Asilomar Accords

The Asilomar Accords were developed by animal welfare organization leaders who participated in the August 2004 meeting at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, California.

Leaders collaborated to create common definitions and a standard way of reporting shelter statistics. The definitions are intended to provide a standard way to categorize the dogs and cats who comprise the shelter
population of the various organizations each year. Shared definitions help all collect and report reliable data on the numbers of at-risk animals in the nation’s communities.

Here are the official Asilomar Accords definitions for the four animal condition categories used to standardize shelter reporting. These are used to track intake and euthanasia reasons, particularly for transparency around treatable vs. unhealthy/untreatable animals.

🐾 Asilomar Accords Standard Definitions

Healthy

"Animals that are not suffering from any medical condition that requires treatment, are behaviorally sound, and have a good prognosis for a normal life span."

Key Points:

• No medical or behavioral issues.
• Expected to thrive in a home with basic care.
• Should never be euthanized in a well-functioning system.

Treatable – Rehabilitatable

"Animals who are not healthy but are likely to become healthy with medical, foster, or behavioral care."

Examples:

• Puppies with kennel cough.
• Dogs with a broken leg that can be repaired.
• Cats that are underweight due to parasites.

Goal: These animals can be saved with short-term intervention and should not be euthanized if resources exist.

Treatable – Manageable

"Animals who are not healthy and are not likely to become healthy, but whose condition can be managed with appropriate care."

Examples:

• Cats with diabetes that can be managed with insulin.
• Dogs with chronic skin allergies.
• Pets with minor behavior issues (e.g., mild anxiety).

Note: These pets may require special adopters but are still candidates for adoption or foster.

Unhealthy & Untreatable

"Animals who have a poor prognosis, are suffering, or present a danger to themselves or others, and are not likely to become manageable or healthy even with care."

Examples:

• Animals with untreatable terminal illnesses.
• Dogs with unmanageable aggression posing a serious safety risk.
• Cats in severe organ failure.

Behavioral Euthanasia Note: Animals euthanized due to aggression or severe behavior issues typically fall under this category.

Shelter Animals Count: The National Database

In 2011, national animal welfare organizations developed Shelter Animals Count: The National Database, to gather information and create a complete picture of the animals intering and leaving shelters in the United States.

Who is the San Diego Animal Welfare Coalition?

The San Diego Animal Welfare Coalition comprises seven local animal shelters, which consistently exceed standards of care to save more lives – making us one of the strongest animal coalitions in the nation and a leader in the humane treatment of animals. The SDAWC member organizations work together for the purpose of saving animal lives.