Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

P a W S Animal Adoption Center

EIN 23-7423028 · Rockport, ME

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Our mission is to provide care for homeless dogs and cats until they can be placed in permanent, responsible homes while promoting humane values in our community through outreach and educational programs.

Income
$954,861
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
10.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 52%
Employees
38
Volunteers
65
Highest pay
$60,533, previous executive director

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

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 28% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 87% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (1)
  1. $872,554 spent. PAWS provides services for homeless cats and dogs, those at-risk of becoming homeless, and pet owners in the twelve communities we serve and in the outlying communities. Additionally, PAWS provides outreach, education and support to pet owners, provides affordable spay/neuter, wellness clinics, and preventatives to pets of low-income residents, rescue cats and dogs from high kill shelters in Georgia and Puerto Rico and advocates both locally and at the state level for animal welfare in our community and statewide.Two of our most important programs are the care of our communities homeless, abused, and abandoned cats and dogs and our PAWS Cares community veterinary clinic for low-income pet owners, including spay and neuter, wellness exams, preventatives, and life-saving vaccines. In 2024 we placed 469 stray & unwanted cats and dogs at the shelter placed 95% of them into forever homes. Additionally, we provided 325 pet owners with free pet food and supplies through the Pet Food Pantry, and performed 914 spay/neuter surgeries for community-owned pets. Provided low-cost veterinary care for 3,690 owned pets in need. Reunited 63 lost pets with their family, saved 82 cats and dogs from being euthanized in high-kill shelters in the south, and assisted 197 pets from low-income households, pets of survivors of domestic violence, pets in need of housing while their owners battle temporary homelessness, and extended stays in the hospital. PAWS provides numerous benefits to our community. We work to humanely address the issues of animal control by partnering with our town and their animal control officers to care for the lost, abandoned, and unwanted cats and dogs.We work with the community at large to match pets with loving homesthrough adoption services and we help provide quality veterinary care to every animal who enters our facility. PAWS maintains a firm commitment to educate the local community on the matters of pet care, animal safety, and the importance of spaying and neutering, animal immunizations, and disease control. Additionally, through various programs and services we help to strengthen the human-animal bond of hundreds of pet owners each year.Today PAWS offers the following programs and services:1.Services for lost and found and stray/at-large dogs and cats2.Owner surrenders to our community members who cannot keep their pets3.Adoption. The care and placement of homeless cats and dogs. It is why we started the organization and why we continue to today. It is paramount to our mission.4.PAWS Cares Clinics AND community wellness programs - this incudes rabies vaccinations and microchipping, preventatives, veterinary exams and Spay/Neuter Program.5.Pet Safe Program - a program to help victims of domestic violence, those experiencing temporary homelessness, and/or have been admitted to the hospital, so they can safely board their pets.6.Foster Program & Fospice Program (hospice for elderly pets)7.A Home for ME - animal transport program with partner rescues in the South (Puerto Rico & GA)8.Home to Home - an alternative to surrendering your pet to the shelter9.Pet Loss Support Group - Online

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 January 1975.

    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.