What We’re Building
NARSO is building a connected system of standards, education, resources, and recognition designed to strengthen responsible animal rescue. Each part of NARSO is intended to work together, giving organizations clear expectations for responsible practice, practical support for putting those practices into action, and opportunities to demonstrate their commitment to the animals and communities they serve.
NARSO Standards
At the foundation of NARSO are comprehensive, evidence-informed standards for responsible companion-animal rescue.
The standards address both animal welfare and organizational operations across 12 areas of rescue, including governance, financial stewardship, intake and capacity for care, veterinary care, disease prevention, housing and welfare, foster programs, adoption, humane outcomes, workforce and volunteer practices, records and privacy, and community responsibility.
NARSO standards are being designed to reflect the many ways rescue organizations operate while establishing meaningful expectations for responsible, humane, ethical, and transparent practices.
NARSO Certification
NARSO is developing a voluntary certification program that will give rescue organizations an opportunity to demonstrate their alignment with established standards for responsible rescue.
Certification will focus on meaningful implementation of NARSO standards, supported by appropriate documentation and evidence of organizational practices. Certified organizations will be able to demonstrate their commitment to responsible rescue to adopters, donors, volunteers, partners, and their communities.
The certification framework is currently in development.
Rescue Academy
Knowing what good practice looks like is only part of the solution. Rescue organizations also need accessible education that helps them put those practices into action.
The NARSO Rescue Academy will provide practical training for rescue leaders, staff members, volunteers, foster caregivers, and others working within animal rescue. Courses will address both animal-care and organizational topics, helping rescue teams build knowledge, strengthen programs, and develop sustainable practices.
NARSO Toolkits & Resources
NARSO will develop practical resources that organizations can adapt to their own programs and operations.
These resources may include policy templates, checklists, forms, agreements, assessments, implementation guides, trackers, and other tools designed around the NARSO Standards. Planned resources include toolkits for foster programs, responsible adoption and placement, volunteer management, and additional areas identified through standards development.
NARSO resources will be designed to make responsible practices easier to implement, particularly for organizations that may not have dedicated administrative staff or extensive resources.
RescueOS
RescueOS is a future technology initiative envisioned to help animal rescue organizations manage their operations through systems designed specifically around responsible rescue practices.
The long-term concept may bring together areas such as animal records, foster management, volunteer coordination, compliance documentation, organizational records, reporting, and other rescue-management functions within a connected platform.
RescueOS is a future optional initiative and will not be required for NARSO certification. Organizations will remain free to use the software, forms, recordkeeping systems, and operational tools that work best for them.
Building With the Rescue Community
NARSO is currently in development, and these initiatives will grow alongside the standards themselves. Rescue leaders, veterinarians, animal-welfare professionals, and experts from other disciplines will have opportunities to contribute their knowledge and experience as NARSO develops.
Our goal is to build resources that are not only evidence-informed, but practical for the people doing rescue work every day.