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North Shore Animal League America Inc

EIN 11-1666852 · Prt Washingtn, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SINCE 1944, THE NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA'S MISSION HAS BEEN TO SAVE THE LIVES OF PETS THROUGH ADOPTION, RESCUE, EDUCATION, MEDICAL CARE, SPAY/NEUTER AND ADVOCACY.

Income
$46.4 million
Spending
$50.9 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
4.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 77%
Employees
430
Highest pay
$522,262, president/ce

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (5)
  1. $17.1 million spent. VETERINARY CARE AND SPAY NEUTER: THE ON SITE MEDICAL CENTER IS STAFFED BY VETERINARIANS, TECHNICIANS, VOLUNTEERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL. THIS FULL SERVICE HOSPITAL PROVIDES 24 HOUR CARE FOR ALL PETS WHO ARE SHELTERED BY THE LEAGUE EACH YEAR. LOW COST VETERINARY SERVICES ARE PROVIDED FOR PETS IN NEED OF SUCH CARE. SPAY USA, A PROGRAM OF THE LEAGUE, IS A NATIONWIDE NETWORK AND REFERRAL SERVICES FOR AFFORDABLE SPAY/NEUTER PROCEDURES.
  2. $18.2 million spent. PET RESCUE AND ADOPTION: NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA OPERATES THE LARGEST "NO KILL" ANIMAL ADOPTION CENTER IN THE WORLD. WE ARE A WORLD LEADER IN SETTING BEST PRACTICES FOR ADOPTION. WE ADOPT DOGS, CATS, PUPPIES AND KITTENS FROM OUR PORT WASHINTON, NY HEADQUARTERS AND FACILITATE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ADOPTIONS EACH YEAR WORKING WITH OUR NETWORK OF OVER 2,000 SHELTER PARTNERS. THE LEAGUE CONDUCTS AN INTERNATIONAL PET ADOPTATHON WHERE SHELTERS ACROSS THE WORLD JOIN US IN STAYING OPEN FOR 36 CONSECUTIVE HOURS TO ADOPT AS MANY ANIMALS AS POSSIBLE AND A TOUR FOR LIFE WHERE MOBILE UNITS RESCUE AND ADOPT ANIMALS FROM SHELTERS. THE LEAGUE HAS ADOPTED OUT OVER 1.2 MILLION ANIMALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1944. THE MUTT-I-GREES INITIATIVE WAS IMPLEMENTED NATIONALLY BY THE LEAGUE AS A KEY ELEMENT IN INCREASING SHELTER PET ADOPTIONS IN AN EFFORT TO ELEVATE MIXED BREED DOGS TO A HIGHER STATUS IN THE EYES OF POTENTIAL ADOPTERS. OUR ADOPTERS ARE ASKED TO ADD THEIR NEWLY ADOPTED PET AS WELL AS ANY OTHER SHELTER RESCUE PETS THAT THEY HAVE OWN TO OUR MUTT-I-GREES REGISTRY. THIS INCLUDED THEM AS PART OF THE MUTT-I-GREES COMMUNITY, WHICH ELEVATES THE VALUE OF ALL MUTT-I-GREES (SHELTER AND RESCUED ANIMALS) TO REDUCE ANIMAL CRUELTY. PET RESCUE AND ADOPTION: NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA OPERATES THE LARGEST "NO KILL" ANIMAL ADOPTION CENTER IN THE WORLD. WE ARE A WORLD LEADER IN SETTING BEST PRACTICES FOR ADOPTION. WE ADOPT DOGS, CATS, PUPPIES AND KITTENS FROM OUR PORT WASHINTON, NY HEADQUARTERS AND FACILITATE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ADOPTIONS EACH YEAR WORKING WITH OUR NETWORK OF OVER 2,000 SHELTER PARTNERS. THE LEAGUE CONDUCTS AN INTERNATIONAL PET ADOPTATHON WHERE SHELTERS ACROSS THE WORLD JOIN US IN STAYING OPEN FOR 36 CONSECUTIVE HOURS TO ADOPT AS MANY ANIMALS AS POSSIBLE AND A TOUR FOR LIFE WHERE MOBILE UNITS RESCUE AND ADOPT ANIMALS FROM SHELTERS. THE LEAGUE HAS ADOPTED OUT OVER 1.2 MILLION ANIMALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1944. THE MUTT-I-GREES INITIATIVE WAS IMPLEMENTED NATIONALLY BY THE LEAGUE AS A KEY ELEMENT IN INCREASING SHELTER PET ADOPTIONS IN AN EFFORT TO ELEVATE MIXED BREED DOGS TO A HIGHER STATUS IN THE EYES OF POTENTIAL ADOPTERS. OUR ADOPTERS ARE ASKED TO ADD THEIR NEWLY ADOPTED PET AS WELL AS ANY OTHER SHELTER RESCUE PETS THAT THEY HAVE OWN TO OUR MUTT-I-GREES REGISTRY. THIS INCLUDED THEM AS PART OF THE MUTT-I-GREES COMMUNITY, WHICH ELEVATES THE VALUE OF ALL MUTT-I-GREES (SHELTER AND RESCUED ANIMALS) TO REDUCE ANIMAL CRUELTY.
  3. $5.9 million spent. HUMANE EDUCATION: THE LEAGUE CONDUCTS HUMANE EDUCATION THROUGH A MULTIFACETED APPROACH. EDUCATION MATERIAL IS PROVIDED VIA DIRECT MAIL, WEBSITE, AND THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIA INCLUDING NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, RADIO AND TV. THE MUTT-I-GREES CURRICULUM IS AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM THAT BUILDS ON CHILDREN'S AFFINITY FOR ANIMALS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS AND DESIRABILITY OF MUTT-I-GREES, OR SHELTER PETS. THE GOAL OF THE MUTT-I-GREES CURRICULUM IS TO ENABLE CHILDREN TO GROW UP TO BE CALM, CONFIDENT AND CARING. THE CURRICULUM TEACHES SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS AND IS UNIQUE IN ITS BRIDGING OF HUMANE EDUCATION AND SEL IS A PROCESS BY WHICH CHILDREN LEARN TO MANAGE THEIR EMOTIONS, GET ALONG WITH OTHERS, HAVE EMPATHY AND COMPASSION, AND DISCOVER ESSENTIAL TEAMWORK SKILLS, THESE SKILLS ARE IMPORTANT IN LIFE, BUT ALSO IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. STUDIES SHOW THAT CHILDREN DO BETTER IN SCHOOL WHEN THEY ARE SOCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY COMPETENT. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE CURRICULUM IS VIEWED AS A SOCIAL AND INTELLECTUAL PATH TO A NO-KILL NATION, A PATH THAT WILL LEAD TO THE ADOPTION OF A DOG OR CAT FROM A SHELTER AS THE ONLY RESPONSIBLE CHOICE FOR YOUNG ADULTS TO MAKE. HUMANE EDUCATION: THE LEAGUE CONDUCTS HUMANE EDUCATION THROUGH A MULTIFACETED APPROACH. EDUCATION MATERIAL IS PROVIDED VIA DIRECT MAIL, WEBSITE, AND THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIA INCLUDING NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, RADIO AND TV. THE MUTT-I-GREES CURRICULUM IS AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM THAT BUILDS ON CHILDREN'S AFFINITY FOR ANIMALS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS AND DESIRABILITY OF MUTT-I-GREES, OR SHELTER PETS. THE GOAL OF THE MUTT-I-GREES CURRICULUM IS TO ENABLE CHILDREN TO GROW UP TO BE CALM, CONFIDENT AND CARING. THE CURRICULUM TEACHES SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS AND IS UNIQUE IN ITS BRIDGING OF HUMANE EDUCATION AND SEL IS A PROCESS BY WHICH CHILDREN LEARN TO MANAGE THEIR EMOTIONS, GET ALONG WITH OTHERS, HAVE EMPATHY AND COMPASSION, AND DISCOVER ESSENTIAL TEAMWORK SKILLS, THESE SKILLS ARE IMPORTANT IN LIFE, BUT ALSO IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. STUDIES SHOW THAT CHILDREN DO BETTER IN SCHOOL WHEN THEY ARE SOCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY COMPETENT. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE CURRICULUM IS VIEWED AS A SOCIAL AND INTELLECTUAL PATH TO A NO-KILL NATION, A PATH THAT WILL LEAD TO THE ADOPTION OF A DOG OR CAT FROM A SHELTER AS THE ONLY RESPONSIBLE CHOICE FOR YOUNG ADULTS TO MAKE.
  4. THE LEAGUE OPERATES A SMALL PET STORE FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF ITS ADOPTERS.
  5. THE LEAGUE OPERATES A SMALL PET STORE FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF ITS ADOPTERS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1948.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.