How To Research a Shelter or Rescue
What This Page Covers
Some rescues, shelters and online rescue sites hide behind their 501(c)(3) nonprofit status to appear trustworthy, but nonprofit status alone does not prove an organization is ethical, transparent, or operating in the best interest of animals. In some cases, breeders or commercial operators may also create or operate under nonprofit organizations while continuing breeding or sales-related activities behind the scenes.
This page will teach you how to understand and read a 990 form, identify red flags, verify information, and learn how to determine whether an organization is legitimate before adopting an animal in an easy step-by-step guide.
You can find free printables to download for your research and links to help you in your journey to responsible pet ownership. You’ll also find links to all of the resources at the bottom of the page with some frequently asked questions.
What is a Nonprofit?
A nonprofit organization is created for purposes other than generating profits for private owners or shareholders. Many nonprofits qualify for federal tax-exempt status through the IRS under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.
The terms “animal shelter,” “animal rescue,” “nonprofit,” and “licensed kennel” are often used interchangeably, but they can refer to very different types of organizations with different rules, oversight, and operating structures. Understanding these differences can help consumers ask better questions, review records more carefully, and better understand how an organization operates.
Before adopting from a shelter or rescue ask these questions:
- Is the organization registered as a nonprofit?
- Can I view the IRS Form 990 filings?
- Who runs the organization?
- Where do the animals come from?
- Are animals sourced from breeders, auctions, brokers, or imports?
- Does the organization publicly share veterinary and behavioral information?
- Are there complaints, lawsuits, or inspection records?
Key Terms
Commonly used terms you may encounter while reviewing public records, nonprofit filings, licensing information, and organizational documents.
What is a Form 990?
Form 990 is an informational tax document filed by many tax-exempt organizations.
For consumers researching an animal rescue or shelter, a Form 990 can provide important information about:
- leadership
- finances
- salaries
- fundraising
- organizational structure
- where money is going related businesses or organizations
Important Reminder
A Form 990 is only one research tool.
Consumers should also research:
- state licensing records
- inspection reports
- lawsuits
- consumer complaints
- veterinary complaints
- adoption contracts
- social media transparency
- sourcing practices
- transport records
- breeder relationships
Understanding Form 990
Learning how to read a Form 990 can help consumers better understand how a nonprofit operates and whether its public claims appear consistent with its financial records and organizational structure. Below are important parts of the 990, what they mean and how to interpret them.
Part I — Summary
Mission Statement
This explains what the organization claims to do.
Look for:
- Does the mission clearly match the organization’s activities?
- Does the rescue describe animal welfare work specifically?
- Is the language vague or overly broad?
Part I & Part VIII
Revenue and Expenses
This shows how much money the organization brings in and where it goes.
Look for:
- donations
- grants
- adoption fees
- fundraising revenue
Look for:
- Is the organization bringing in unusually large amounts of money?
- Does spending appear focused on animal care?
- Are fundraising costs extremely high?
Part VII
Salaries and Compensation
Shows compensation for officers, directors, key employees, and highly paid staff.
Look for:
- Are salaries unusually high compared to the organization’s size?
- Are multiple family members being paid?
- Are insiders receiving compensation through related businesses?
A high salary alone does not prove wrongdoing, but transparency matters.
Part VII
Independent Contractors
Shows payments to outside businesses or contractors.
Look for:
- Is money going to companies connected to board members or founders?
- Are there payments to breeders, transport companies, consultants, or related organizations?
Part VI
Governance and Board Members
Explains governance practices and leadership structure.
Look for:
- Does the organization have an independent board?
- Are decisions controlled by one person or family?
- Does the organization have conflict-of-interest policies?
Schedule 0
A supplemental section attached to IRS Form 990 where nonprofits provide additional explanations, clarifications, and details about answers given elsewhere in the filing. It can include information about governance practices, policies, compensation decisions, programs, and organizational operations.
Look for:
- Are there inconsistencies between Schedule O and other parts of the Form 990?
- Are explanations detailed or vague?
- Does the organization avoid answering questions directly?
Schedule R
For animal rescues and shelters, Schedule R can sometimes help identify:
- related businesses
- overlapping leadership
- connections between nonprofits and for-profit entities
- shared control structures
Look for:
- Does the nonprofit have related organizations?
- Are there for-profit businesses connected to leadership?
- Are multiple organizations controlled by the same people?
- Are there relationships not publicly disclosed elsewhere?
Part III
Program Service Accomplishments
Describes what the organization says it accomplished during the year.
Look for:
- Does the organization provide measurable information?
- Do claims sound realistic and specific?
- Is there transparency about animal intake and outcomes?
Potential 990 Red Flags
These are examples of potential red flags and not an exhaustive list. Potential red flags should not be ignored, but they also should not automatically be treated as proof of wrongdoing. Some findings may have legitimate explanations depending on the organization’s size, structure, operations, or reporting practices. The goal is to look for patterns, inconsistencies, lack of transparency, or information that does not align with the organization’s public claims. When multiple concerns appear together or important questions remain unanswered, additional research may be warranted.
🚩 Executive compensation above 90th percentile for organization size
🚩 Family members or known associates on payroll (this isn’t always a huge concern). It depends on the organization.
🚩Large payments to vendors with no website, no social media, no public footprint
🚩 Schedule L entries (any transaction with an interested person). Schedule L can help identify whether nonprofit leaders or people connected to them may financially benefit from relationships with the organization.
🚩Defensive or unusually long explanations in Schedule 0. Tone, clarity, and content can matter
🚩 Rapid growth in “consulting” or “management” fees without clear deliverables, meaning a nonprofit suddenly begins spending much more money on consultants, management companies, or outside service providers, but the organization does not clearly explain what work was performed or what the nonprofit received in return.
🚩 Vendor formed company within 6 months of nonprofit opening
🚩 “Other fees for services” (Part IX, 11g) exceeding 20% of total expenses, meaning the nonprofit is spending a large portion of its money on outside service providers or contractors rather than direct internal operations.
🚩 Revenue declining for 2+ years while expenses grow
🚩 Multiple related entities in schedule R with money flowing between them, meaning a nonprofit may be connected to several other organizations or businesses, and money is being transferred between those connected entities.
🧠 Helpful Tip
When researching a rescue or shelter, compare:
- what the organization says publicly
vs. - what appears in financial filings and official records
If the stories do not match, that may deserve further research.
Important Reminder: Form 990 is only one research tool.
Consumers should also research the following items if applicable:
- State licensing records
- Inspection reports
- Lawsuits:
- Consumer complaints
- Veterinary complaints
- Adoption contracts
- Social media transparency
- Sourcing practices
- Transport records
- Breeder relationships
Step-by-Step Guide
How to Research a Rescue
You found your new best friend online or at a shelter. Before adopting, make sure that the shelter or rescue is legitimate. Below you will find a step-by-step guide and printable to help you research.
Step 1
Confirm if they are a physical shelter or a home-based foster/rescue.
This will help determine how you search their business.
(10 seconds)
| Physical Shelter: Check out the website and social media pages: Address, phone, and email should be listed on website or social media accounts | Home-based foster/rescue: Check out the website and social media pages: Address may or may not be listed on website or social media accounts but they should have a phone and email listed |
Step 2
Confirm the organization’s legal name
Use the IRS Database to search the rescue/shelter name, aliases, and address.
- A rescue or shelter may operate publicly under a DBA (“Doing Business As”) name while using a different legal name in IRS or state records. Addresses may also vary for legitimate reasons, such as using separate mailing, administrative, or facility locations. However, organizations should generally be able to clearly explain why names or addresses differ across records, websites, social media pages, and official filings.
- Search by name or EIN number.
- If the IRS database returns 0 results by searching the name, contact the organization and ask if they are listed under a different name.
(1 minute)
Step 3
Verify nonprofit status
Confirm whether it is a 501(c)(3), whether it is active, and whether it has filed returns.
(10 seconds)
Use the Tax Exempt Organization Search to search the rescue/shelter name, aliases, and address.
(1 minute)
Step 4
Read the Form 990 (Use ‘”Understanding Form 990” from above)
Review mission, revenue, expenses, salaries, board members, contractors, Schedule O, Schedule L, and Schedule R. Tax-exempt nonprofits generally must make recent Form 990 filings available for public inspection. Use the 9 questions below.
(15 minutes)
1. Does the spending match the mission?
Example: The rescue claims most donations go directly to animal care, but large amounts are spent on consulting, management fees, or fundraising instead.
2. Are administrative costs unusually high?
Look for large management fees, consulting payments, excessive office expenses, and heavy fundraising costs compared to direct animal care expenses.
3. Is revenue growing rapidly without a clear explanation?
Example: The donations suddenly increase dramatically but there is little explanation of expanded programs or services.
4. Are expenses vague or difficult to understand?
Look for broad categories with little explanation, such as “other expenses”, “professional services”, “consulting”, or “miscellaneous”, especially if the amounts are large.
5. Are large payments going to outside contractors?
Ask who is receiving the money, what services ae being provided and whether the businesses are connected to insiders.
6. Are salaries or compensation unusually high?
This will vary, but generally, salaries are based on organization size, number of animals served, and the stated mission.
7. Does the organization report large fundraising revenue but little program activity?
Example: High donation income but limited evidence of animal care operations.
8. Do numbers change dramatically from year to year?
Sudden increases or decreases in revenue, contractor payments, salaries, grants or fundraising expenses may deserve explanation.
9. Are related organizations receiving money?
Check whether money moves between connected nonprofits or businesses.
Step 5
Compare public claims to official records
Check whether the website, social media, adoption listings, and fundraising language match what appears in the 990.
(5 minutes)
Step 6
Check state registration and licensing.
Look for state charity registration, kennel/shelter licenses, inspection records, or enforcement actions. In Pennsylvania, search: PA Department of Agriculture Kennel Inspections For more information about how to use this tool click here.
(5 minutes)
Step 7
Evaluate animal sourcing and outcomes
Ask where animals come from, whether they use auctions, breeders, brokers, imports, transports, or owner surrenders, and whether they publish intake/adoption/return/euthanasia data.
(5 minutes)
Step 8
Look at Transparency
A reputable organization should be able to clearly explain its finances, leadership, animal care practices, sourcing, veterinary policies, adoption process, and legal status.
(5 minutes)
Dig Deeper
(optional)
Research leadership and related businesses
Search directors, officers, founders, addresses, LLCs, breeders, transporters, pet stores, and related nonprofits.
Review complaints and legal history
Search court records, attorney general actions, consumer complaints, news articles, animal control reports, and local government records.
Find the local Facebook Groups
If you are unfamiliar with the rescue, go to the local Facebook groups and post your questions. Local people will have the best insight on a rescue’s legitimacy.
Report fake rescues or shelters to the Internet Crime Complaints Center
Research Corner
Rescue and Shelter clickable links and printables.
Download the printable Step-by-Step guide to help you research the rescue or shelter’s 990 form. This can be used for online rescues and shelters too.
Search the IRS database for the rescue or shelter’s 990 forms.
Use the PA Business Search to verify: Registered address, initial filing date, status of organization, registered office address, officers and governors.
PA Kennel Inspection Search: Look up the rescue’s kennel license and verify it has passed inspections.
Internet Crimes Complaint Center: Report suspected online scams and fraud for investigation.
Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS): Report a complaint against an animal rescue or shelter.
Need help researching?
The goal of this site is to put all of the information in one place and make it free to the public but we know researching a puppy seller, breeder, rescue, or shelter takes time and sorting through public records, inspection reports, and licensing information can be overwhelming. Fetch the Facts offers consumer research services to help make the process easier. Whether you’re looking to support a responsible breeder or want to learn more about a rescue or shelter before adopting, we’re here to help.
Fetch the Facts does not promote or discourage a consumer’s choice to select a specific dog breed, but encourages informed and responsible decisions regardless of where a dog comes from. We believe that supporting responsible breeding practices, ethical rescues, and informed pet ownership can help improve animal welfare and reduce the number of dogs entering shelters over time.
If you are interested in this service please choose from one of the options below:
Puppy Trace Report
This report traces the puppy’s path from its current seller back to the breeder using publicly available records available under federal and applicable state laws. Depending on what information is publicly available, the report may include:
- The seller’s license number
- Seller inspection reports
- The breeder’s and/or broker’s license number
- Breeder and/or broker inspection reports
- Previous business names or aliases associated with the breeder, broker, or seller
- Copies of inspections or enforcement reports
- The transporter’s USDA registration number and any publicly available transporter violations or enforcement records.
This report is based solely on publicly available information and record availability may vary by state, agency and seller.
Not sure how many reports you need?
Review the examples below before submitting your request. Puppies from the same litter and seller can often be researched together, while puppies from different litters or sellers require separate research reports.
Shelter/Rescue Transparency Report
This report reviews a rescue or shelter using publicly available records and information available under federal, state, and local laws (when applicable). Depending on what information is publicly available, the report may include:
- The organization’s registered business or nonprofit name
- State charity or nonprofit registration information
- USDA and/or state license information (if applicable)
- Inspection reports and publicly available violations
- Previous business names, aliases, or affiliated organizations
- Consumer complaints
- Enforcement actions, or legal cases that are publicly documented
This report is based solely on publicly available information and record availability may vary by state, agency, and organization type.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
General Questions
How do I know if a rescue or shelter is legitimate?
A legitimate rescue or shelter should generally be transparent about its leadership, nonprofit status, licensing (if required), animal sourcing practices, and adoption policies. Consumers can research public records, Form 990 filings, licensing databases, inspection reports, and organizational history to compare public claims with official records.
Why should I research a rescue or shelter before adopting?
Research can help consumers better understand how an organization operates, where animals come from, how money is used, whether licensing requirements are being followed, and whether public claims appear consistent with official records.
What public records can I use to research a rescue or shelter?
Useful records may include:
- IRS Form 990 filings
- state business registrations (click here for PA)
- charity registrations
- kennel licenses
- inspection reports
- court records
- property records
- USDA records (when applicable)
- Pennsylvania Kennel Inspection Records (when applicable)
Nonprofit & IRS Questions
Does being a 501(c)(3) nonprofit automatically mean a rescue is trustworthy?
No. A 501(c)(3) designation means the organization has received tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service for charitable purposes, but nonprofit status alone does not guarantee ethical practices, transparency, or proper animal care.
What is the difference between a nonprofit and a 501(c)(3)?
A nonprofit is a type of organization structure. A 501(c)(3) is a specific federal tax-exempt classification recognized by the IRS for charitable organizations.
What is an EIN number and why does it matter?
An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is a unique tax identification number assigned by the IRS. It can help identify the organization’s legal entity and locate nonprofit filings and public records.
What is a DBA (“Doing Business As”) name?
A DBA is a public-facing business or organization name that differs from the entity’s legal registered name. For example the legal name would be “John Smith” but their public facing name, or DBA, is “Happy Tails”.
Can a rescue operate under a different name than its legal name?
Yes. Some organizations use DBA names or alternate public names while operating under a different legal corporate name in IRS or state records.
Form 990 Questions
What is a Form 990?
Form 990 is a public financial filing submitted by many tax-exempt nonprofits to the IRS. It may include information about revenue, expenses, salaries, leadership, governance, and relationships with other organizations or businesses. Click here for form 990.
Why are Form 990 filings important?
Form 990 filings can help consumers better understand how a nonprofit operates financially and organizationally. They may reveal information about salaries, contractors, related organizations, governance practices, and how money is spent.
Where can I find a rescue or shelter’s Form 990?
Form 990 filings can be found through:
What are Schedule O, Schedule L, and Schedule R?
These are supplemental sections attached to Form 990 filings.
- Schedule O provides additional explanations and disclosures.
- Schedule L reports certain transactions involving insiders or related persons.
- Schedule R discloses relationships with related organizations or connected entities.
What should I look for in a Form 990?
Consumers may want to review:
- mission statements
- revenue and expenses
- salaries and compensation
- board members
- contractor payments
- related organizations
- insider transactions
- governance practices
- inconsistencies between public claims and financial records
Licensing & Regulation Questions
Do rescues and shelters need licenses?
Licensing requirements vary depending on the state, type of operation, and activities performed by the organization. Search here for PA kennel inspections. Check your state laws.
Do Pennsylvania rescues and shelters need kennel licenses?
Many Pennsylvania organizations handling dogs may require kennel licensing through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture depending on how they operate and how many dogs they house or transfer.
Do rescues need USDA licenses?
Not all rescues require USDA licensing. Licensing requirements under the Animal Welfare Act depend on the organization’s activities, such as breeding, brokering, transporting, selling, or exhibiting animals.
Transparency & Red Flags
Should a rescue publicly list its leadership or board members?
There may not always be a legal requirement to publicly display leadership information on websites or social media pages, but transparency about leadership and oversight can help build public trust and accountability.
What are signs of a transparent rescue or shelter?
Transparent organizations are generally willing to explain:
- leadership structure
- nonprofit status
- finances
- animal sourcing
- veterinary practices
- adoption policies
- licensing status
- public records and filings
What are potential red flags to research further?
Potential concerns may include:
- inconsistent records
- vague financial reporting
- hidden leadership information
- unexplained related businesses
- unusually high contractor payments
- conflicting addresses
- lack of transparency
- patterns of complaints or enforcement actions
A single issue alone does not automatically prove wrongdoing, but multiple concerns together may justify additional research.
How do I search for lawsuits involving a rescue or shelter?
Consumers can search:
- state court databases
- federal court records
- news archives
- attorney general actions
- public complaint records
using organization names, DBA names, addresses, and leadership names.
Does a lawsuit automatically mean a rescue is unethical?
No. Lawsuits can occur for many reasons. The goal is to look for patterns, repeated allegations, official enforcement actions, or serious claims supported by public records.