Member zoos will be evaluated periodically and encouraged to improve standards when necessary. National legislation on animal welfare should be reviewed with the long-term view of closing zoos that continuously do not meet minimal standards. Member zoos should conduct all animal transactions in an ethical manner.

A Code of Ethics has been formulated which SEAZA members are expected to adhere to. General Standards For Exhibiting Animals have also been developed, which is listed at Annex 1.

South East Asian region is characterized by a rich diversity of cultures and zoological institutions. Bound by a common vision, SEAZA members must work together to achieve our goals and to bring all our zoos to a shared international standard.

The continued existence of zoological parks and aquariums depends on recognition that our profession is based on the respect and dignity of the animals in our care, the people we serve and most importantly, for each other.

In order to promote high standards of conduct in our profession, the following basic principles have been formulated by SEAZA for the guidance of its members.

As a member of SEAZA, I pledge to:

1. Realize that I have moral responsibilities to the animals under my care, to my colleagues and to the public.
2. Use my professional skills based on the highest integrity and SEAZA code of ethics to benefit the animals under my care and the community.
3. Deal fairly with members in the dissemination of professional information and advice and to encourage publication of significant achievements and appropriate publications and presentations in the field of breeding, husbandry, medical technology, design, etc.
4. Conform to international conventions, agreements and to national laws, especially when seeking to import and export species of fauna and flora.
5. Promote public education in wildlife conservation, biodiversity, and animal welfare.
6. Maintain well kept records of specimens in the collection and to contribute to ISIS when appropriate.
7. Cooperate with SEAZA-approved zoos/aquariums and persons/organizations in breeding programmes.
8. Endeavour at all times to improve standards of animal welfare, professional training, public education and conservation in zoos and aquariums.
9. Cooperate with the wider conservation community to develop in-situ conservation projects and, where appropriate, work together on small population management. These include governmental wildlife departments, wildlife agencies, conservation organizations, and research institutes in recognizing and enforcing the regulations concerning wildlife.
10. Promote SEAZA and work progressively towards all professional guidelines mutually agreed upon by SEAZA and WZO.
    

1. Member zoos that have not yet received their SEAZA Welfare and Ethics Committee certification must obtain the certificate before the 2010 SEAZA annual conference.
2. National zoo associations such as the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand, PKBSI (Indonesia), MAZPA (Malaysia) and CZA (Taiwan) must conduct welfare and ethics assessments of their members (who are not direct SEAZA members) with the supervision of the SEAZA Welfare and Ethics Committee before the end of 2010. The President of SEAZA will create a task force to assist national zoo associations in completing the assessment of their members.
3. SEAZA will assist the Philippines to establish a national zoo association and provide training workshops on implementing standards of welfare and ethics before the 2010 SEAZA annual conference.
4. Member zoos must establish welfare and ethics committees and have regular internal auditing by 2010.
5. Member zoos who have already established a welfare and ethics committee must send the results (and related documentation) of any assessments performed to the SEAZA Welfare and Ethics Committee during each SEAZA annual conference.
6. Member zoos must conduct at least one training course per year on welfare and ethics with emphasis on behavioral and environmental enrichment.