Donate? I get so many requests to donate but can’t give to all. Which charities are really putting my  funds to the best use?  There has been some speculation over the past few years regarding how much money directly goes to the cause of charities rather than administrative costs. We are going to dive into this topic regarding dog rescue charities.  We love our dog rescue charities as our Chief Barking Officer, Reecie, is a rescue as well as my other fido Junior!

Charities are regulated as not for profit organizations. Designation as a “nonprofit or not for profit group does not mean that the organization does not intend to make a profit, but rather that the organization has no ‘owners’ and that the funds obtained in the operation of the organization will not be used to benefit any owners. The extent to which the organization can generate surplus revenues may be constrained or use of surplus revenues may be restricted.”

Upon review of various charities we found several groups that give excellence awards to charities based on strict requirements. The Independent Charities of America  Seal of Excellence is a sought after award that only 2,500 charities operating in the United States have earned. This award requires charities to have at least 50% of their board members as volunteers. Also, if they boast revenues of $250,000 or more they must be audited by an independent CPA.

There are so many charities to review so we are spotlighting one of the most recognizable animal charities, the Humane Society. We are highlighting this organization for several reasons. One of the most important reasons is we adopted our dog Junior from the Humane Society and were greeted with awesome customer service!  We were also impressed by the transparency of their organization. After reading the 2014 annual report, we learned 3% ($5,741,771) of their funding is allocated for managerial/admin support. The remaining 97% is allocated to animal protection programs (82%) and fundraising efforts (15%). Another reason we like the organization is the detailed breakdown of their efforts, from legislation to campaigns to vital statistics.

If you are curious about a charity, take some time to research the organization. There are several resources available such as www.animalcharityevaluators.org or www.animalcharitiesofamerica.org, to name a couple. We encourage you to find a charity you are passionate about and believe in. Poo Doo Leash would like to thank those who volunteer their time and those who donate to animal charities. When you purchase your next pet, please remember to adopt not shop. There are plenty of beautiful loving animals you can adopt at your local humane society or dog rescue.