There are strict guidelines and policies in place to ensure the health and humane treatment of all animals used in research and teaching at Simon Fraser University (SFU). The same standards apply to all field studies as well. These standards are specified by a national agency, the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC), as well as the SFU's own policies, such as SFU Policy R20.03 Treatment of Animals in Research and Teaching, under the direction of the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation and the University Animal Care Committee (UACC).
In order to conduct research involving animals, SFU faculty members must submit an application to the UACC for approval. No research is conducted without this approval. All Animal Care Protocols are reviewed annually and researchers conducting long-term studies must re-apply every four years.