Retention Schedules
Zoo Retention Schedule
See also the General Records Retention Schedule.
Using this Records Retention Schedule
Everyday local government offices throughout Missouri produce records that document the rights of citizens, the actions of the government that serves them and the history of the community in which they live. It is the responsibility of local government to effectively maintain and manage these records and to ensure the continued preservation of those records of essential evidence that have enduring and permanent value.
The introduction to this retention schedule provides local government officials with basic information on records and the application of retention schedules.
What is a Record?
A " record " is defined as any "document, book, paper, photograph, map, sound recording or other material, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received pursuant to law or in connection with the transaction of official business" (109.210(5) RSMo). This definition includes those records created, used and maintained in electronic form.
Non-Records
Even though records include a broad spectrum of recorded information, not all recorded information is a record. According to Section 109.210(5) RSMo, the following are not records: "...Library and museum material made or acquired and preserved solely for reference or exhibition purposes, extra copies of documents preserved only for convenience of reference, and stocks of publications and of processed documents are not included within the definition of records..."
Other examples of non-records include the following materials:
- Identical copies of documents maintained in the same file.
- Extra copies of printed or processed materials (official copies of which are retained by the office of record).
- Superseded manuals and other directives (maintained outside the office of record).
- Materials documenting employee fringe activities (blood donors, charitable funds, social and professional meetings, etc.)
- Work papers and drafts of reports or correspondence. Transcribed stenographic materials.
- Blank forms.
- Materials received from other activities that require no action (official copies of which are retained by the office of record).
- Catalogs, trade journals and other publications or papers received from government agencies, commercial firms or private institutions that require no action and are not part of an action case record.
Non-records do not require retention scheduling or destruction authorization or reporting. To control excessive accumulation, it is necessary to keep only current, useful materials and to destroy non-records immediately after needs have been satisfied. Avoid filing non-record material with records.
The Value of Local Government Records
Some records, because of their enduring administrative, fiscal, legal or historical value, should be permanently retained. These records require that special care and consideration be given to their storage conditions and the feasibility of preservation microfilming. Examples of permanent records include year-end reports; minutes; property records such as deeds; and birth, death and marriage records.
Most records do not have values that warrant their permanent preservation. Those records with short-term value should, upon reaching end of the retention period, be destroyed.
Statutory Authority for Establishing Records Retention Requirements
In 1965, the Missouri General Assembly established a State Records Commission to approve retentions for records produced by state agencies. In 1972, Missouri's Business and Public Records Law (Chapter 109) was expanded to include local government. Thus, the Missouri Local Records Board was established to set retention times for local government records. The 16-member board, chaired by the Secretary of State, consists of local government officials from all classes of counties and cities, elementary and secondary education, higher education and a person active in historical society groups.
Supplemental to the Local Records Board, the Records Management and Archives Service of the Secretary of State's office provides assistance to local governments and implements board policy.
Application of the Records Retention Schedule
This schedule establishes minimum retention periods and authorizes dispositions for many of the administrative, fiscal and legal records common to most local governments. Retention periods are based upon federal and state mandates, record surveys, business needs, and general knowledge as to how long records should be kept. Using the schedule as a guide and without seeking further approval from the Local Records Board, any local government may regularly dispose of any of its records that appear on this schedule. The schedule is subject to the following exceptions and limitations:
- Local government offices may retain any of their records beyond the retention periods set by the schedule, as they deem necessary. The schedule establishes only a minimum period of retention. Before retaining a record longer than the minimum time required, however, the office should be certain that it has good reason to do so. Unnecessary retention of records can be expensive in space and filing equipment and may expose the office to costly litigation and discovery requirements.
- This schedule does not relieve local governments of retention requirements mandated by other state and federal statutes and regulations. When such an obligation does exist, then the longer retention period takes precedence.
- This schedule generally reflects audit requirements in its prescribed retention periods, but audits are not always completed in a timely fashion. Therefore, any record required for an audit must be retained until completion of that audit, regardless of its stated retention period in the schedule.
- This schedule does not authorize destruction of records that could be deemed relevant to current or pending litigation.
Retention and disposition of records that are common to many offices are included in the General Schedule. Records unique to particular offices are addressed in individual office schedules. All schedules are available on the Secretary of State's website at http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/localrecs/schedules.
Destruction of Records
The records classification and retention periods in this manual constitute legal authority for retention and disposal of official records. No records can be destroyed until they meet the minimum retention period listed in this manual. In cases where there is no schedule for a particular record series, the Local Records Board must grant permission for the destruction.
The disposition of records should be recorded in a document such as the minutes of the city council or other legally constituted authority that has permanent record status. The record should include the description and quantity of each record series disposed of, manner of destruction, inclusive dates covered and the date on which destruction was accomplished.
The retention schedule does not prescribe the method of destruction (shredding, burning, landfills, etc.), however, record series with a disposition of Destroy securely contain confidential data. These records should be destroyed under the supervision of a competent person(s) designated (or appointed) to ensure that no records fall into unauthorized hands and that the data cannot be reconstructed.
Preservation of Permanent Records
A fundamental, yet often neglected obligation of local government is to care for its permanent records-in this case, some of the records that it generates and receives. The records that have been identified as permanent require special handling and storage if they are to be preserved. The continuous interaction between a record's medium-paper, magnetic tape, film, etc. -and the quality of the environment in which it is kept-temperature, humidity, light, and air-determines the severity and rate of its deterioration.
By microfilming older, deteriorating, but permanently valuable records, local governments can generate durable copies for research and prevent further damage or deterioration of the original. When filmed, processed, and maintained to archival specifications, the master negative will ensure that permanently valuable records are preserved for generations to come.
The Missouri Local Records Grant program can provide financial assistance in the form of grants-in-aid to supplement local funds for preservation initiatives, such as archival supplies, shelving and preservation microfilming.
A Note about Electronic Records
Permanent records that exist solely in electronic form (CDs, magnetic tape, floppy disks, hard drives, etc.) are in danger of becoming inaccessible. Media decay, hardware and software obsolescence are real threats to the continued preservation and accessibility of essential records. Periodic migration and transfer to a stable preservation media such as microfilm must be implemented if local government is to fulfil its statutory responsibility for maintaining permanent records.
Modifications and Additions
Because records reflect activities that are constantly changing, the retention requirements for them sometimes require revision as well. Consequently, records retention and disposition schedules often need modification or additions in order to be realistic and effective. Furthermore, because local governments are so large, it is impractical to consult with every office regarding specific schedule entries. There may be some retention periods and disposition requirements within this schedule that fail to account for all relevant factors and there may be some important record series not addressed here which need to be added. The Local Records Program welcomes all comments and suggestions concerned with improvement of record retention schedules through modifications and additions.
For further information on any records management or preservation issue, please contact:
Missouri Secretary of State
Local Records Preservation Program
PO Box 1747, Jefferson City, MO 65101-1747
Telephone: (573) 751-9047
Fax: (573) 526-3867
Zoo Retention Schedule
See also the General Records Retention Schedule.
145.001 Animal Accession Logs
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Primary record of all animal accessions and entry into the animal collection. |
| Content: |
May include: the individual specimen's accession number, common name, sex, type of transaction and date of accession into the animal collection. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.002 Animal Diagnostic Records
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Documents research study activities as well as the service and products provided by the St. Louis Zoo's Endocrine Research Lab. Also used for animal management. Example: fecal analysis or ultrasound would be used to confirm an animal's pregnancy. |
| Content: |
May include: diagnostic records such as fecal analysis results, ultrasounds, semen sample results. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Retain for life of animal or until transfer |
| Disposition: |
|
| Note: |
This entry specific to the St. Louis Zoo. |
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.019 Animal Diet Records
| Also Called: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Function: |
|
|
| Content: |
May include: diet notebooks that document food items and corresponding amounts given to individual animals during their time in the collection. May also include original diet information and any modifications such as alterations in the amounts or ingredients that may occur during the animal’s time in the collection. | |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent | |
| Disposition: |
Archive | |
| Note: |
This entry specific to the Saint Louis Zoo. | |
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2006 |
145.003 Animal Medical Records
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Documents the animal's medical history; reference for treatments, medical evaluations, transfer recommendations, and animal management decision making. |
| Content: |
May include: medical reports; diagnostic tests results; daily medical log entries; anesthesia records; prescriptions, clinical pathology data (blood work and culture results); pathology records and histopathology results; culture reports; and parasitology records. May also include: preventive medicine program events such as vaccinations, testing, quarantine, and examination procedures. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.004 Animal Observation Reports
| Also Called: |
Animal Keeper Dailies |
|---|---|
| Function: |
Documents animal keeper observations of individual animal behaviors, significant collection events and assists keepers in tracking animal histories. Supports animal management decision- making, documents the day-to-day care of the animal collection and provides the raw data for completing the Registrar's Daily and Weekly reports. |
| Content: |
May include: observations of animal behaviors, breeding, enclosure transfers, identification and medical procedures and general collection activity (acquisitions, deacquisitions, deaths and births). |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.005 Animal Research Data
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Documents the data collection and analysis phase of scientific studies. |
| Content: |
May include: raw data (initial recorded observations); endocrine records (tests such as hormone concentrations); behavior records (approach, leave, groom, nurse); and summary information (compilation of raw data) and statistical analysis (study results). These records exist in multiple formats that may contain text and images such as ultrasounds and GIS maps. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.006 Animal Research Results - Non-published
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Provides diagnostic information for day-to-day animal care and husbandry. |
| Content: |
Includes non-published results for internal use, e.g. graphs of hormones for monitoring pregnancy. |
| Minimum Retention: |
10 years |
| Disposition: |
Destroy |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.007 Animal Research Results - Published
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Results of animal research projects. |
| Content: |
Includes publications in the form of journal articles, books, book chapters, official governmental reports or submitted papers. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.008 Animal Transaction Files
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Necessary documentation for shipping animals. Also provides essential administrative and legal documentation. |
| Content: |
May include: domestic or international health certificates; transactional permits; loan and/or transaction agreements; invoices; specimen reports; airline airway bills; animal hauler and/or Customs broker or freight forwarder contracts and invoices; and request to purchase documents. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive. Microfilm for preservation. |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.009 Annual Inventory of Animals
| Also Called: |
Animal Census |
|---|---|
| Function: |
An enumeration and summary of animal collection activity for one calendar year. |
| Content: |
May include: scientific and common name of all species in the collection and subsequent births, deaths, acquisition and deacquisitions for each species occurring during the calendar year. Includes a summary of total number of species and specimens on loan to other institutions. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.010 Anti-venom import permits
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Documents authorization provided by U.S. Department of Agriculture, APHIS (Animal Plant Health Inspection Service) to import various anti-venom compounds. |
| Content: |
May include: permits, correspondence and shipping records. |
| Minimum Retention: |
5 years |
| Disposition: |
Destroy |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.011 Audio Visual Materials
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Supports and provides documentation of administrative history of the zoo. |
| Content: |
May include: motion picture film, video tape and phonographic and audio tape of zoo history, events, presentations, and speeches. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Evaluate for historical purposes. |
| Disposition: |
Archive those records deemed to have historical value; destroy all others. |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.012 Daily Gate Reports
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Documents the number of visitors that pass through various zoo entrances daily. Used for trending and forecasting. |
| Content: |
May include: gate attendance report data showing number of visitors, parking demand, weather observations for that day. |
| Minimum Retention: |
5 years |
| Disposition: |
Destroy |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.013 Incident Reports
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Documents all security related occurrences in a report that address any serious injury, accident or theft on zoo property. |
| Content: |
May include: type of incident, date & time of incident, date & time reported, location of incident, person reporting, home address, home phone, victim's name, age, sex, home address, home phone, parent/guardian (if juvenile) and their home address & phone, witnesses and their home address & phone, vehicle make, year, license, driver name, home phone, insurance co, insurance co phone, description of incident, policy report confirmation, ranger reporting and ranger supervisor. |
| Minimum Retention: |
7 years |
| Disposition: |
Destroy securely |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.020 Nutrition Animal Research Data
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Documents the data collection and analysis phase of scientific nutritional studies. |
| Content: |
May include: raw data (initial recorded observations), statistical analysis (study results) or lab analysis such as vitamin, mineral or other nutrient concentrations in foods or body tissue. May also include behavioral data such as an animal’s feed intake, selectivity and/or palatability and summary information (compilation of raw data). |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive |
| Note: |
This entry specific to the Saint Louis Zoo. |
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2006 |
145.018 Nutrition Diagnostic Records
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Documents research study activities and routine health assessments performed on individual animals as needed for routine management and for investigative projects. Example: fecal analysis is used to confirm food digestibility in individual animals. Summaries are produced as needed for treatment plans or to conclude specific studies. |
| Content: |
May include: diagnostic records such as fecal analysis or circulating nutrient concentrations (results of blood work or tissue assays used to determine vitamin levels, fatty acids, mineral content, amino acids). Physical evaluations such as body condition scores or pigmentation scales. May also include written reports of diagnostic tests that summarize concentrations of nutrients, numerical body condition scores, visual color pigment scores and include recommendations for diet modification. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive |
| Note: |
This entry specific to the Saint Louis Zoo. |
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2006 |
145.021 Nutrition Research Sample Index
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
As an index, these records document previous nutritional analysis, serve as a reference for current studies, and provide a comprehensive list of biological samples that are preserved and available for future research. |
| Content: |
May include: a historical listing of biological samples such as tissue, blood or feedstuffs like pellets, leaves, meat, fish or fruits currently held and used for nutritional studies. May also include a description of the species, the date and type of samples collected, how they were prepared and preserved, and the amount of sample remaining for future studies. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive |
| Note: |
This entry specific to the Saint Louis Zoo. |
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2006 |
145.014 Registrar's Daily and Weekly Reports
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Prepared by animal keepers. Documents collection activity and supports the annual animal census. |
| Content: |
May include: animal births, deaths, acquisitions and deacquisitions. May also contain sexing, banding, weight and transfer information. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.015 Registration Forms
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Records program attendance. Used to develop sales projections. |
| Content: |
May include: participants name; birthday, gender, grade, address, phone number, zoo membership number, claims release, medical consent, program code and method of |
| Minimum Retention: |
3 years |
| Disposition: |
Destroy |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.016 Specimen Record
| Also Called: |
Feed Card |
|---|---|
| Function: |
Documents the animal's feeding history, medical treatments and reproductive behaviors. |
| Content: |
May include: daily feeding activity, shedding, reproductive behaviors, medical treatments and weight history. |
| Minimum Retention: |
3 years |
| Disposition: |
Destroy |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |
145.017 Wildlife Permit Files
| Also Called: |
|
|---|---|
| Function: |
Documents the legal acquisition or deacquisition of animals; facilitates future applications; supports reporting requirements and facilitates the day-to-day business operations. |
| Content: |
May Include: original permits issued to import, export, transport and exhibit wildlife regulated by local, state or federal agencies. Original permits denote the issuance and expiration dates and reporting requirements of the authorized activity as well as permittees. Also contains the official record copy of all annual or transaction reports required by the various permits and related correspondence. |
| Minimum Retention: |
Permanent |
| Disposition: |
Archive. Microfilm for preservation. |
| Note: |
|
| Approval Date: |
08/24/2005 |