Any word or expression in this Schedule to which a meaning has been assigned in the Act shall have that meaning, and—

"the Act"

means Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act, 1982 (Act No. 19 of 1982), and the regulations made thereunder;

“experimental animal”

means all live, non-human vertebrates (including fertilised eggs, foetuses and embryos; i.e., fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals; including domestic animals, feral animals, purpose-bred animals, farm animals, agricultural animals and wildlife) and higher invertebrates such as the advanced Cephalopoda and Decapoda (e.g., octopus, squid, cuttlefish), which are bred or acquired for the purpose of using the animals, their tissues or progeny for scientific purposes;

“impairment”

means such a level of physical or mental impairment, which includes substance abuse or addiction, that may affect the practice of the laboratory animal technician to such an extent that the welfare of the patients, the interest of a client and/or the image of the profession may be compromised;

"profession"

means the para-veterinary profession of laboratory animal technologist;

“research animal facility”

means any facility or area where animals may be used, maintained or bred for scientific purposes, including for research, testing, teaching, validation, production or observation;

“scientific purposes”

means using an experimental animal for any scientific reason, including for research, testing, teaching, validation, production or observation, including for any of the purposes contemplated in rule 2(1)(w);

“supervision”

means, unless otherwise indicated:

“direct supervision” means that the laboratory animal technologist receives instructions from a person registered to practice a veterinary profession, within his/her scope of practice and carries out the instructions in that person’s presence provided that the person gives the laboratory animal technologist and the patient, his/her undivided attention;

“indirect supervision” means that the laboratory animal technologist receives written or verbal instructions, within his/her scope of practice, from a person registered to practice a veterinary profession, and carries out the instructions while the registered veterinary professional need not be on the premises where professional services are being rendered, but must be readily available by telephone or some other form of communication and assume responsibility for the veterinary services given to the patient or services rendered by a person working under his/her indirect supervision.

“unprofessional conduct”

means unprofessional, dishonourable or unworthy conduct as set out in rule 4;

“vivarium”

means an enclosure, structure or area, such as a laboratory, where live animals are bred or maintained under semi-natural conditions, as for research, teaching, testing or observation.