American Animal Hospital Association

The American Animal Hospital Association was founded by seven leaders of the veterinary profession in 1933. From its inception, AAHA has focused on promoting high-quality standards for the rapidly evolving sector of small-animal private practice through accreditation and other initiatives. These standards were developed to raise the bar of veterinary excellence and have undergone numerous updates throughout the years, always reflecting current industry standards. 

AAHA is still the only organization to accredit companion animal veterinary hospitals. To become AAHA accredited, practices undergo regular, comprehensive onsite evaluations by AAHA veterinary experts who evaluate each practice on more than 900 standards of veterinary care.

More than 4,500 practice teams (about 15% of veterinary practices in the United States and Canada) are AAHA accredited or preaccredited.

AAHA is also a founding member of Partners for Healthy Pets and is a member of the Human Animal Bond Research Initiative Steering Committee.