The American Animal Hospital Association is the only organization to accredit companion animal veterinary hospitals in the US and Canada. Nearly 60 percent of pet owners believe their veterinary hospital is accredited when it is not. In actuality, only 12-15% of veterinary hospitals in the United States and Canada are accredited by AAHA. Unlike human hospitals, not all animal hospitals are required to be accredited.
What does accreditation mean? It means your hospital holds itself to a higher standard, and that your pet is receiving care at a hospital that has passed the highest standards in veterinary care. AAHA sends consultants to AAHA-accredited veterinary hospitals every three years to evaluate hospitals on their adherence to the AAHA Standards of Accreditation. AAHA consultants evaluate hospitals on approximately 900 different standards of veterinary care.
Accreditation by AAHA is the only way to know a veterinary practice is operating at the highest standards of excellence in animal care. Pet owners gain peace of mind when they choose an accredited practice, because they know their AAHA-accredited hospital has passed the highest standards of veterinary care.