Cocos Heart Dog Rescue
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO HOUSE AND PROVIDE FOSTER CARE FOR DOGS AND CATS IN NEED OF A SAFE AND LOVING HOME WHILE PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE AND GROOMING NEEDS UNTIL A PERMANENT PLACEMENT CAN BE FOUND.
- Income
- $3.1 million
- Spending
- $3.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- -1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 58%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 1,000
- Highest pay
- $142,093, chief of vet staff/lead vet
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: 55 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 48% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 27% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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
Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 252 of 3 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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)
- $2.2 million spent. COCO'S HEART DOG RESCUE (CHDR) IS A FOSTER-BASED, VOLUNTEER-DRIVEN RESCUE AND HAS FOUND LOVING HOMES FOR OVER 18,000 ANIMALS INCLUDING DOGS, CATS, POCKET PETS, AND EVEN FARM ANIMALS SINCE MAY 2010. COCO'S HEART DOG RESCUE IS AN EFFORT GROUNDED IN LOVE, DEDICATION, AND DETERMINATION. WE RELY SOLELY ON VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS TO SUPPORT OUR RESCUE EFFORT. WE ARE BASED OUT OF THE TWIN CITIES AREA, WHERE ALL OF OUR ANIMALS LIVE IN APPROVED FOSTER HOMES BEFORE GOING TO THEIR FOREVER HOMES. CHDR RESCUES ANIMALS IN NEED WITHOUT DISCRIMINATING AGAINST BREEDS OR AGES. THE RESCUE OPERATES WITH THE HELP OF HUNDREDS OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS, ALL WORKING TOWARD THE COMMON GOAL OF SAVING THE LIVES OF ANIMALS IN NEED, AND GIVING THEM THE LOVE THEY DESERVE. EVERY ANIMAL THAT COMES TO COCO'S HEART RECEIVES THE HIGHEST QUALITY VETERINARY CARE AND A LOVING TEMPORARY HOME FROM DEDICATED FOSTER FAMILIES. CHDR'S ADOPTION PROCESS ENSURES THAT EVERY ANIMAL GOES TO THE MOST LOVING FOREVER HOME. DURING 2024, COCO'S HEART DOG RESCUE WELCOMED 2,239 ANIMALS AND ADOPTED 2,004 ANIMALS.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 2012.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.