Policy on the Queen's University Biological Station (QUBS) - University Animal Care Committee (UACC)
All research and teaching activities at Queen's University Biological Station (QUBS) involving vertebrate animals require approval of the Queen's University Animal Care Committee (UACC) and must be in compliance with the "Animals for Research Act" (Province of Ontario, 1968/69, Rev 1990) and the guidelines and policies of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and the policies and SOPs of the UACC. Approvals are required for collecting, capturing, tagging, marking, handling, bio sampling and housing (as well as some observation) of vertebrates, whether for research, teaching or demonstration purposes. Approval for invertebrate research is not required for work conducted at the Biology Station.
Housing of animals at QUBS is short-term (less than thirty days) and only done as an adjunct to field studies. Studies requiring long-term holding are inappropriate for QUBS. The Biology Department at Queen's University has animal holding facilities equipped with aviaries, fish tanks, quarantine, one-way viewing windows and electronic data acquisition infrastructure to support biological research on captive vertebrates. Such facilities are unavailable at QUBS.
Given that research initiatives, funding and approvals are Principal Investigator driven, Principal Investigators have responsibility for ALL aspects of research and teaching involving animals including the obtaining of approval for the project from the requisite animal care committee. Field work cannot proceed at QUBS without the requisite approvals in place. The QUBS will be routinely visited by the University Veterinarian who will assess the facility and provide advice and oversight to researchers, students and employees.
Queen's University researchers must obtain full approval from the UACC using the online application process (Topaz) at the UACC website. Copies of approvals will be held at UACC, the Biology Department at Queen's and on site at the Biological Station.
For non-Queen's University researchers, a single copy of the approved protocol from the home institution should be submitted, along with a completed Animal Use Data Form (AUDF), to the Queen's UACC for review. (uacc@queensu.ca ). Contact the Secretary, UACC for more information.
Copies of all permits to collect, sample, capture, band, keep in captivity etc. issued by Provincial or Federal Agencies (eg. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Canadian Wildlife Service) must be appended to the approvals file at the UACC and at the QUBS by the Principal Investigator.
Copies of all animal project approvals will be kept on file with the UACC, the Department of Biology (c/o Departmental Manager) and on-site at the Biology Station (c/o Senior Manager, QUBS).
Research at QUBS must comply with all university policies and guidelines. Principal Investigators must become familiar with: