updated 2021) . The Animal Use Code mandates that Investigators must submit an annual report to the UQ Animal Ethics Committee for each approved project (Clause 2.4.34). The Chief Investigator of all projects for which Mandatory Annual Reports are not submitted will be referred to the institution for further action.

If you are aware that a Chief Investigator is not available to create and redirect forms, please contact Animal Ethics. Mandatory Annual Reports will need to be submitted for all Animal Ethics Approvals and another participant on the Certificate will be contacted to complete the form.

Completion Report

Each animal ethics approval must be formally finalised at its conclusion. The Animal Use Code requires that investigators submit a final report via MyResearch to the AEC as soon as practicable after the project is completed (Clause 2.4.34).

Guidance on how to complete a mandatory annual report form is available on the MyResearch systems training hub.