Standard Operating Procedures

Q: Why do you need a solid set of Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs)?

A: SOPs establish a baseline for how all staff and volunteers perform routine shelter tasks, and provide the consistency that makes life less stressful for the animals in your care--and for the people giving that care.

Learn How Now: Developing & Implementing SOPs

Part I: SOPs for Dummies
We cover the basics here: What SOPs are, what they should contain and who benefits from having them. Plus, we give you a couple of strategies (pizza party, anyone?) for getting them written and ready to use.

Part II: Put Your SOPs to Work
How can you use SOPs? 1) In performance reviews, where they provide an impartial standard for evaluating performance, and 2) As a training tool, so new and current staff know exactly how tasks need to be done.

Part III: Update Your SOPs
SOPs should be reviewed by all staff, department supervisors and the director at least once each year. Here's how to do that review.

Listen & Learn: Webinar Series

ASV Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters
You are invited to learn about the guidelines and how you can use them as a road map to increase your capacity to save more lives. Sign up for upcoming webinars or watch recordings of past events.

You've Got: Sample Materials

Signs for Cages and Kennels
Tidy up your cages and kennels by downloading and laminating these reusable signs, courtesy of the ASPCA Adoption Center.

Download This: Generic SOP Manual (.doc)
Need a jumpstart? Download this document of generic procedures and customize them for your agency's use.