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Research Involving Animals

Home » Research Ethics » Research Involving Animals

York is committed to conducting world-class research and to providing animals with the best care; only utilizing animals in research under strict protocols and where there are no viable alternatives to conduct the needed research.

January 15, 2026: We are pleased to announce that the YU Ethics Review System is now fully operational. Moving forward, all ACC protocol submissions must be submitted through this online platform. General support materials can be found under Learning Resources, and detailed ACC‑specific guidance is available in Unique Protocol Information – Animal Research.

The Animal Care Committee (ACC) at York has jurisdiction over all research involving animals conducted – on and off campus - by York faculty, staff and students. 

It is the Committee’s mandate to ensure that all research involving animals is conducted in a manner consistent with the national guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and relevant regulations/provincial legislation (Animals for Research Act). 

York University’s animal care best practices are monitored on an institutional level by both the relevant provincial Ministry and the Canadian Council on Animal Care. 

Our University Veterinarian conducts regular visits of the facilities to inspect conditions and provide necessary care.

It is York policy that researchers intending to conduct research involving animals and/or to utilize animals for teaching purposes must submit the appropriate protocol and obtain approval of said protocol by the Animal Care Committee at York before any research or teaching activity can commence.

Appropriate training and education are required by all researchers - faculty, staff and students - in order to carry out this type of research.

York University’s Animal Care Committee adheres to the Three R’s framework, which considers replacement, reduction and refinement strategies. The Three R’s are the foundation of the Canadian Council on Animal Care, and act as guiding principles for ethical decision-making on research involving animals and their welfare. 

  • Replacement considers alternative techniques, and complete or relative replacements, to conduct studies without involving any animals
  • Reduction refers to limiting the number or quantity of animals involved in order to conduct the necessary research or to obtain concrete results
  • Refinement includes environmental enrichment and making changes or modifications to how the research is done

For more information about the Three R’s, visit the Canadian Council on Animal Care website: https://ccac.ca/en/three-rs/

January 15, 2026: We are pleased to announce that the YU Ethics Review System is now fully operational. Moving forward, all ACC protocol submissions (new, renewal and amendment) must be submitted through this online platform. General support materials can be found under Learning Resources, and detailed ACC‑specific guidance is available in Unique Protocol Information – Animal Research.
To help you prepare your submission, please review the monthly deadlines listed below.

Please note: Protocols received after the required submission date will be held for review at the next scheduled ACC meeting.

ACC Meeting Dates & Protocol Submission Deadlines 
The submission deadline dates for Fall/Winter 2025-2026 are listed in the table below.

ACC Meeting DateProtocol Submission Deadline
September 19, 2025September 3, 2025
October 17, 2025October 1, 2025
November 21, 2025November 5, 2025
December 12, 2025 [cancelled]November 26, 2025
January 23 16, 2026January 7, 2026
February 20, 2026February 4, 2026
March 20, 2026March 4, 2026
April 17, 2026April 1, 2026
May 22, 2026May 6, 2026
June 19, 2026June 3, 2026
July 17, 2026 (as needed)July 1, 2026

Contact Us

Questions? For general inquiries, please reach out via email to the committee.

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YULink

Visit YULink, York’s hub for faculty and staff, for further information, resources and documents.

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