Author Obligations
All research involving animals submitted to the journal must satisfy internationally recognised ethical and welfare standards. The following obligations apply to all authors:
- Prior approval for the research must be secured from an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee or an equivalent body with authority over animal research ethics.
- The name of the approving committee or ethics body, together with all relevant permit numbers and experimental details, must be included in the manuscript at submission.
- Editorial staff and handling editors may request supplementary information about experiments involving vertebrates or higher invertebrates where needed.
Reporting Standards
Authors whose research involves vertebrates or cephalopods are encouraged to structure their reporting in line with the ARRIVE guidelines. Supporting publications include a guidelines document and an elaboration document. The ARRIVE framework is designed to improve scientific reporting so that published data can be assessed, interpreted, reproduced, and reused by other researchers.
Animal Behaviour Studies
For studies examining animal behaviour, authors are encouraged to adopt the STRANGE framework for reporting. Authors should describe the animals observed or collected in the field and provide information on the following, as applicable:
- Origin of the animals and the methods used to capture or source them.
- Sex, age or developmental stage, body condition, morph, and social status.
- Personality characteristics and prior experience, including individual and social learning opportunities.
- Housing conditions during the study, including social context and enrichment provisions.
- Testing procedures and the social setting in which assessments were conducted.
- The composition of the final analytical sample and reasons for any exclusions.
- An evaluation of possible sampling biases and steps taken to reduce them.
Laboratory Animals
Manuscripts describing research using laboratory animals must report the following details:
- Species and strain.
- Sex and age.
- Genetic modification status, where applicable.
- The Research Resource Identifier for the animal line, if available.
- The name and location of the repository, accession number, or commercial supplier details.
Great Apes and Non-Human Primates
Research using non-human primates must be carried out in accordance with recognised standards and recommendations. Manuscripts must describe welfare measures, housing conditions, diet, environmental enrichment, and steps taken to minimise pain and distress, including anaesthesia and euthanasia methods where relevant.
Research Not Subject to Ethics Oversight
Where animals used in a study are not covered by regulatory oversight, or where a specific ethics committee does not require formal approval, authors must include a clear statement explaining why ethics review was not sought or required. Editors may request further information where necessary.
Fossil and Archaeological Specimens
Manuscripts reporting palaeontological or archaeological research must describe methods and specimens in sufficient detail to allow independent verification. Statistical and phylogenetic datasets should be provided in reusable formats.
Any specimen formally described as a new species, named, or illustrated must be deposited in an accessible and permanent public repository, such as a national museum or equivalent accredited institution.
- Unique specimen identifiers and repository details must be provided.
- Locality data should be provided as fully as permitted by law.
- Details of all permits and issuing authorities must be included.
Compliance and Enforcement
All submissions involving animals are screened by editorial staff to verify that the standards described in this policy have been met. Manuscripts that fail to satisfy these requirements may be rejected without peer review.
The journal reserves the right to decline manuscripts where editors judge that the research was not conducted to an appropriately high ethical standard, even where institutional approval was obtained.
Where concerns arise after publication, the journal may investigate and, where appropriate, issue a correction, retraction, or notify the relevant institution, ethics committee, or regulatory authority.
Contact
Authors with questions about animal research requirements are welcome to contact the Editorial Office before submitting.
Editorial Office — SAFE Journal of One Health
Published by The SAFE Society Publishing
Email: editor@thesafesociety.com
Website: https://journal.thesafesociety.com