Animal welfare

If you want to use animals in any kind of research or teaching in the Northern Territory (NT), you must apply for a registration.

This registration may be likely to enforce conditions in some or all of the following areas:

• the use or welfare of animals including breeding
• facilities and equipment for breeding animals
• a specific code of practice.

What is classed as research

Research is defined as an experiment, procedure, test or study in which an animal is used.

It includes subjecting an animal to surgical, medical, physiological, biological, chemical or physical treatment.

When you don't need a licence

You don't need a registration if you’re in charge of animals in a child-care centre, pre-school or educational institution unless they’re used or intended to be used for scientific teaching purposes.

Before you apply

Any research work involving animals in the NT must be approved and overseen by an ethics committee.

Before you can apply for a registration, you must:

• establish and maintain an ethics committee for the work or project or
• make an arrangement with an existing ethics committee.

Applying for a licence

Find out how to apply for a registration to use animals in teaching or research.

Individuals also must get permits to work in research program from the project's ethics committee.