Humane Fort Wayne Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
HUMANE FORT WAYNE IS A TRUSTED PARTNER PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE, LIFESAVING RESOURCES TO PETS AND THEIR PEOPLE.
- Income
- $8.0 million
- Spending
- $6.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 17.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 60%
- Employees
- 100
- Volunteers
- 874
- Highest pay
- $183,295, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 17.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 14% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2510 of 10 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
7 of 7Has a 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
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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)
- $5.5 million spent. HUMANE FORT WAYNE CONSISTS OF A LIMITED INTAKE SHELTER AND LOW-COST SPAY/NEUTER AND WELLNESS CLINIC FOR CATS AND DOGS. OUR ADOPTABLE SHELTER ANIMALS COME TO THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CAN NO LONGER TAKE CARE OF THEIR PETS AS OWNER-SURRENDERS AND THROUGH OUR TRANSFER PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORTS HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS FROM MUNICIPAL AND PRIVATE SHELTERS THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST INDIANA AND OHIO. THE ANIMALS IN THE TRANSFER PROGRAM WOULD OTHERWISE BE EUTHANIZED. OUR LOW-COST SPAY/NEUTER AND WELLNESS CLINIC SERVES PRIMARILY NORTHEAST INDIANA AND REGIONAL CLIENTS FROM OHIO AND MICHIGAN. HUMANE FORT WAYNE ALSO PROVIDES SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO PET OWNERS IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP PETS IN LOVING HOMES AND OUT OF SHELTERS. SERVICES INCLUDE A PET FOOD PANTRY, LIMITED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR ANIMALS, WELLNESS/STERILIZATION/VETERINARY CARE, IN-HOME SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY OR DISABLED, AND COMPASSION FOSTER SERVICES FOR PET OWNERS IN CRISIS. ANIMAL CARE DIVISION ALL SERVICES CONCERNED WITH ANIMAL CARE ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THIS AREA INCLUDING ANIMAL ADMISSION, FOSTER CARE, ADOPTIONS, ADOPTION COUNSELING, LOST PET PROGRAM, HOUSING, NUTRITION, KENNEL SANITATION, SECURITY, BUILDING MAINTENANCE, EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE, SUPPLIES FOR ALL ASPECTS OF ANIMAL CARE, MOTOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP, GROUNDS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS. IN 2025, WE COMPLETED 3,084 ADOPTIONS. ANIMAL HEALTH DIVISION THIS DIVISION IS CRUCIAL TO SATISFYING THE OVERALL MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION. OUR SPAY/NEUTER AND WELLNESS CLINICS OFFER QUALITY, AFFORDABLE SERVICES FOR OWNED ANIMALS, PETS HOUSED IN OTHER SHELTERS/RESCUES, AND COMMUNITY CATS. THROUGH OUR SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC, WE NOT ONLY ENSURE THAT ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ABLE TO SPAY/NEUTER PETS BEFORE ADOPTION, BUT ALSO PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP BY LIMITING ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION THROUGH THE PREVENTION OF UNWANTED PREGNANCIES. IN 2025, OUR CLINIC COMPLETED 12,081 SPAY/NEUTER SURGERIES. OUR WELLNESS CLINIC OFFERS BASIC VETERINARY CARE FOR PRIMARILY OWNED CATS AND DOGS. WE PROVIDE ALL MAINTENANCE AND PREVENTATIVE NEEDS FOR THE ANIMAL INCLUDING MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS, VACCINES/BOOSTERS, HEARTWORM TESTING/PREVENTATIVE, TESTING FOR DEADLY DISEASES, LABORATORY DIAGNOSTIC, GROOMING, THERAPY, PARASITE CONTROL, PERSONNEL TRAINING, AND LIAISING WITH FULL SERVICE VETERINARY PROFESSIONALS AS NEEDED. IT INCLUDES SPECIAL PROJECTS AND UNIQUE MEDICAL CHALLENGES AS NECESSARY. IN 2025, THE WELLNESS CLINIC SERVED A TOTAL OF 15,453 PETS. HUMANE SERVICES DIVISION THIS AREA IS UTILIZED TO PROMOTE THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS, EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AS WELL AS ASKING FOR CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT OUR MISSION. THE SPECIFIC SERVICES IN THIS AREA INCLUDE OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM, OUR MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM, MARKETING, PUBLIC RELATIONS, RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL PROJECTS. WE HAD 874 VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE 20,374 HOURS OF SERVICE TO OUR ORGANIZATION WITH DUTIES RANGING FROM SOCIALIZATION OF OUR ANIMALS INCLUDING WALKS AND SOCIAL STIMULATION AS WELL AS STAFFING COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS, AIDING IN MONTHLY MAILINGS OF OUR COMMUNICATION PIECES, FOSTERING ANIMALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, AND GENERAL UP KEEP OF THE SHELTER. OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE ALSO VITAL TO THE CONTINUATION AND FACILITATION OF OUR WEEKLY PET FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS WHICH PROVIDED 243,113 POUNDS OF FOOD TO PETS IN NEED DURING 2025. THE FOOD PROVIDED COMES FROM OUR COLLECTIONS FROM SPEICAL EVENTS, LOCAL FOOD DRIVES, AND DOZENS OF INDIVDIDUALS WHO GIVE REGULARLY TO OUR ORGANIZATION. HUMANE FORT WAYNE CONSISTS OF A LIMITED INTAKE SHELTER AND LOW-COST SPAY/NEUTER AND WELLNESS CLINIC FOR CATS AND DOGS. OUR ADOPTABLE SHELTER ANIMALS COME TO THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CAN NO LONGER TAKE CARE OF THEIR PETS AS OWNER-SURRENDERS AND THROUGH OUR TRANSFER PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORTS HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS FROM MUNICIPAL AND PRIVATE SHELTERS THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST INDIANA AND OHIO. THE ANIMALS IN THE TRANSFER PROGRAM WOULD OTHERWISE BE EUTHANIZED. OUR LOW-COST SPAY/NEUTER AND WELLNESS CLINIC SERVES PRIMARILY NORTHEAST INDIANA AND REGIONAL CLIENTS FROM OHIO AND MICHIGAN. HUMANE FORT WAYNE ALSO PROVIDES SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO PET OWNERS IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP PETS IN LOVING HOMES AND OUT OF SHELTERS. SERVICES INCLUDE A PET FOOD PANTRY, LIMITED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR ANIMALS, WELLNESS/STERILIZATION/VETERINARY CARE, IN-HOME SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY OR DISABLED, AND COMPASSION FOSTER SERVICES FOR PET OWNERS IN CRISIS. ANIMAL CARE DIVISION ALL SERVICES CONCERNED WITH ANIMAL CARE ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THIS AREA INCLUDING ANIMAL ADMISSION, FOSTER CARE, ADOPTIONS, ADOPTION COUNSELING, LOST PET PROGRAM, HOUSING, NUTRITION, KENNEL SANITATION, SECURITY, BUILDING MAINTENANCE, EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE, SUPPLIES FOR ALL ASPECTS OF ANIMAL CARE, MOTOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP, GROUNDS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS. IN 2025, WE COMPLETED 3,084 ADOPTIONS. ANIMAL HEALTH DIVISION THIS DIVISION IS CRUCIAL TO SATISFYING THE OVERALL MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION. OUR SPAY/NEUTER AND WELLNESS CLINICS OFFER QUALITY, AFFORDABLE SERVICES FOR OWNED ANIMALS, PETS HOUSED IN OTHER SHELTERS/RESCUES, AND COMMUNITY CATS. THROUGH OUR SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC, WE NOT ONLY ENSURE THAT ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ABLE TO SPAY/NEUTER PETS BEFORE ADOPTION, BUT ALSO PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP BY LIMITING ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION THROUGH THE PREVENTION OF UNWANTED PREGNANCIES. IN 2025, OUR CLINIC COMPLETED 12,081 SPAY/NEUTER SURGERIES. OUR WELLNESS CLINIC OFFERS BASIC VETERINARY CARE FOR PRIMARILY OWNED CATS AND DOGS. WE PROVIDE ALL MAINTENANCE AND PREVENTATIVE NEEDS FOR THE ANIMAL INCLUDING MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS, VACCINES/BOOSTERS, HEARTWORM TESTING/PREVENTATIVE, TESTING FOR DEADLY DISEASES, LABORATORY DIAGNOSTIC, GROOMING, THERAPY, PARASITE CONTROL, PERSONNEL TRAINING, AND LIAISING WITH FULL SERVICE VETERINARY PROFESSIONALS AS NEEDED. IT INCLUDES SPECIAL PROJECTS AND UNIQUE MEDICAL
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 November 6, 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 2025.
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 October 1956.
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 November 4, 2026.
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