18.—(1) The Director-General may issue or adopt such guidelines as he thinks fit for the purpose of providing guidance to licensees and institutional animal care and use committees on the standards, procedures and requirements for the care, keeping and use of animals for scientific purposes.
(2) The Director-General may, from time to time, issue to any licensee such written directives as he thinks necessary for the proper care, keeping and use of animals for scientific purposes and for the management and operation of the research facility of the licensee.
(3) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraphs (1) and (2), the guidelines and directives issued or adopted by the Director-General thereunder may provide for the following matters in respect of any research facility and the transportation of animals to and from such research facility:
(a)
the care, handling, restraint and treatment of animals;
(b)
the standards of housing, husbandry and living conditions of animals, including standards of bedding, sanitation, ventilation, feeding and watering;
(c)
the prevention, diagnosis, control and notification of animal diseases;
(d)
the provision of adequate veterinary care for the animals;
(e)
the monitoring of the well-being and health of animals and the prompt rectification of any deficiency in the conditions relating to the well-being and health of such animals;
(f)
the use of appropriate tranquilisers, anaesthetics, analgesics or sedatives on animals;
(g)
the practices in experimental procedures to minimise pain or distress caused to animals;
(h)
the provision of pre-surgical, surgical and post-surgical care for animals in accordance with established veterinary procedures;
(i)
the provision of emergency, after hour and special care measures for animals;
(j)
the identification, traceability and segregation of species and the breeding, procurement, supply, transportation, holding and release of animals;
(k)
the appropriate methods of euthanasia and the disposal of animals;
(l)
the qualifications, training and skills of personnel in the research facility;
(m)
the maintenance and submission of records, reports, forms and registers relating to the care and use of animals for scientific purposes;
(n)
the adoption of quality assurance programmes relating to the care and use of animals in the research facility; and
(o)
the responsibilities of licensees, investigators, institutional animal care and use committees and personnel in the research facility.
(4) Where a licence is suspended or revoked under section 62 of the Act, the Director-General may issue to the person whose licence was suspended or revoked such written directives as he thinks necessary for the proper care and treatment of the animals in the premises and research facility to which the licence relates.