Membership

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Individual Memberships
Facility Memberships
Commercial Memberships
Renewal

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP

Benefits of individual membership:

• Quarterly ZAA Newsletter & Journal
• The opportunity to submit articles for the newsletter
• An invitation to the ZAA Annual Conference
• The opportunity to exchange ideas with other members
• Legislative updates affecting the industry
• Access to the Members Only site, which includes the newsletter archives for the ZAA and the International Society of Zooculturists
• Access to the ZAA Members Forum
• The opportunity to vote and hold office (Professional members only)
• Access to the Available and Wanted Animal List (Professional members only)

Procedure for associate membership application:

a) Submit an application for associate membership. (See below for individual categories)
b) Submit $50 annual dues.

Procedure for professional zooculturist membership application:

a) Submit an application for professional membership. (See below for individual categories)
b) Submit the professional membership questionnaire and a resume.
c) Submit two letters of sponsorships from current ZAA Professional members. Only one sponsor may be from your facility. The sponsors must be from separate facilities and may not be related to each other. (Sponsors should send the letters directly to the ZAA office.)
d) Receive a pro simple majority vote of the Board of Directors.
e) Membership dues will be billed after the Board approval.

Individual categories:

Associate - An Associate member is interested in conservation, preservation, and propagation of animals in the private and public domains. It also includes those persons who wish, eventually, to progress to the Professional category. There are no special qualifications for membership in this category, except that the applicant must be approved by the Membership Committee. Associate members may not vote or hold office. Annual dues $50.

Professional Zooculturist - This is the ultimate category for individual membership in ZAA. Members may be elected to this status from the associate category by the ZAA Board. Annual dues $75.

How can newcomers in the field become Professional Zooculturist members? By making themselves and their accomplishments known to existing Professional members. Ways to do this include attending ZAA meetings, writing articles for ZAA and other publications, and making themselves known to ZAA Professional/ Zooculturists members whenever the opportunity is available. Doesn't all this take a long time? It certainly does. There are no "instant" Professional Zooculturist. Those who have attained membership in this category have spent many years perfecting their expertise. They have earned this title.

FACILITY MEMBERSHIP

Basic facility membership requires the facility to have proper structures, security, diets, permits and paperwork, risk management, public safety, general welfare, and positive USDA inspections. Facilities with Class I animals are required to be compliant with ZAA's accreditation standards.

Two sponsor letters and a site inspection by one ZAA representative are required. The site inspection is at the expense of the facility.

Non-accredited facilities must reach accredited status within five years of their membership approval.

This category does not indicate accreditation or approval of the ZAA. All accredited facilities must maintain their facility membership to remain accredited.

Benefits of facility membership:

• Quarterly ZAA Newsletter & Journal
• The opportunity to submit articles for the newsletter
• An invitation to the ZAA Annual Conference
• Ability to apply for facility accreditation
• The opportunity to exchange ideas with other members
• Legislative updates affecting the industry
• Access to the Members Only site, which includes the newsletter archives for the ZAA and the International Society of Zooculturists

Procedure for facility membership application:

a) Submit an application for facility membership. (See below for facility category)
b) Complete the Facility Membership Questionnaire.
c) Submit two letters of sponsorships from current ZAA Professional members. Neither sponsor may be from the facility. The sponsors must be from separate facilities and may not be related to each other. (Sponsors should send the letters directly to the ZAA office.)
d) Submit a $250 deposit to cover the costs of the site inspection. Any amount over will be billed to the facility and any amount under will be reimbursed.
e) Receive a pro simple majority vote of the Board of Directors.
f) Membership dues will be billed after the Board approval.

Facility categories:

Public facility - (includes zoos, wildlife parks, and aquariums) A public facility must maintain an animal collection and be open to the public on a scheduled basis. It shall have regular and predictable hours that are convenient to the general public and constitute more than a token opening. Annual dues $400.

Private Breeding Facility - A private breeding facility must maintain an animal collection and not be open to the general public on a scheduled basis. Annual dues $300.

Wildlife Conservation Ranch - A private breeding facility that is on open or partially open range. Annual dues $300.

Educational Facility - An educational facility supplies animals with personnel for off-site educational programs, such as schools, service organizations, and the like. It is not open to the public and does not generally breed animals. There may be occasional on-site events for fundraising purposes, but they would not have the general public inside on a regular basis. Annual dues $200.

COMMERCIAL

May hold or own animals but the primary function of their business is to offer animals, supplies, services, equipment or products to organization members. Commercial members receive free of charge a 3.65" by 1.5" ad in each issue of the newsletter and are listed along with their logo and a link to their website on the Commercial member page. Commercial members may not vote or hold office. Annual dues $500.

Benefits of commercial membership:

Quarterly ZAA Newsletter & Journal
The opportunity to submit articles for the newsletter
Access to the Members Only site, which includes newsletter archives for ZAA and the International Society of Zooculturists
An invitation to the ZAA Annual Conference
Access to the Available and Wanted Animal List
Offer animals, supplies, services, equipment or products to organization members
Receive a free of charge 3 ¾” by 1 ½” ad in each issue of the newsletter
Company name listed along with your logo and a link to your website on the ZAA Membership webpage
The opportunity to exchange ideas with other members

Procedure for commercial membership application:

a) Submit an application for commercial membership.
b) Receive a pro simple majority vote of the Board of Directors.

AFFILIATE ORGANIZATION

The affiliate organization and ZAA may reprint articles from each other's newsletters, ZAA will put a notice of the affiliate's convention in the ZAA newsletter, the Presidents of ZAA and the affiliate will exchange newsletters, each organization may reprint articles from each other's newsletters with notice, and the affiliate and ZAA will exchange ad space in their newsletters, if appropriate. This alliance is at no cost to ZAA or the affiliate organization.

If your organization is interested in becoming an affiliate organization or you would like more information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

RENEWING YOUR MEMBERSHIP

For membership renewal click here for renewal application or you may contact the ZAA administrative office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at (941) 621-2021.

PAY NOW

For those members who needed and received board approval Click here to Pay Now or you may contact the ZAA administrative office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at (941) 621-2021.

CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

Web Ecommerce

* Foreign members: There is a $10 annual fee for foreign members receiving the hard copy of the newsletter. There is no additional fee if you receive the electronic version of the newsletter. Contact the ZAA office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for payment information.