Many Nonprofit Pet-Rescue Groups Aren't Charities After All
Many Nonprofit Pet-Rescue Groups Aren't Charities After All
Groups claiming to adopt out pets aren’t in compliance with tax law. David Goldstein reports.
Many Nonprofit Pet-Rescue Groups Aren't Charities After All
Groups claiming to adopt out pets aren’t in compliance with tax law. David Goldstein reports.
Animal Aid Unlimited anybody know about them?
SO MANY SCAMMERS!!
Outrageous is dumb sheriff didn’t close the illegal business. They clearly had proof.
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!!!
You can’t really go wrong if you adopt through your local municipal shelters. They have to document everything and they can’t ask for donations. Spay and neuter should ALWAYS be included and actually MANDATED by the people adopting out the animals. If they don’t mandate it and make it happen, don’t trust them. These fake shelters are just glorified pet stores. You can get an animal for less than $100 including everything at most shelters. It they ask for much more than that, I wouldn’t trust them. If you live in an area that has a waiting list of people wanting to adopt, but not many adoptable animals, spend some of that $450 you’re willing to fork out for the animals and drive to a neighboring state that has an over population of homeless animals and adopt from the municipal shelter there. Don’t be duped.
That rescue,like most rescues, is obviosly a pet store. 475.00 for a stray dog? Really?
Aww
A puppy mill store by any other name is still a puppy mill store.
But the question is-where are they getting dogs? If they are rescuing or breeding? If they are breeding that’s awful but if they are saving dogs from
The shelter idk every dog saved is a life saved
Yep! They all need to be evaluated! They also need to put a stop to people who use dogs, breed, sell puppies, than release the unwanted ones or those that don’t sell onto the streets to die of starvation, or get killed by a car.
Let’s talk now about cancer, children and opioid drugs non profit$$$
This is true and animal control is asking rescues to call dogs in so they can pick them up . I have proof!
$450.00, yeah that seems to be the norm where I live for “rescue’s” “re-homing” fees for puppies.
I need to find a reputable dog charity to leave my life insurance money to in the U.K. Does anyone know a reliable one? When I look back at life, humans treat others like shit on the ground. Using dog’s to scam people is wrong, they are so loyal and deserve more than that. My family are in for a shock hahaha.
Could this group have secret ties to PETA?
I live in Connecticut they all are scammers over one hundred in one state
Only meow Inc Tenya Marie economou don’t scam pppl
She is very old can’t do all
I am a certified self funded animal rescuer
Callie was a rescue from Mississippi. I paid 500 for her. I think that’s a fair price…..
There needs to be harsher penalties for fake nonprofits. They fake dog rescues are EVERYWHERE.
Lower the goddam room’s to go Commercials.
I always check Charity Watch for any non profit I’m thinking of donating, rescuing, or making a purchase. There are scams everywhere.
"I think hes dead" Me:WHAT NO *starts crying* 4:12
Shame on this business!
Why shelters allow illegal rescue grps to take their animals?
Our "rescue" dog was a scam. She wasn’t a puppy but had been bred. Identical looking dogs continue to originate from these people. Hmmmmmm
I paid $519 for my pup at AHS in MN and i thought that was fair
their instagram page is still up. they’re not as active as they used to. they post a pic of a puppy once every 3 months or so.
It you can’t pay an adoption fee you shouldn’t be getting a dog.
All this “adoption” and “rescue” is a scam. As soon as you demand good amounts of money for a pet, that is BUYING. Much better to get a well-bred pet from a breeder who admits it’s part of the business. And they still put you through the ringer as if they’re so high and mighty. Never mind if they’re just helping poor stray animals, why do they feel the need to ship in dogs from all over the country and from foreign lands? There are so many of these ridiculous groups in every part of the country, you can’t tell me some locales have to send them out far away for “rescue”. Just stick to the pound for “abandoned” animals, and breeders if you want a stable reliable source and animal.
Most of these so called animal loving "rescue organizations", aren’t even very nice people and are very secretive!
99% are scammers…they only go for anything viral $$$
This is the reason I rescue from my money
Non Profits are big business $$$
They only care to receive any animal fully vetted by someone else to them sell
They run as pet shops
Media careless or states
Non Profits are license any idiot can buy one
Anyone that makes a profit in the name of animal charity is the scum of the earth!