Responsibilities of the animal welfare officer
The Animal Welfare Officer is the contact person for all animal welfare issues for employees of the University and the University Hospital who are involved in the breeding and keeping of vertebrate animals and in animal experiments. She is also the contact person for the authorisation and supervisory authorities.
The Animal Welfare Officer is legally obliged to ensure compliance with regulations, requirements and conditions in the interests of animal welfare, to advise the institution and its employees in particular on the humane handling of vertebrate animals and to work towards the development and introduction of procedures and means to avoid and limit animal experiments. She is also obliged to submit the legally required written statement to the responsible authorities (veterinary offices, licensing authority, supervisory authority) for each application for approval of an animal experimentation project.
The duties and position of the animal welfare officer are set out in the
Animal Welfare Act (§ 10) and are regulated in the General Administrative Regulation for the Implementation of the Animal Welfare Act under point 8. The current Animal Welfare Act (external link, opens in a new window) can be viewed on the Internet.
See also technical information "The position of animal welfare officers in research institutions (external link, opens in a new window)"