National Foundation for Rescued Animals
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR ANIMALS IN NEED OF RESCUE OR REHABILITATION WHILE CONSERVING ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES. OUR SLOGAN IS "SAVING ANIMALS ONE BY ONE."
- Income
- $3.1 million
- Spending
- $4.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 53%
- Reserves
- -2.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 20
- Volunteers
- 3
- Highest pay
- $83,404, chairman/ex dir
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 10 out of 100. Higher than 0% 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
2 of 20It owes 78% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 34% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 34% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1553% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 35 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 253 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a 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
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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. THE ORGANIZATION HAS RESCUED LARGE EXOTIC CATS, SUCH AS TIGERS, LIONS, LEOPARDS, AND JAGUARS FROM ALL OVER NORTH AMERICA. THE ANIMALS' BACKGROUNDS RANGE FROM FORMER PETS THAT CAN NO LONGER BE CARED FOR, ANIMALS RETIRED FROM THE CIRCUS, AND SURPLUS CATS FROM ZOOS. BY GIVING THEM A HOME, THESE ANIMALS ARE SAVED FROM EUTHANIZATION. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES MEDICAL CARE FOR THE CATS, AND INCORPORATES THEM INTO AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF EXOTIC CATS. THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS TAKE PART IN GUIDED TOURS OF THE REFUGE, WHERE THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EXOTIC CATS. SCHOOL TOURS ARE ALSO OFFERED WITH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE TAILORED TO FIT AGES FROM KINDERGARTEN TO COLLEGE. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PARTICIPATES IN DNA RESEARCH WITH THE GOAL OF DETERMINING A GENETIC SNAPSHOT OF TIGERS IN THE U.S. TO BE USED TO FURTHER DEVELOP CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. TIGER MISSING LINK ALSO SPONSORS AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WHERE COLLEGE STUDENTS WISHING TO PURSUE A CAREER IN THE VETERINARIAN FIELD, BIOLOGY, FIELD WORK, OR AT A ZOO, CAN GET PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AROUND EXOTIC ANIMALS. FOR THE FISCAL YEAR END SEPTEMBER 30, 2024, THE FACILITY WAS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC EXCEPT FOR EDUCATIONAL GROUP TOURS BY RESERVATION ONLY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1997.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.