Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center

EIN 33-0969297 · Huntingtn Bch, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceWeak15 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

To educate the public about man's impact on the environment and mitigate that impact through care and rehabilitation of native wildlife.

Income
$1.0 million
Spending
$891,227
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 87%
Employees
22
Volunteers
250
Highest pay
$91,845, executive dir.

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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 72% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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: 15 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    0 of 5

    Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 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 (2)
  1. $815,360 spent. The Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center (WWCC) is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured and orphaned native wildlife. WWCC is capable of rehabilitating over 1000 animals at a time. We reponded to local emergencies including fire victims and unusual mortality events with seabirds.WWCC is a primary participant-managed facility with the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) and is designed to care for up to 400 oiled birds in the event of an oil spill in Southern California.Our 2,625 square-foot Butler building contains areas for bird intake, holding, washing, drying, and recovery, as well as a series of six large and four small pens with pools for bird recovery.Under the supervision and authority of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, abandoned Western Snowy Plover eggs are captive reared at our facility and then released into the wild. The Western Snowy Plover is a threatened/endangered species.WWCC is 1 of only 2 permitted Hummingbird rehabilitation facilities in all of Orange County, CA. More than 600 Hummingbirds come in annually with a release rate higher than the national average. With intensive training and oversight by our species specialists, qualified volunteers provide home care for Hummingbirds. Through telephone counseling, we educate the public about trying first to re-nest or reunite fledglings rather than rescuing them when they might not need to be rescued.In the spring of 2024 WWCC took in 260 starving pelicans. The warming ocean water near the surface has caused the fish to swim deeper than the pelicans can dive after. Once a pelican is stabilized, it costs WWCC $45 per day to feed it.
  2. Educational/Outreach - The Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center participates and hosts many educational and community events (on and off-site) each year, provides online educational materials, educates the public about wildlife via social media and telephone counseling for wildlife related issues and more. In collaboration with the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy, our fun and educational tours visit the Interpretive Center and the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center which is a working animal hospital for wildlife.

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 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 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 April 2004.

    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.