All research involving animals at Mount Saint Vincent University is guided by a code of ethics to ensure the research meets the highest ethical standards, as laid out by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC).

 

Mount Saint Vincent University is currently certified by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) as being in accordance with standards of GAP – Good Animal Practice®.  All research involving animals requires ACC approval prior to the start of research as per University policy.

 

 

 

 

 

As required by the by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Mount Saint Vincent University co-operates and complies with all agencies in Canada regulating the use of laboratory animals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mount Saint Vincent University, through a memorandum of understanding, collaborates with Saint Mary’s University (SMU) for all ethics clearance for research involving animals. The SMU Animal Care Committee is authorized to review, clear and monitor all animal research at MSVU. All Mount Saint Vincent University faculty, students, administration, and staff who are conducting research with animal participants must submit an ethics application to the Animal Care Committee (ACC) for clearance.

Learn more about Animal Care and use in Canadian Research.

 

For animal care questions, please contact ethics@msvu.ca or animalcare@smu.ca.

MSVU ACC Standard Operating Procedures

Coming soon

Animal Care Committee

ACC Membership 2023-2024:

Chair:

  • Dr. Susan Bjornson (January 2023 – December 2025)

Consulting Veterinarian:

  • Dr. Jim Gillis (On-going)

Acting Animal Care Coordinator/Technician (ex-officio):

  • Ms. Emily Allen (On-going)

Research Grants Officer (ex-officio, non-voting):

  • Ms. Marlene Ramos (On-going)

SMU Faculty Member Experienced in Animal-Based Research:

  • Dr. Anne Dalziel (January 2023 – January 2025) *at term limit

SMU Faculty Member Who Does Not Use Animals in Research:

  • Dr. Michelle Patriquin (November 2022 – November 2025) *renewable

MSVU Faculty Member:

  • Prof. Kevin Shaughnessy (September 2022 – September 2025) *renewable

SMU Graduate Student:

  • Ms. Brandi Duke (January 2023 – January 2024)

Community Member:

  • Ms. Krista Connell (March 2021 – March 2024) *renewable

Community Member:

  • Ms. Shelagh Campbell-Palmer (June 2020 – June 2023) *renewable

Report an Animal Care Concern

If you wish to report a concern or issue with regards to the welfare of animals involved in research at Mount Saint Vincent University, and wish to notify someone not directly involved in the research study, you may complete this report form and submit it anonymously. **Please ensure that you are not submitting confidential or sensitive information.

Alternatively, you are invited to contact the MSVU Research Ethics Coordinator at 457-6350 or via e-mail at ethics@msvu.ca to discuss your concerns. Your identity will be kept confidential.

Report an Animal Care Concern

Please provide as much information as possible when submitting your report. The REB Coordinator will review the report and ensure that the Animal Care Committee (ACC) Chair and/or the ACC Veterinarian are notified as soon as possible.