Teaching and research involving animals at Red Deer Polytechnic are conducted according to the highest possible standards in the care, well-being, quality of life, and use of live animals in accordance with applicable laws, the Canadian Council on Animal Care guidelines and policy statements, and the Tri-Agency Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions. Red Deer Polytechnic participates in the programs offered by the Canadian Council on Animal Care and maintains a Certificate of Good Animal Practice.
Red Deer Polytechnic has entered into a formal animal care agreement with Olds College by which Olds College will provide review services. The Olds College Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, with the addition of one member from Red Deer Polytechnic, shall serve as Red Deer Polytechnic’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. In addition, Red Deer Polytechnic will have access to the Scientific and Pedagogical Merit Review Processes at Olds College.
All courses and research that use animals must develop an Animal Use Protocol and Standard Operating Protocol that must be approved by the Red Deer Polytechnic Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee prior to commencement and then reapproved annually for up to three renewals, at which time any ongoing work must be submitted as new protocol. Any change, be it minor or major amendment, will require reapproval prior to the implementation of changes.
The following policies and procedures govern animal care and use at Red Deer Polytechnic:
Faculty, staff, and students at Red Deer Polytechnic are encouraged to report any incidents of animal use which appear to contradict the stated intended use. Reporting of any such incidents will be done by completing an Animal Incident Report (see the Forms section of the Research and Teaching with Animals webpage). Animal Incident Reports are to be directed to the Red Deer Polytechnic Animal Research Coordinator, Olga Mameeva.
Breaches of compliance that cannot be corrected by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee working with the concerned animal users and veterinary/animal care staff must be referred to the Vice President, Academic & Research at Red Deer Polytechnic.
Further information on applying for approval to use animals in teaching and/or research can be found on the Research and Teaching with Animals webpage.
