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Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Societyinc

EIN 20-5318898 · Springfield, MA

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

DAKIN HUMANE SOCIETY DELIVERS EFFECTIVE, INNOVATIVE SERVICES THAT IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ANIMALS IN NEED AND THE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THEM. AS A TRUSTED COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER FOR PETS AND THEIR PEOPLE, WE OFFER A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THAT TOUCH THE (SEE SCH O) LIVES OF NEARLY 20,000 ANIMALS AND PEOPLE A YEAR INCLUDING ADOPTIONS, PET FOOD ASSISTANCE, LOW-COST SPAY/NEUTER SURGERY, AFFORDABLE VACCINE AND MEDICAL CLINICS, AND MUCH MORE.

Income
$6.8 million
Spending
$5.7 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
12.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 53%
Employees
81
Volunteers
649
Highest pay
$181,848, exec. director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 12.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 25% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (animals, $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 March 31, 2026, 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. $2.3 million spent. IN 2025, DAKIN HUMANE SOCIETY PROVIDED SHELTER FOR 3821 CATS, DOGS, AND SMALL ANIMALS. 3,127 ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED INTO NEW HOMES, 66 RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILIES, AND 132 TRANSFERRED TO OTHER AGENCIES. ALL ANIMALS IN THE ADOPTION PROGRAM RECEIVE VACCINATIONS, SPAY OR NEUTER SURGERY, APPROPRIATE BLOOD TESTS FOR COMMON DISEASES, TREATMENT FOR INTERNAL/EXTERNAL PARASITES, AND MICROCHIP IDENTIFICATION. ANIMALS PRESENTING WITH A TREATABLE ILLNESS OR INJURY RECEIVE TREATMENT WHICH RANGES FROM CARE FOR COMMON RESPIRATORY DISEASE TO VARIOUS SURGERIES TO ADDRESS DENTAL OR ORTHOPEDIC ISSUES.
  2. $1.1 million spent. SINCE ITS OPENING IN 2009, DAKIN'S COMMUNITY SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC HAS PROTECTED AND CARED FOR OVER 190,000 ANIMALS THROUGHOUT MASSACHUSETTS AND NORTHERN CONNECTICUT BY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE, HIGH-QUALITY SPAY/NEUTER SURGERIES IN FOLLOWING THE HUMANE ALLIANCE MODEL OF HIGH-QUALITY, HIGH-VOLUME AFFORDABLE SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERY TO UNDER RESOURCED CLIENTS, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, ANIMAL-CONTROL OFFICERS, AND OTHER RESCUE AGENCIES. IN 2025, 8,690 TOTAL SPAY/NEUTER SURGERIES WERE PERFORMED ON CATS AND DOGS OF WHICH 402 WERE FOR FERAL CATS. OF THAT TOTAL, 6,110 WERE FOR OWNED PETS, THE OTHERS WERE ADOPTION CENTER ANIMALS.
  3. $1.0 million spent. IN JULY OF 2022, DAKIN LAUNCHED THE PET HEALTH CENTER, WHICH IS A NON-EMERGENCY VETERINARY RESOURCE TO BETTER SUPPORT THE PETS AND PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND LESSEN THE BARRIERS TO VETERINARY MEDICAL CARE. IN 2025, 5,358 ANIMALS RECEIVED SERVICES THROUGH THE PET HEALTH CENTER. DAKIN'S PET FOOD AID PROGRAM PROVIDES FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR PETS WHOSE PEOPLE ARE FACING TEMPORARY HARDSHIPS. IN 2025, OUR PET FOOD AID PROGRAM DISTRIBUTED OVER 50,000 POUNDS OF PET FOOD, WHICH EQUALS 444,000 MEALS FOR DOGS AND CATS, PROVIDING PEACE OF MIND AND MAINTAINING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THEIR PETS WHILE ALSO PARTNERING WITH OUR HUMAN-SERVICE PARTNERS SUCH AS SURVIVAL CENTERS, ANIMAL-CONTROL OFFICERS, AND A NUMBER OF LOCAL SOCIAL-SERVICE AGENCIES TO DISPENSE FOOD DIRECTLY TO FAMILIES IN NEED. IN 2020, DAKIN LAUNCHED THE KITTEN STREET TEAM, A PROGRAM TO ADDRESS CRITICAL NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE GOAL OF THIS TEAM OF SPECIALLY-TRAINED VOLUNTEERS IS TO ASSIST IN CONTROLLING FERAL (WILD) CAT POPULATIONS IN THE PIONEER VALLEY. TNR (TRAP, NEUTER, RETURN) IS A HUMANE AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO PREVENT UNWANTED LITTERS OF KITTENS BORN OUTSIDE YEAR AFTER YEAR. CATS AND KITTENS TRAPPED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM ARE SPAYED AND NEUTERED AT DAKIN AND RETURNED TO THEIR COLONY OR PLACED UP FOR ADOPTION. IN 2025, THE KITTEN STREET TEAM HELPED 440 CATS AND KITTENS THROUGH TNR.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, 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 March 2026.

    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 February 2007.

    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.