Introductory Course in Laboratory Animal Science

The Ethics, Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes

Date: 18 to 22 November 2019 (Monday to Friday)
Venue: Faculty of Health Sciences
Time: daily from 07h45 - 17h00 

Entry requirements: Letter from your supervisor endorsing your application for attendance and a copy of your ID.

Course fee is R 5 350 per person (UCT staff/students are eligible for a discounted rate. Please enquire on application)

This highly specialised course is aimed at all persons who carry out procedures on animals, care for animals or euthanase animals, for the purpose of conducting research, testing or teaching at UCT and in Africa. The course is also broadly attended by veterinary and para-veterinary professionals and animal ethics committee (AEC) members.

Our main objective is to present the basic principles and facts that underlie the responsible and ethical care and use of non-human animals for scientific purposes.  

The majority of lectures and principles included in the course are applicable across animal species. The practical sessions and some of the clinical lectures focus on mice and rats. 

The UCT FHS Animal Ethics Committee accredits the course and a Certificate of Completion will be issued to participants on successful completion.

The course is accredited by the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC). CPD points will be awarded for courses that are attended by at least five persons who are SAVC registered or authorised.

Course content:

• Animal ethics (moral philosophy; legislation; standards; UCT policies; reduction, refinement & replacement)
• Animal welfare (welfare monitoring; humane endpoints; euthanasia; anaesthesia; analgesia; surgical principles)
• Research quality (study design; model validity; calculating sample size; statistics; limiting confounding factors)
• Biology & husbandry (behaviour; housing; enrichment; nutrition; anatomy; physiology; genetics; health status)
• Ethical review (how to complete an Animal Ethics Committee application to ensure a rapid turn-around time)
• Practical training (normal behaviour; welfare monitoring; rodent handling, restraint, injections & euthanasia)

Complete and return your signed registration form to ce.administration@uct.ac.za or samantha.samie@uct.ac.za with a copy of your ID and a letter from your supervisor. Closing date for applications is Friday 25 October 2019.

Only participants registered for the course will be eligible to attend.