Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act, 1982 (Act No. 19 of 1982)RulesRules relating to the Practising of Para-Veterinary Profession of Laboratory Animal Technologist2. Services pertaining specially to the Para-Veterinary Profession of Laboratory Animal Technologist |
General Services
| (1) | For the purposes of the Act, the following services shall be deemed to be services, which pertain to the para-veterinary profession of laboratory animal technologist: |
| (a) | Care and husbandry of experimental animals, including providing the necessary accommodation for housing, in accordance with National Standards; including the latest issue of the South African National Standards (SANS) 10386; for that particular species, including the provision of appropriate environmental enrichment; |
| (b) | Monitoring, servicing and maintenance of the animal room environmental conditions, including barrier units; |
| (c) | Maintenance and monitoring of the animal cage / accommodation environment; |
| (d) | Use and management of specialised, technically advanced animal housing and caging systems such as individually ventilated cages (IVCs) and microisolator units; |
| (e) | Control of sanitation and hygiene in the vivarium; |
| (i) | Supervision of sterilisation and disinfection of the vivarium, vivarium equipment and items including use of specialised equipment such as autoclaves, and other sterilising methods and procedures. |
| (ii) | Supervision of the use and management of specialised cleaning and sterilisation equipment such as cage changing stations and cage washing machines; |
| (f) | Supervision of the provision and monitoring of food and water of experimental animals, including the preparation of feed for special diets; |
| (g) | Daily general health and wellbeing monitoring of experimental animals; |
| (h) | Conduct clinical examinations and observations of experimental animals and recording of observations; |
| (i) | Supervision of the issue, transportation and receipt of experimental animals; |
| (j) | Management and control of animal breeding programmes, including of genetically modified strains, and the production of specified pathogen-free (SPF), gnotobiotic and barrier-bred animals; |
| (k) | Biohazard containment in the vivarium, including endogenous and exogenous biocontainment; |
| (l) | Knowledge, understanding and practical application of health and safety principles, including personal protective equipment requirements; |
| (m) | Knowledge and understanding of laboratory animal facility design principles; |
| (n) | Use and management of specialised experimental equipment, including calibration and servicing of such equipment; |
| (o) | Handling and restraint of experimental animals, and basic animal care, including the clipping of nails, beaks and teeth in relevant species; |
| (p) | Be able to apply animal marking identification using various methods humanely, acceptable and appropriate to the species; |
| (q) | Conduct behavioural experiments, including the use of mazes, swimming, and other cognitive testing; |
| (r) | Enteral and parenteral administration of medicines, experimental and other substances, including by oral gavage, rectal, vaginal, oro-nasal and percutaneous administration, inhalation and injection (including subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, intraperitoneal, and intradermal routes); |
| (s) | Intravenous and arterial catheter placement, infusion of fluids and blood and pressure readings; |
| (t) | Urinary catheterisation (of animals of both sexes, including but not limited to sheep, pigs, primates and dogs), endo-tracheal intubation, the passing of stomach tubes, other internal tubes or catheters; |
| (u) | Administration of scheduled substances, including for anaesthesia, chemical immobilisation, sedation, tranquilisation, analgesia and euthanasia; maintenance of applicable scheduled substance records; |
| (v) | The administration of pre-medication and the induction and maintenance of general anaesthesia, but excluding epidural anaesthesia or nerve blocks; |
| (w) | Euthanasia of animals may be performed by a LAT, provided that it is done by humane method and under supervision of a veterinarian; |
| (x) | Collection and processing of specimens, including blood, body fluids, saliva, ascites, urine by free flow and faeces; and the collection of tissues including smears, vaginal smears, impression smears, skin scrapings, post mortal samples and swabs for diagnostic and experimental purposes, but excluding the collection of internal organs by biopsy; |
| (y) | The examination of specimens in order to record and report findings to a veterinarian, including haematology, serum chemistry, urine analysis, faeces analysis, skin scrapings, cytology examination, and post-mortem examinations; |
| (z) | Preparation of animals for aseptic procedures and surgery; |
| (aa) | Monitoring of animals before, during and after anaesthesia or surgery; |
| (bb) | Performing of minor surgical procedures, such as lancing of abscesses (including in dogs, pigs or primates after fighting), suturing of superficial wounds (including following premature stitch removal by animals after surgery), superficial surgical procedures not involving bone, skeletal muscle or body cavities (e.g., subcutaneous implants), and skin biopsy via biopsy punch; |
| (cc) | Within his/her scope of training, experience and competence assisting a person registered or authorised to practice a veterinary profession with surgical procedures; |
| (dd) | Use of the tranquilliser dart gun and blow pipe within the vivarium facility; |
| (ee) | Capture of wildlife for scientific purposes by manual methods (i.e., excluding chemical tranquilisation, sedation, immobilisation or anaesthesia), e.g., by nets, trapping in cages, enclosures, snares, other traps, etc.; |
| (ff) | The marking and identification of wildlife and/or attachment of tracking devices to wildlife; |
| (gg) | Assessment of competence of practical skills of trainee laboratory technologists; |
| (hh) | Assessment of competence of research personnel in the required aspects of laboratory animal technology; |
| (ii) | Training and examination of trainee laboratory animal technologists; |
| (jj) | Teaching and training of research personnel and staff in required aspects of laboratory animal technology; |
| (kk) | General supervision and management of the vivarium; |
| (ll) | Knowledge, understanding and practical application of regulatory requirements and quality management systems regarding the use of animals for scientific purposes; |
| (mm) | Demonstrate a basic working knowledge and understanding of research methodology; |
| (nn) | Conduct scientific activities with experimental animals for any of the following purposes: |
| (i) | The advancement of knowledge; |
| (ii) | To test a hypothesis; |
| (iii) | To supply a product or produce a biological substance; |
| (iv) | To provide organs, tissues, cells, gametes, biological substances including blood, blood products or serum, fertilised eggs, embryos or foetuses; |
| (v) | To act as a host; |
| (vi) | To impart or demonstrate existing knowledge; |
| (vii) | To learn or teach surgical and other procedures, techniques or methods, invasive and non-invasive, including behavioural experiments, that fall within their Scope of Practice as defined in this Schedule; |
| (viii) | To test or collect data on any substance or product, including to comply with statutory requirements; and |
| (ix) | To conduct observational studies, or to make audio and/or visual recordings of any of the above; |
| (2) | Notwithstanding the provisions of rules 2.1, a laboratory animal technologist shall perform the services referred to in these rules only during the course of his or her employment by and under the direct or indirect supervision of— |
| (a) | A person registered to practice the veterinary profession; or |
| (b) | A person employing a person registered to practice a veterinary profession; or |
| (c) | A veterinary consultancy registered with the South African Veterinary Council. |
| (3) | The services referred to in rule 2 shall be performed on experimental animals only. |
| (4) | Surgical procedures that fall outside the Scope of Practice need to be approved through extension of registration or authorisation. |