Checklist template

Zoonotic disease and bite prevention for pet stores

A ready-to-use checklist with 119 items in 6 sections, covering Handwashing, Handling rules, Bite and scratch response, Protective equipment, Signage, Records. Use it as-is in Bindy, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 119 Items
  • 106 Yes / No checks
  • 6 Scored ratings
  • 136 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Handwashing 21 items

  1. A handwashing sink with hot and cold running water is located in or next to the animal care room Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The handwashing sink has liquid soap in the dispenser Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The handwashing sink has paper towels in the dispenser Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The handwashing sink is clear of cages, dishes and buckets Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The handwashing sink is not used to wash cages or to empty aquarium water Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Handwashing instructions are posted at the sink Yes / No 1 pt
  7. A filled hand sanitizer dispenser is mounted at the reptile enclosures Yes / No 1 pt
  8. A filled hand sanitizer dispenser is mounted at the small animal enclosures Yes / No 1 pt
  9. A filled hand sanitizer dispenser is mounted at the bird enclosures Yes / No 1 pt
  10. A filled hand sanitizer dispenser is mounted at the aquatics counter Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The hand sanitizer in use contains at least 60% alcohol Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Employees observed washed their hands after handling an animal Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Employees observed washed their hands after cleaning an enclosure Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Employees wash their hands after handling frozen or live feeder rodents Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Employees wash their hands after handling raw pet food, pig ears and bulk natural chews Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Employees wash their hands after working in an aquarium Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Employees wash their hands before going on a break or eating Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Customers are offered hand sanitizer after touching an animal Yes / No 1 pt
  19. No food or drink for people is present in the animal care room Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Employees with cuts on their hands cover them with a waterproof dressing before animal care Yes / No 1 pt
  21. Hand hygiene around live animals Rating
    • Supplies in place and employees wash consistently 5 pts
    • Supplies in place but washing inconsistent 3 pts
    • Supplies missing or washing not seen 1 pt

2. Handling rules 21 items

  1. Written handling rules by species are available at the animal care station Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Only employees signed off for a species take that species out of its enclosure Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Customers handle an animal only with an employee present Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Customers are seated or at the designated handling area when they hold an animal Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Employees do not hold animals against the face or kiss them Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Customers are told that reptiles, amphibians and live poultry are not advised for children under 5 Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Customers who are pregnant or have a weakened immune system are advised of the risks before handling reptiles or rodents Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Animals showing diarrhea, discharge, hair loss or skin lesions are not handed to customers Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Hamsters and other rodents are woken before they are picked up Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Ferrets and large parrots are handled only by designated employees Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Snakes are not handled by customers within the period after feeding set by the handling rules Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Live feeder rodents are moved with tongs or a container, not by hand Yes / No 1 pt
  13. After customer handling, an animal goes back into its own enclosure and never into another one Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Bird cage papers and droppings are dampened before removal and are not swept dry Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Employees who are pregnant or have a weakened immune system can be reassigned from cleaning rodent cages and cat litter on request Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Customers' dogs in the store are on a leash or in a carrier Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Employees ask the owner before touching a customer's dog Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Customers' dogs are kept back from the small animal and bird enclosures Yes / No 1 pt
  19. The manager can describe the procedure for asking the owner of an aggressive dog to leave Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Employees separate a loose or fighting customer dog with a slip lead or a barrier, never with their hands Yes / No 1 pt
  21. Compliance with animal handling rules Rating
    • Rules known and followed 5 pts
    • Rules known but not always followed 3 pts
    • Rules unknown or ignored 1 pt

3. Bite and scratch response 23 items

  1. A written bite and scratch procedure is posted in the animal care room Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Employees asked could describe the first steps after a bite Yes / No 1 pt
  3. A stocked first aid kit is kept in or next to the animal care room Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The first aid kit contains antiseptic wash and sterile dressings Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The procedure requires washing the wound with soap under running water straight away Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Every bite or scratch that breaks the skin is reported to the manager during the same shift Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The incident report names the species, the enclosure and how the bite happened Yes / No 1 pt
  8. For a bite by a customer's dog or cat, the owner's contact details are recorded Yes / No 1 pt
  9. For a bite by a customer's dog or cat, the animal's rabies vaccination status is recorded Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Bites are reported to public health or animal control as required by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  11. A store animal that has bitten is held back from sale for the observation period set by the veterinarian or local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  12. A customer who is bitten is offered first aid Yes / No 1 pt
  13. A customer who is bitten is advised to see a doctor Yes / No 1 pt
  14. An incident report is completed for every customer bite or scratch Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Employees are sent for medical assessment after a cat bite, a rodent bite or a deep puncture Yes / No 1 pt
  16. The bite and scratch procedure names the clinic where employees are sent for assessment Yes / No 1 pt
  17. A workplace injury report is filed, as local regulation requires, for a bite needing medical treatment Yes / No 1 pt
  18. The manager checks on the bitten employee within the time set by company policy and records the check Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Blood is cleaned up with disinfectant by an employee wearing gloves Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Phone numbers of the nearest urgent care clinic, the veterinarian and animal control are posted Yes / No 1 pt
  21. Bites and scratches reported in the last 12 months Number
  22. Date of the most recent bite or scratch report Date
  23. Readiness to respond to a bite or scratch Rating
    • Procedure posted, known and supplies ready 5 pts
    • Procedure posted but not well known 3 pts
    • No procedure or supplies 1 pt

4. Protective equipment 20 items

  1. Disposable gloves are stocked at the animal care station in at least two sizes Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Disposable gloves are stocked at the aquatics counter Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Employees wear gloves when cleaning enclosures Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Employees wear gloves when handling a dead animal Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Employees wear gloves when cleaning up spilled raw pet food Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Bite-resistant handling gloves are available for ferrets, rodents and large birds Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Bite-resistant gloves are free of holes and split seams Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Arm-length gloves are available for aquarium work by employees with cuts or broken skin Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Dust masks or respirators are available for cleaning bird cages and changing dusty bedding Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Eye protection is available where disinfectant is mixed or sprayed Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Aprons or smocks worn for animal care are taken off before entering the break room Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Animal care aprons are laundered at the store or by a service, not taken home Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Employees in animal care wear closed-toe shoes Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Snake hooks, tongs and nets are kept at the reptile and aquatics areas Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Towels for restraining birds and small animals are available and clean Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Slip leads are kept at the front of the store for catching a loose dog Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Reusable handling gloves are disinfected between species Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Disinfectant spray bottles are labeled with the product name and dilution Yes / No 1 pt
  19. The safety data sheet for the disinfectant in use is available to employees Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Availability and use of protective equipment Rating
    • Available and worn for every task observed 5 pts
    • Available but not always worn 3 pts
    • Missing 1 pt

5. Signage 16 items

  1. A sign at each group of animal enclosures tells customers to wash or sanitize their hands after touching animals Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The reptile and amphibian section displays the Salmonella advisory Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The small animal section displays the advisory on rodents and young children Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Live poultry, where sold, carries its own health advisory sign Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Bird and rodent enclosures carry a "do not put fingers in the enclosure" sign Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Enclosures carry a sign asking customers to have an associate take the animal out Yes / No 1 pt
  7. A sign states that children must be supervised around the animals Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The leash policy for customers' pets is posted at the store entrance Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Open aquariums and ponds carry a "do not put hands in the water" sign Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The isolation room door is marked for authorized employees only Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The feeder rodent freezer is labeled as animal food only Yes / No 1 pt
  12. A safe handling and hygiene handout is given with every reptile, amphibian and rodent sold Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The cat litter aisle or the cat care sheet carries the litter-handling precaution for pregnant women Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Health advisory signs are in the languages required by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Health advisory signs are readable, unfaded and not hidden by product Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Health and safety signage around live animals Rating
    • Complete at every animal area 5 pts
    • Missing at one or two areas 3 pts
    • Largely missing 1 pt

6. Records 18 items

  1. Zoonotic disease training is recorded for every employee who works with animals Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The training is repeated at the interval set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Date of the most recent zoonotic disease training session Date
  4. Employees working with animals Number
  5. Employees with current zoonotic disease training Number
  6. A handling sign-off by species is on file for each animal care employee Yes / No 1 pt
  7. A bite and scratch log is kept at the store Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Incident reports for bites are kept for the period set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  9. A diagnosis of ringworm, psittacosis or another transmissible disease in a store animal was communicated to the employees exposed Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Diseases that must be reported to public health were reported as required by local regulation Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Customer reports of illness after buying or handling an animal are logged Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Customer illness reports are forwarded to the home office the same day Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The contents of the first aid kit are checked monthly and the check is recorded Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The pest control log shows no unresolved activity of wild rodents in the animal care or food storage areas Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Corrective actions from the previous inspection have been completed Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Name of the manager on duty Short text
  17. Overall protection of employees and customers from animal-related illness and injury Rating
    • Strong 5 pts
    • Partial 3 pts
    • Weak 1 pt
  18. Corrective actions required Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the Bindy template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In Bindy you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

Categories

Related templates

← All templates

Brand standards

At every site, every time

Start Free Contact us