You found your new best friend on a rescue website or 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
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.