Many Nonprofit Pet-Rescue Groups Aren't Charities After All

11 Comments

1. SO MANY SCAMMERS!!

2. I paid $519 for my pup at AHS in MN and i thought that was fair

3. Here are some GUIDELINES and factors to help determine if you should donate to the rescue or not:

   1. Donate locally.

   Do you personally know these people?

   Can you visit their facility if they have one?

   Can you visit their foster homes or adoption events?

   2. If you choose to donate to people with rescues you have only seen online and on Facebook proceed with great caution.

   An overriding rule of thumb is to follow the money trail. Ascertain how much they are receiving in cash or goods and exactly how it is all being used. Is it documented? If not – stay clear.

   Many will hide behind their cover of a 501 c 3 Federal IRS tax exempt status. The IRS liberally grants the 501 c 3 designation to animal welfare organizations. Just because they bamboozled the IRS into receiving that designation does not mean they are credible. The questions the IRS asks to receive this ability to collect tax free money is not necessarily an indicator nor deterrent to those that plan to misuse this status to fraudulently steal your cash. In fact these unsavory rescues are literally banking on that status to gain your instant trust and as a lure since donations are tax deductible to the contributor.

   3. Avoid rescues that do the following:

   * Sound like a country western song with their constant tales of woe – if they are using a constant string of personal tragedies to lure you in then whether they are for real or not, they are not in a great

   position to care for animals when they cannot even take care of themselves adequately

   *Avoid those that use manipulation to tug on your heart and wallet strings

   – Beg for money because they are themselves near starvation and can barely pay their bills

   – Discuss their personal tragedies and how it is affecting their ability to care for animals

   For example if they state they had a break in and are asking for a large sum of money to allegedly replace what was stolen because without it they and the animals are going to starve or be severely harmed – you must question this. How do you know that actually happened? Ask for facts – who what where how and double check. For example was a police report filed? Were people really arrested as alleged? Etc. Don’t hesitate to call the police to check. You need to be able to ascertain that their sob story facts did in fact occur. If not do NOT give them a penny. This type of story is a RED FLAG and most credible rescues wouldn’t capitalize on it even if true.

   4. Avoid those that refuse to be transparent and answer questions about anything regarding their rescue

   – Note if on Facebook or on websites or blogs if they have specific questions and answers regarding facts about their rescue, if not beware

   – Do they answer rescue related or specific animals in their care questions posed by others? If no then stay clear.

   – Ask for copies of their 990 (IRS tax return) and application to obtain the 501 c 3 status. If they refuse

   to give it to you – report them to their state Attorney General’s Office and the IRS.

   5. Avoid those that do not clearly report and identify how many they rescue and adopt out

   6. Stay clear of rescues that on their Internet presence post few pics of those they claim to have up for adoption or is in foster.

   * Avoid them if there are very few if any local people commenting on the pets in their care they have seen, adopted, or fostered.

   7. Steer clear of those that do have an internet presence but mainly post pics of themselves with the pets

   NOTE. Real rescues usually have pics only of the pets in their care and the only humans in their pics are usually happy adopters.

   *A real rescue does not have time to for cutesy or heart wrenching blogs with many details that are irrelevant to specific pets they are trying to get adopted out. Avoid.

   8. Steer clear of rescues that have blogs that focus on a myriad of tragedies specifically geared to get you to DONATE NOW, but not to necessarily get the pet in the story adopted. No pet in the story? Then doubly avoid.

   9. Avoid them if they don’t have a clear focus on adopting their pets out. Everything they write and every action they take should have rehoming the pets in their care as a priority ( unless they are clearly a stated sanctuary) Always keep in mind the lifesaving worthiness of a rescue is may be evaluated by how many and how often they take in and then adopt out, as this continual, difficult and expensive process is the ONLY way more can be saved.

   *Avoid the rescue if they have many posts about non pet related subjects such as smiley face or arts.

   * Avoid them if even in jest they discuss doing anything illegal including drugs use.

   NOTE. If the rescue in question saves a few but doesn’t clearly focus their efforts on rehoming the pets so that they can continue to pull and save more, and instead only keeps asking the public to DONATE NOW, avoid at all costs.

   10. Avoid the rescue if they or associated businesses have fake reviews per Yelp, Google or other review sites

   * Avoid the rescue if they fund raise in the memory of pets that are actually still alive or conversely fund raise for pets that are non-existent or actually already dead.

   11. Avoid with all cost if the rescue sues anyone for changing their mind about donating!

   REDFLAG. Especially avoid rescues that slander those that question their transparency or because they have asked valid questions, as a smokescreen to divert attention away from their lack of being forthright. This is especially true when the defamation in turn actually may have the effect of then harming more pets because those being slandered are also in animal welfare or rescue. If unsure of motives always ask who has the most to gain financially in the situation?

   NOTE. Just because a rescue has many followers or “likes” on Facebook does not mean they are on the up and up. It may be that they lucked into a gimmick or became associated with a popular Facebook page. It may just mean they understand human psychology, how to play on people's emotions. BEWARE!!!

4. Lower the goddam room's to go Commercials.

5. It's a tax exempt status (via IRS), not a nonprofit status.

6. Shady shitheads are always finding ways to scam people?

7. $450.00, yeah that seems to be the norm where I live for “rescue’s” “re-homing” fees for puppies.

8. Animal Aid Unlimited anybody know about them?

9. This is true and animal control is asking rescues to call dogs in so they can pick them up . I have proof!

10. Aww

11. Omg do they even spay and neuter and give them proper medical care for $475
    Or does that only include one or two rounds of puppy vaccines and the microchip The price is absolutely outrageous if they are or not spaying and neutering the puppies and dogs in there care any repeatable rescue Spay And Neuter before they Let that dog or cat out of there sight

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