You will require this licence if you intend to carry out scientific research involving animals. Ordinarily, the cruel treatment of animals, including scientific testing, is strictly prohibited under animal welfare laws.
A Scientific Procedures Premises Licence authorises the holder to carry out certain scientific procedures on animals that would otherwise be illegal. This licence only applies to a specific premises. Examples of such scientific procedures include:
- surgical, medical, psychological, chemical or physical treatment
- unusual conditions of heat, cold, light, dark confinement, noise, isolation or overcrowding
- abnormal dietary conditions
- electric shock or radiation treatment
The following organisations are exempt from licence fees:
- not-for-profit organisation that have five or less full-time equivalent employees
- registered schools
- children's services
Specific approval under this licence is required if you intend to carry out scientific procedures on any of the following animals:
- gorilla
- chimpanzee
- baboon
- orang-utan
This approval will only be granted if the scientific procedure is in the best interest of those specific animals or for the protection of human health and the objective cannot be achieved by any other means.
