Any injured or sick animal taken into a program must receive necessary veterinary care within 48 hours. Immediate veterinary care and/or euthanasia will be administered in case of emergency. Euthanasia will be administered humanely.

Minimum requirements for "medical care" include basic health exam, annual vaccinations, including rabies, deworming and heartworm check. Animals will be put on heartworm preventative.

Animals will be clean and parasite free.

Animal housing facilities will be clean, disease free, and parasite free. Animals will be contained in a safe, secure, and humane manner, and will not be allowed to run loose.

Diets will consist of healthy, nourishing and quality food appropriate to the age and condition of each animal. Fresh food will be given daily and in sufficient amounts to assure animal health and well being, and must be stored in a sanitary manner.

Fresh water will be provided daily, in a sanitary manner and in sufficient amounts, and animals will have access to water at all times.

Animals will be altered before adoption. The animal will not be bred or allowed to breed for any reason prior to spay/neuter.

Proper amount of temperament assessment will be done prior to rehoming. Members will not place animals they believe are unsafe in temperament or behavior.

Members will not place animals in foster or adoptive homes that are believed to be unsuitable or incompatible to the rescue animal.

The animal will not be abused, treated cruelly, neglected or subject to any experiments.

The animal will not be attack or guard trained, or used in any manner of animal fighting.

Rescue groups or individuals will perform appropriate  screening of adoptive and foster homes prior to animal placement.  Adoption and foster screening will include: a written application, applicant interview, check of vet references, and  verification of suitable home environment.

Animals will be placed with an adoption contract stating minimum care requirements, with a "return to placement group" clause if the owner cannot keep.

Dogs will be adopted only to indoor homes or indoor/outdoor homes that provide shelter, water, food, companionship and proper health care. Dogs will not be adopted to outdoor-only homes.  Cats will be adopted to indoor-only homes.

Members will not give, sell, lend, or otherwise transfer ownership of animals to laboratories, breeding operations, non-animal placement corporations, etc.

Registration papers will not be given with adopted animals. Registration papers will be collected by the member organization for statistical purposes.

Members will give full disclosure of any known health or medical problems and/or treatments, as well as behavioral issues, to adopters. Copies of known medical history, without owner information, will be furnished if at all possible.

Members taking animals from releasing agencies are ultimately responsible for the disposition of those animals according to the TARPA Code of Ethics.

Members will maintain complete records on each animal, including veterinary and final disposition, and be willing to furnish an annual report to the Alliance stating:

• Number of animals taken in, both from releasing agencies and general public.
• Number that arrived intact and number arrived already altered.
• Number of animals accepted with breed registration papers (if applicable).
• Number of animals available, adopted, and euthanized.
• For multiple breed/species placement groups: a report for each breed/species will be furnished for data collection.