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Concerns Reporting & ACC Response
A 'Concern' is the term used by the ACC to identify and respond to anything communicated to it by any member regarding animal health and/or welfare, human safety, and/or Animal Use Protocol-related issues.
Western and affiliates take concerns associated with animal-based science activities very seriously. Every member of Western's research community is responsible to notify the proper authorities about concerns with respect to perceived breaches in ethical and/or legal behaviour.
Please promptly notify the Office of the ACC via the Concern Reporting Form (see button below) of any concerns that are not appropriately and quickly resolved through preliminary discussions between the concerned individual and the responsible person, and persistent breaches of compliance or threats to the health and safety of personnel or animals.
In the case of ethical concerns about the ACC, please contact the Office of the Vice-President (Research) directly via vpr@uwo.ca.
As with any disclosures of a sensitive nature, the ACC fully complies with Western's Safe Disclosure Policy (PDF).
When to Use The Concern Reporting Form
Submit a Concern Reporting Form if you are affiliated with Western's Animal Ethics & Care Program (or an affiliate) and are reporting unresolved issues related to:
- Animal health or welfare;
- Human safety; and/or
- Animal Use Protocol (AUP) compliance.
Submitter Identity Disclosure Options
- Confidential Submission – If you choose within the form to provide your name and contact information, then your information will be viewed only by:
- The Office of the Animal Care Committee (ACC) staff who are at arms-length from day-to-day operations.
- The Compliance Veterinarian or the ACC Chair (unless you have designated them as unwanted reviewers of the concern report).
- Anonymous Submission – If you choose not to provide your name and contact information within the form:
- Your identity will not be known to anyone.
- Compliance personnel cannot reach out to you for more information or provide updates on outcomes.
You may choose to edit the concern form later to confidential submission and then be able to receive updates on the progress and outcomes of the review and follow-up.
ACC Response
What Happens After You Report a Concern
- Your form automatically notifies the Office of the ACC staff who will discreetly (based on submission disclosure preferences) notify the ACC Executive's arms-length compliance leader, the Compliance Veterinarian or, in their absence, the Chair of the ACC.
- The Compliance Veterinarian (or ACC Chair acting in their place) will undertake initial fact-finding with the complainant (confidential disclosure) and respondents.
- Based on the concern's scope and impact, the Compliance Veterinarian/ACC Chair may also invite a panel from the ACC to participate in fact-finding involving the respondents, to include an ACC community representative.
- If the Concern is substantiated, it will be classified by the ACC's Executive Working Group as either an 'Incident' or 'Non-Compliance' (see related documents for definitions).
- An Action Plan - which may include sanctions - will be communicated to the appropriate individuals.
- Arms-length follow-up will ensure the Concern is resolved in a timely and meaningful way.
For More Concern-Related Information
Western's ACC Concerns policy and procedures cleaarly outline the requirements for identifying, communicating and responding to various ethical issues associated with the Animal Ethics & Care Program at Western and affiliates.
Contact Us & Other Resources
For more information, please contact acc@uwo.ca.
To obtain a Concern Reporting Poster, click the button below.