Accreditation and Verification with GFAS is a voluntary process that recognizes true sanctuaries which have met established standards.
GFAS Accreditation and Verification evaluate animal care organizations worldwide that provide care for wildlife, equine, and farmed animals—covering all species except domestic cats and dogs.
Eligible organization types include:
Sanctuaries
Sanctuaries provide lifetime care for animals who have been abused, injured, abandoned, or are otherwise unable to live in the wild or in traditional domestic settings. Animals often come from private ownership, research facilities, government agencies, the entertainment industry, or zoos.
Rescue and Transition Centers
Rescue and transition centers provide temporary care for animals with the goal of adoption, foster placement, or transfer to accredited or verified sanctuaries. Animals may include domestic equines, farmed animals, birds, and reptiles.
Rehabilitation Centers
Rehabilitation centers provide temporary care for wildlife with the goal of release back into native habitats. This includes facilities offering transitional or pre-release care as part of reintroduction or conservation programs.
Is Your Organization Eligible to Apply?
To be eligible to apply, organizations must:
Be nonprofit or non-commercial
GFAS accredits organizations that operate on a nonprofit or non-commercial basis, meaning funds are used solely to support animal care and the organization’s mission. Legal nonprofit status demonstrates accountability and transparency. Government-operated facilities may also be eligible if they meet the same ethical and animal care standards.
Not breed animals in lifetime care
Breeding increases the number of animals needing lifelong homes and strains limited resources. Organizations must actively prevent breeding through responsible management practices. Animals placed through adoption should be protected by written no-breeding agreements.
Not participate in commercial trade
Organizations must not buy, sell, or trade animals or sell animal by-products. Animals should be accepted only through rescue, surrender, donation, or ethical transfer, supported by clear written policies.
Prevent public contact with wildlife
Direct public contact with wildlife (such as touching, holding, or feeding) can endanger animals and people and sends misleading messages about wildlife. Education programs should focus on conservation, animal welfare, and the reasons animals require sanctuary care.
Offer only guided, respectful tours
Tours should be guided and designed to minimize stress and disruption to resident animals. Respectful interactions with domesticated animals may be appropriate.
Thinking About Applying?
The first step is to complete the GFAS Self-Assessment Checklist. This tool is designed to help organizations evaluate readiness, identify strengths, and highlight areas that may need attention before applying.
You can also review the GFAS Standards of Excellence to better understand the full scope of expectations.
