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AAHA is the only organization in the United States and Canada that accredits companion animal hospitals based on standards that go above and beyond state regulations. The Association is an international organization of 6,000 veterinary care teams, comprised of more than 45,000 veterinary professionals, who are committed to excellence in companion animal care.
Established in 1933, the Association is well-known among veterinarians for its leadership in the profession, high standards for veterinary practices and pet health care, and most importantly, its accreditation of companion-animal practices.
Overview of AAHA
The AAHA Standards of Accreditation is viewed as the standard of veterinary excellence. Veterinary practices are not required to be AAHA-accredited, however, a hospital can choose to become so if they wish to hold themselves to a public, higher standard. Hospital locations that choose to become AAHA-accredited are evaluated during a rigorous and thorough examination based on approximately 900 individual standards, divided into 19 sections. These areas of focus include, but are not limited to, patient care, diagnostic imaging, laboratory, pain management, pharmacy, safety, surgery, cleanliness, client service, anesthesia, contagious disease, continuing education, emergency services, dentistry, examination facilities, medical recordkeeping, leadership, team training and more.
Only the top small animal hospitals in the United States and Canada have achieved accreditation by the Association. To maintain accredited status, Metzler Veterinary Hospital must continue to be evaluated regularly by AAHA, by undergoing a comprehensive on-site evaluation every three years. For more information visit https://www.aaha.org/.
