WASHINGTON, June 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American
Humane Association, the country's first national humane
organization, and the first to create historic protections for
animals on farms and ranches, film and television, and other
environments where animals live in human care, is announcing today
the launch of a global program dedicated to helping ensure the
welfare and humane treatment of the remarkable, endangered and
disappearing animals living in the world's zoos and aquariums.
In the face of what scientists are calling a "Sixth Extinction"
with species disappearing at a rate 8-100 times higher than
expected since 1900, zoos and aquariums are playing an outsized
role in preserving the vital web of life on Earth. Serving as arks
of hope for endangered animals and powerful ambassadors for
conservation, these institutions are drawing more visitors each
year than all sporting events combined. And as people become
increasingly aware of and invested in the fate of the world's
creatures, more and more are rightly demanding that the millions of
creatures who live in zoos, aquariums and conservation centers be
afforded good treatment and welfare.
To help achieve this, American Humane Association, which has
been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in the
protection of animals over the past 140 years, has developed the
first-ever independent, scientific and evidence-based third-party
humane certification program focusing solely on the well-being of
the animals living in these institutions. The program's
comprehensive standards were created by an independent Scientific
Advisory Committee made up of the most well-respected, iconic names
in animal welfare, animal ethics, and the conservation community,
and cover everything from good health to good housing, good
feeding, good management, appropriate behaviors, including the
display of natural behaviors at the individual and group levels,
the lack of abnormal behaviors at the individual and group levels,
social interactions between animals and the ability to
self-separate, positive, healthy and humane interactions between
animals and handlers, physiology, activity levels, use of space,
disease and mortality, meeting of federal and state regulations,
thermoregulation, lighting/shade needs, environmental quality
issues, staff knowledge and training, veterinary, operational
procedures, animal husbandry procedures, environmental enrichments,
choices and options for animals, safety measures, nutritional
needs, food quality, food safety, air quality, water quality,
appropriate sound levels for animal life, consideration of
diurnal/seasonal patterns, appropriate veterinary/health plans,
plans to recognize adverse medical trends, treatment
protocols/management plans for emergency medical situations
(injuries, escapes, etc.), training of staff interacting with
animals, use of positive reinforcement in any animal
husbandry/training programs, transparency and openness of daily
operations and animal care, and much more.
Adding to the rigor of the program, the implementation of the
required standards is verified by independent auditors.
World-class institutions from around the globe stepping
forward to be audited
With only 2.3 percent of zoos and
aquariums worldwide being accredited and none being certified
solely for animal welfare, there is a need for the public to know
which ones are excelling and which are not. Major institutions from
around the globe are already stepping forward to be audited,
including well-known names from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Asia.
"We believe all animals – those in our homes, those on our farms
and ranches, and those being preserved and cared for in our zoos,
aquariums, and conservation parks – are entitled to humane
treatment," said Dr. Robin Ganzert,
president and CEO of American Humane Association. "This new Humane
Conservation program will serve to help ensure the welfare of
millions of animals and help the public to distinguish those
institutions that are doing a good job from those that are not and
either need to elevate the quality of their programs or shut their
doors."
Four Institutions Lead the Way with First Humane
Certifications
Four major institutions have already
distinguished themselves in the rollout of the Humane Conservation
program's pilot phase, garnering the "Humane Certified™" seal of
approval: Shedd Aquarium in Chicago; Brookfield Zoo in Chicago; Delphinus in Mexico; and the Vancouver Aquarium Marine
Science Centre in Canada.
"We applaud these institutions for the excellent work for and
stewardship of the magnificent animals in their care," said Dr.
Kwane Stewart, chief veterinary
officer for the American Humane Association Humane Conservation
program. "These world-class zoos and aquariums stepped forward
voluntarily to undergo our comprehensive, science-based auditing
and have served as leaders in the field, demonstrating to the
public their commitment to providing a high degree of welfare to
the animals with whom they work. Gaining the 'Humane Certified™'
seal is an important validation of their efforts by a program that
has been endorsed by many of the world's leading animal welfare
scientists, veterinarians, animal advocates, and ethicists."
New Paper Released on Role of Zoos and Aquariums and Need
for Humane Certification
The vital role played by
today's zoos and aquariums, and the necessity for a program that
helps ensure the welfare of the animals they serve is outlined in a
major new White Paper entitled, "Arks of Hope, Ambassadors for
Animals: The Pivotal Position of Zoos and Aquariums and Next Steps
in Ensuring the Welfare of Animals in Human Care," which was
released today by American Humane Association during the launch of
the new Humane Conservation program on Capitol Hill.
"The impact and bond formed between people seeing and
experiencing real animals is unparalleled, helping create new
generations of animal advocates, and others who understand that our
unique, interconnectedness is mutually beneficial to people,
animals and the world we share," said Dr. Ganzert. "We have a moral
obligation to protect these magnificent animals, and zoos and
aquariums are vital ambassadors for this effort. People won't
protect what they don't love. And they can't love what they don't
know. This new Humane Conservation program will help ensure not
only that the animals in the world's zoos and aquariums are
well-cared-for, but that new generations of animal lovers are
cultivated and dedicated to the preservation of the many remarkable
creatures with whom we share the Earth."
About American Humane Association
American Humane Association is the country's first national humane
organization, and the only one dedicated to protecting both
children and animals. With an unparalleled reach and scope, the
organization positively touches more than 42,000 lives each minute
through effective, life-affirming, life-saving services and public
outreach – more than any other organization in its field. Since
1877, American Humane Association has been at the forefront of
virtually every major advance in protecting our most vulnerable
from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Today it is leading the way in
understanding the human-animal bond and its role in therapy,
medicine and society. American Humane Association reaches millions
of people every day through groundbreaking research, education,
training and services that span a wide network of organizations,
agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit
American Humane Association
at www.americanhumane.org today.
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SOURCE American Humane Association