The American Sanctuary Association (ASA) is a 501(c)(3)

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

founded in 1998 to set standards for animal care and housing. The goal of ASA is to link together sanctuary directors and founders in order to share experiences and to enable unwanted and wild unreleasable animals to find safe haven. The ASA is headquartered in

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

."American Sanctuary Association (ASA)." ''Encyclopedia of Associations: National Organizations of the U.S.'', edited by Tara E. Atterberry, 57th ed., Gale, 2018. ''Gale Directory Library'', https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/XBIUTU575770232/GDL?u=tplmain&sid=GDL&xid=e0c346c9. Accessed 8 Dec. 2019.

History

ASA was founded in 1998 in large part to fill the role for animal sanctuaries that the

Association of Zoos and Aquariums The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), originally the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1924 and dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aquariums in ...

fills for zoos, and in disagreement with the prevailing accreditation standards. Actress and animal activist

Tippi Hedren Nathalie Kay "Tippi" Hedren (born January 19, 1930) is an American actress, animal rights activist, and former fashion model. A successful fashion model who appeared on the front covers of ''Life'' and '' Glamour'' magazines, among others, Hed ...

, founder of the

Shambala Preserve Shambala Preserve is an animal sanctuary established in 1972 and located in Acton, California, a desert community southwest of Palmdale, off of California State Route 14 and north of Los Angeles. About Shambala is maintained by the Roar Fou ...

, was elected as the first President, and still serves in that role. Vernon Weir was ASA's first Executive Director and served in that role for 22 years. ASA has not announced who will be taking over his duties following his death in December of 2021.

Accreditation

ASA serves as an accrediting body for animal sanctuaries, ensuring that ASA accrediting facilities meet higher standards of animal care than required by U.S. law. As of 2019, the ASA has 50 accredited sanctuaries in the United States. To receive accreditation by the ASA, a sanctuary must first submit an application demonstrating that it meets the ASA's criteria. Once the application receives preliminary approval, ASA conducts a site visit before granting accreditation. Among other things, the ASA looks at the sanctuary's financials, nonprofit status, APHIS inspection reports, habitat designs, food prep areas, staff and board of directors, emergency procedures, and general condition of the sanctuary and its inhabitants.

Placement

ASA does not have a sanctuary facility of its own, but assists accredited sanctuaries with animal placement. Unlike

wildlife rehabilitation Wildlife rehabilitation is the treatment and care of injured, orphaned, or sick wild animals so that they can be released back to the wild. Process Rehabilitation begins when an animal is found and reported to a wildlife rehabilitator, or seize ...

centers, wildlife sanctuaries provide homes to wild animals that have been deemed non-releasable, usually due to injuries or habituation to humans. Some animal sanctuaries specialize in wildlife; others work with domestic animals and livestock. ASA can help to find the right sanctuary to house specific animals in need of homes.

References

External links

* {{Official website, https://www.americansanctuaries.org/ Animal sanctuaries Wildlife sanctuaries Wildlife sanctuaries of the United States Trade associations based in the United States

History

Accreditation

Placement

See also

References

External links