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experts in the care and welfare of particular
groups of animals—elephants and marine
mammals, for example. Standards are not
static; they are modified to reflect current
knowledge and modern practices. In the
last 10 years, AZA introduced 40 new
standards and revised upwards of
100 existing standards. As standards
continuously evolve—often becoming
more stringent— institutions are expected
to continuously evolve with them.

How do accreditation

requirements differ
between groups?
“There is some overlap between groups
and the government and between the
groups themselves,” said Meehan. For
example, American Humane’s Humane
Conservation™ certification program and
the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
both assess animal care, welfare, and health
programs that ensure the well-being of
animals in managed care. Both require an
application and a week-long, on-site audit
every five years. While American Humane
focuses on aspects of animal welfare, the
AZA audit is all-encompassing. “AZA
looks at much broader measures of
performance and sustainability in terms
of things like education, conservation,
finances, staffing levels, safety, and
security,” said Meehan.

What does the AZA
accreditation process
involve?
Filling out AZA’s accreditation application Above: Meehan and Hickman meet at the water treatment plant at THE LIVING COAST,
form is the first step. It’s 32 pages long, which will be inspected by AZA.
contains hundreds of questions, and
requires more than 200 additional pieces
of information in the form of attachments,
said Meehan. A task force of CZS staffers • Measurable impact in science • Quality visitor amenities and
began working on it a year before its • Values, goals, plans, and outcomes attraction services
due date. AZA assesses an organization’s • Oversight, ethics, and community • Public and animal safety, staff training,
• Excellence in animal care and welfare leadership and preparedness
• Excellence in animal health care • Business management and accountability • Quality construction, maintenance,
• Innovation in science and • Professional team development and design of facilities
conservation education and management • Internal support and partnerships

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