How ASV Guidelines Impact Animal Care in Shelter Planning

Designing or renovating an animal shelter involves more than aesthetics — it requires meeting modern animal welfare standards. One of the most influential resources in this process is the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters. These guidelines set the benchmark for humane, safe, and effective shelter design and operation.

However, many organizations are surprised by the spatial implications of these standards. Aligning with ASV guidelines often means your facility needs significantly more space than expected.

At Design Learned, we help shelters nationwide navigate this challenge and design facilities that prioritize animal health and operational efficiency.

Animal Care through ASV Guidelines for Animal Shelter Design

The ASV guidelines focus on animal well-being, disease prevention, and behavioral health. While many of the guidelines are more operational in nature, there are specific shelter design guidelines as well. These factors are directly influenced by the amount of space each animal has. More space isn’t just about comfort — it reduces stress, lowers illness rates, and shortens length of stay, which improves adoption outcomes and reduces long-term costs.

Understanding the Space Difference

Here’s a common scenario: A shelter currently houses 20 dogs in 1,000 square feet of kennel space. That seems reasonable — until we apply ASV standards. Under these guidelines, the same 20 dogs may require 2,500 square feet or more.

This means the shelter more than doubles its footprint without increasing animal capacity. For boards and donors, this can be counterintuitive. A larger building doesn’t necessarily mean more animals — it means better care and compliance with modern standards.

ASV Space Requirements for Dogs and Cats

Space Requirements of Cats

• Minimum 8 sq. ft. of floor space per cat

• 11 sq. ft. or more is ideal

• Separate litter area and hiding space are required

Space Requirements of Dogs

• Enclosures must allow dogs to stand, turn, walk a few steps, hide, and lie down comfortably

• Separate elimination areas, ideally connected by a transfer door

• These requirements significantly increase per-animal space and overall building size

Challenges for Existing Shelters

Older shelters were often designed for quantity over quality, aiming to house as many animals as possible in limited space. Retrofitting these facilities to meet ASV guidelines can require:

• Major reconfiguration

• Expansion

• New construction

  
  

At Design Learned, we use animal-first solutions to help shelters evaluate what compliance would take — from adjusting layouts and enclosure sizes to improving ventilation and species separation.

Communicating the Reality to Stakeholders

Explaining to donors and boards why a shelter needs more space for the same number of animals can be challenging. But this investment isn’t about square footage — it’s about health, stress reduction, and humane care.

At Design Learned, we help clients tell this story effectively, showing that spacious, compliant design is a necessity, not a luxury. Contact Design Learned today to discuss your project and explore the best path for your animal care facility - all while leveraging the Design Learned advantage. Call the Design Learned team at 860-889-7078 or schedule a consultation online.