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Animal Rescue Donation
updated: Oct 30, 2012, 3:04 PM

By Edhat Subscriber

Santa Barbara is full of non-profits devoted to animal rescue.Can anyone recommend one with low administrative costs that can use my donation most effectively?

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 337244	2012-10-30 03:14 PM
DAWG
COMMENT 337245	2012-10-30 03:21 PM
DAWG does great work with a small budget to run a no-kill shelter and adopt out as many as 300 dogs per year. K-9 Pals is all volunteer and pays for special diet food and medical care for the SB County shelter dogs- over $100K last year. Check out their financial info at Guidestar if you want to verify how their money is spent.
COMMENT 337247P	2012-10-30 03:26 PM
hmmmm this sounds like a "softball" question designed to "wag the dog" so to speak..........I'd say go personally visit the various shelters- all on Overpass Road- and, honestly, my suggestion would be to split your donation and give to all-they all are doing a great job whether County, non-profit, or otherwise.
COMMENT 337260	2012-10-30 04:03 PM
B.U.N.S. Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter.
COMMENT 337280P	2012-10-30 05:28 PM
If you are looking for wildlife rescue then it is The WildLife Care Network - www.SBWCN.org. Amazing people who will come when called to rescue injured animals any time of day or night. If you are looking for general pet type rescue there is nothing better than the Santa Barbara Humane Society. Donations can be made directly to the local society and do not have to be passed through the national. Their web site is www.sbhunmanesociety.
COMMENT 337284	2012-10-30 05:42 PM
Care for Paws!!!
COMMENT 337286P	2012-10-30 05:43 PM
Another vote for DAWG. They receive no money from the city or county. Volunteers and donations are a big part of why they efficiently use donations.
COMMENT 337287	2012-10-30 05:51 PM
Animal Rescue Team
QUAD-LIX	2012-10-30 06:24 PM
Elephants Umbrella Fund Every dollar goes directly to the elephants. Help save the Asian elephant from looming extinction. Contact Connie Speight, the Elephant Lady recently written up in the news-press (March 2012). elephantsumbrella dot org
COMMENT 337314P	2012-10-30 07:43 PM
Speaking of Santa Barbara non profits....animal or otherwise. How do I go about getting information about the administrative costs, including salaries, sources of donations, etc. of a non profit organization? Is there a website? Does a non profit have to report such info and is it accessable to a would be contributor?
COMMENT 337329	2012-10-30 08:10 PM
Catalyst for Cats Has helped hundreds of people with there cats. They have helped me for over 2 years with feral cats. Helping find homes and paying for care. I thank god for them everyday. They have done miracles, when others just walk away.
COMMENT 337338P	2012-10-30 08:24 PM
337314P: Guidestar.org is about the best way to get information on non-profits. You have to sign in and then you can check out the 990 forms filed by the non-profits. Unfortunately, there's a two-to-three year lag so as far as I know it's not possible to find out what the non-profit has taken in and expended in the last year. I'd also recommend DAWG; the SBWCN volunteers do a fine job but there are administrative costs, salaries, that eat up money although these paid staff do do animal care. I think DAWG is near entirely volunteer.
COMMENT 337353P	2012-10-30 09:09 PM
We are so blessed to live in an area that has so many caring people....with their time or money. SBWCN takes in thousands of wild animals every year on a mostly volunteer base. They take care of the animals at the shelter or in their homes. They are 100% supported by donations.
QUAD-LIX	2012-10-30 09:28 PM
I go to their website, though I notice the one I recommended (Elephants Umbrella) doesn't seem to have the information they used to when I last donated. They used to have their board information (all volunteer) but I didn't see it when I visited tonight. I'd just start from the web and try to find a phone number for each. They should at least have their tax ID# on their website. After the Lompoc homeless shelter debacle, it seems like charities shouldn't bat an eye if someone asks for their budget and financial statements.
COMMENT 337377P	2012-10-31 05:37 AM
Don't forget ASAP (Animal Shelter Assistance Program), the feline equivalent of DAWG!
COMMENT 337383P	2012-10-31 06:20 AM
Q-L: good points about asking for budget and financial statements. 501c3 ( tax deductible organizations) SHOULD provide that when asked, but it is not likely to happen.... I hope that the OP will ask and report back here what s/he was told. The 990 available on Guidestar do show total amount of employee salaries paid, as well as donations received.
COMMENT 337407	2012-10-31 07:50 AM
I would suggest K9 Pals over DAWG. DAWG actually goes next store to K9-Pals and takes the most adoptable dogs and K9_pals (ie, the county shelter) gets left caring for the ones that need medical attention. K9-Pals spends a lot of money "repairing" dogs. When I was volunteering there, they took in a dog with a broken leg that was left tied to a pole. They fixed its leg and it's now in a happy home.
COMMENT 337410	2012-10-31 07:54 AM
DAWG, K-9, ASAP, ART, SBWCN have their 990 forms on Guidestar, I can't find the one for CARE4Paws. Didn't check the other groups listed here. DAWG and ASAP have paid staff because they need them to run their shelters. K-9 is all volunteer but does not run a shelter. Not sure about the other groups.
COMMENT 337443P	2012-10-31 08:39 AM
Another vote for A.S.A.P! Wonderful volunteers. I have happily adopted several cats from there.
COMMENT 337474P	2012-10-31 09:34 AM
@407 both are great organizations with caring employees. However my impression is the oposite of what you stated. DAWG has an amazing veterinary facility (with surgical center) rivaling many specialty clinics. Many area shelters drop off the most needy animals at DAWG because they are in the unique position to provide advanced treatment at relatively low costs. These animals need a lot of care and they get it, they also get behavioral training designed to make as many of the "lost causes" adoptable. DAWG is also a no kill shelter, if a condition is tratable the dog gets that care.
COMMENT 337475	2012-10-31 09:35 AM
I could not find a 990 for ASAP: animal shelter assistance program.
COMMENT 337487	2012-10-31 10:04 AM
The WildLife Care Network , another vote.
COMMENT 337504	2012-10-31 10:24 AM
Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Rescue has been at it for years. All volunteers. Well run. Can stretch a buck. Highly recommend you helping them out.
COMMENT 337506	2012-10-31 10:25 AM
247P, you can't just give to all the SB shelters on Overpass Rd because K-9 Pals won't get it that way. If you give to the County Shelter it goes to the SB Animal Care Foundation that mostly helps the dogs in Santa Maria. I think K-9, DAWG, and Humane Society all have donate buttons on their websites so you can easily donate that way.
COMMENT 337515P	2012-10-31 10:39 AM
Non-profit financial info is available at Navigator.com if the group is large enough to be on their radar. Excellent, unbiased info.
COMMENT 337526	2012-10-31 10:59 AM
BUNS is non-profit, but they have it through K9 PALS, I believe (at least that's how it was a few years ago). I wouldn't be surprised if ASAP did the same, or if they are now NP, but the paperwork isn't showing on that website yet. Both are definitely non-profits, that rely heavily on volunteers. If you really want the donation to go to the animals specifically, just earmark the money. Say your donation should go to vet expenses, medicine, spay & neuter costs, food & supplies, or whatever you prefer. Make sure it's on the check AND tell them when you give it to them. I would say stay away from the Humane Society, they probably have the highest admin costs. Lots more non-profits, mentioned above. My pick would be BUNS, because I volunteered there for years, know the people who run it are incredibly dedicated and spend plenty of their own time & money to help keep the animals happy & healthy. And any donations WILL go to the critters - just give checks to a BUNS volunteer.
COMMENT 337545P	2012-10-31 11:56 AM
Humane Society takes OWNER SURRENDERED animals only. County shelters, supported by BUNS, ASAP & K-9 Pals, and other organizations in north county, MUST take any and every animal, from rats and iguanas to dogs and cats -- it's a true orphanage. Pls give to BUNS, ASAP, K-9 Pals or Wildlife Care Network.
COMMENT 337563P	2012-10-31 12:42 PM
All the local animal organizations will get their overhead information to you because they're legit businesses. It used to be that "charities," to use the broad term, especially local organizations that hired phone banks to phone and solicit funds, would have up to 80% overhead (40% max is reasonable, 20% is very good). Then people wised up, realized their money was being wasted on CEO salaries and cushy offices, and started asking what the overhead was. Either the supervisor would know, or the organization would mail out the information. If they never respond, don't give to them. Network sites like Charity Navigator are a big help these days.
COMMENT 337577	2012-10-31 01:12 PM
W.I.L.D.E.S.(Wildlife Information,Literature, Data and Education Service) is a great local group. The volunteers do wildlife rescue but, most importantly, community and school education programs! There is no paid staff.
COMMENT 337607	2012-10-31 02:08 PM
ASAP -animal shelter assistance program- has their financial info on guidestar. I heard they started paying their ED recently so that info might not show up on the last 990 form that is available at Guidestar (2010).
CORKY	2012-10-31 02:53 PM
Catalyst. They came out when we reported kittens at a care facility parking area and got them all. Unfortunately, the mom disappeared before she could be trapped. They neuter and release back to feral life if they can't be socialized.
AUNTIE S.	2012-10-31 05:37 PM
All those mentioned are great but my personal favorite is ASAP. Always happy to support them.
COMMENT 337748	2012-10-31 08:31 PM
My cat came from ASAP--the most recent of several. They are wonderful and deserve all the support they can get. Mackie (my cat) signifies with a meeeow that he agrees.
COMMENT 338067	2012-11-01 04:13 PM
Another vote for Animal Rescue Team, Inc. of Santa Ynez. They exist entirely on donations and grant money. Run almost entirely by volunteers, they work with all local rescue groups to find homes for displaced wildlife AND domestics... a rare combo...
COMMENT 338270	2012-11-02 07:08 AM
If you want to avoid donating to non profits who pay salaries to board members, avoid Care4paws. a large amount of donations are spent on salary to a board member. If you want to avoid donating to other entities with high administrarive costs, avoid donating to County Animal Services/Shelters (which is govt run and not a 501C3), the S.B.H.S., DAWG, ASAP, in that order. The County Animal Shelters have very high admin costs, not fairly distributed according to performance either, and not so much goes to animal care, same with the S.B. H.S. The same is true of DAWG and ASAP, but to a lesser degree, but both have a lot of paid staff, but also spend a lot on the animals. WCN, same thing as DAWG and ASAP. The only truly all volunteer animal non profits around Santa Barbara area that do not pay salaries to anyone, are K-9 PALS, and BUNS, and a lot of other lesser known small rescue groups.
COMMENT 338300	2012-11-02 08:27 AM
506, you have some information that is incorrect. If a person donates to the County shelter, the money goes to the County, it does not go to any non profit. The SBCACF spends it's money on something for Santa Maria, although it's not clear just what. 407, your are so correct. K-9 PALS gets asked to pay for the dogs in the worst shape, most expensive cases, most from SB shelter, but also some from Santa Maria and Lompoc. DAWG will take shelter dogs, often after K-9 PALS has put in a lot of money and resources to save the dogs' lives and makes them more adoptable, but the county decides they no longer want the dog in the county shelter. It's a convoluted system, where county takes in the revenues, but the non profits, mostly K-9 PALS, gets asked to pay for the veterinary care, medications, food, even the dog training and volunteer training. The more logical structure would be for the non profits to manage all the animal welfare care.

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