Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Puppies Behind Bars Inc

EIN 13-3969389 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PUPPIES BEHIND BARS TRAINS INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS TO RAISE SERVICE DOGS FOR WOUNDED WAR VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS, FACILITY DOGS FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS, AND EXPLOSIVE-DETECTON CANINES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Income
$4.9 million
Spending
$4.0 million
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
49.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 78%
Employees
15
Volunteers
250
Highest pay
$412,701, president and founder

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 49.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 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, 2025, 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 (3)
  1. $2.8 million spent. RAISING SERVICE DOGS IN PRISION AND PAIRING THEM WITH WOUNDED VETERANS, FIRST RESPONDERS AND FACILITY DOGS FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS:PBB TRAINS INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS IN FOUR NY PRISONS TO RAISE SERVICE DOGS FOR WOUNDED VETERANS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND FACILITY DOGS FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS (PDS). SERVICE DOGS LEARN MORE THAN 70 COMMANDS TO ASSIST WITH DAILY TASKS AND MITIGATE SYMPTOMS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. FACILITY DOGS ARE TRAINED TO SERVE WHOLE PDS. PBB PLACES DOGS FREE OF CHARGE AND PROVIDES INTENSIVE HANDLER TRAINING AND ONGOING SUPPORT. SERVICE DOG RECIPIENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES BENEFIT THROUGH REDUCED ANXIETY AND OTHER PTSD SYMPTOMS. FACILITY DOGS FOR PDS ENHANCE OFFICER WELLNESS AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY OUTREACH. APPROXIMATELY 125 INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS TRAIN UP TO 60 DOGS AT A TIME. AS PUPPY RAISERS, THEY LEARN IMPORTANT SKILLS FOR REINTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY WITH THE HOPE OF RETURNING TO WORK OR SCHOOL. PUPPIES ENTER THE PROGRAM AT 8 WEEKS OLD AND REMAIN IN TRAINING FOR TWO YEARS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF FULL-TIME PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTORS WITH SUPPORT FROM MORE THAN 250 VOLUNTEERS.
  2. $264,077 spent. RAISING EXPLOSIVE-DETECTION CANINES IN PRISON:PBB RAISES EXPLOSIVE-DETECTION CANINES (EDCS) FOR WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN TWO PRISONS IN NEW YORK. AN AVERAGE OF 40 INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS TAKE PART IN OUR PROGRAM, RAISING 16 TO 20 DOGS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THE TRAINING PROCESS TAKES APPROXIMATELY 10 MONTHS, AND BETWEEN 16 AND 20 OF THESE DOGS GRADUATE EACH YEAR. OUR EDCS HAVE GONE TO WORK TO DETECT EXPLOSIVES OR ACCELERANTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE, WESTCHESTER COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND ATF ARE JUST A FEW OF THE AGENCIES THAT USE PBB DOGS. THEY SCREEN COURTHOUSES AND OTHER GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, CHECK STADIUMS BEFORE BALL GAMES, AND HELP SOLVE ARSON CASES AND PROVIDE MANY OTHER SERVICES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
  3. $588,050 spent. EMPLOYMENT OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS:INCARCERATED PUPPY-RAISERS IN OUR PROGRAM BECOME EXPERT DOG TRAINERS AND GAIN INTERPERSONAL SKILLS AS WELL. THEY MUST WORK AS PART OF A TEAM TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, ATTEND RIGOROUS WEEKLY CLASSES, DO WRITTEN HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS, AND MAINTAIN A DAILY JOURNAL OF THEIR PUPPIES'PROGRESS. THEIR LITERACY AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS ARE ENHANCED, AND THEY BENEFIT FROM THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE PROVIDED BY THE DOGS AS WELL. RATHER THAN BIDING THEIR TIME WHILE INCARCERATED, THE PBB PROGRAM ALLOWS THEM TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY THAT IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE AND SELF-CONFIDENCE. MANY ARE HIRED FOR DOG-RELATED JOBS AFTER PAROLE. PBB CURRENTLY EMPLOYS FIVE FORMERLY INCARCERATED PUPPY-RAISERS AS PART OF ITS FULL-TIME STAFF. ALL FIVE WORK AS INSTRUCTORS TEACHING CURRENTLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS BY THEIR EXAMPLE WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AFTER INCARCERATION. ONE IS ALSO DIRECTOR OF THE SERVICE DOG PROGRAM FOR WOUNDED VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS, AND ONE IS THE DIRECTOR OF VOLUNTEERS. A FOURTH STAFF MEMBER IS DIRECTOR OF SOCIALIZATION FOR YOUNG PUPPIES. A FIFTH STAFF MEMBER IS THE DIRECTOR OF DOG SOCIALIZATION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 November 6, 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 2025.

    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 January 1998.

    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 November 4, 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.