What is NACA?

The National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA) was formed in 1978 to provide resources, standardized training, and support for animal care and control professionals across the United States. Throughout the organization’s history, NACA has been a leader in providing guidance for its members as the role of animal shelters and animal care and control staff has evolved.

NACA recognizes that today’s animal field services officers provide a wide array of services to their communities, including saving pets in danger, protecting human health and safety, enforcing laws and ordinances, providing support and education to community members, disaster response, helping lost pets get home, and helping wildlife, livestock, and exotic animals, in addition to cats, dogs, and other pets. NACA offers guidance and training on many of the most crucial responsibility areas of officers, and we are a leading voice in support of the community policing approach to animal control, in order to prevent the root causes that lead to cruelty, neglect, and public safety issues.

NACA understands the unique role that animal care and control professionals play in each community and is dedicated to ensuring its members have the resources, tools, and training necessary to perform this role safely and effectively.

Mission

The National Animal Care & Control Association is committed to setting the standard of professionalism in animal welfare and public safety through training, networking, and advocacy.

Vision

NACA envisions a world in which all animal care and control professionals are respected as essential public servants and receive consistent support, resources and training allowing them to effectively and compassionately achieve the highest quality of life for the animals and citizens in the community they serve.

Values

The organizational values of National Animal Care & Control Association are:

• professionalism
• dedication
• leadership
• integrity
• innovation
• diversity
• accessibility
• compassion