Skagit Animals in Need
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SAIN prevents and responds to animal cruelty and neglect primarily in support of animal control and law enforcement.
- Income
- $211,411
- Spending
- $79,702
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 45.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 93%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 27
- Highest pay
- $9,600, director
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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 45.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 62% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 92% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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: 94 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 (3)
- $34,693 spent. Core Program - Rescue, Rehabilitation and Rehoming. SAIN is an all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to rehabilitating and rehoming large animals and livestock seized in neglect and cruelty cases or released to animal control or law enforcement. Its core program is the rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming of neglected or abused animals. Once in SAIN custody, animals are placed with a safe foster home, medical and behavioral assessments are performed, and rehabilitation begins. Once an animal is at a healthy weight and up to date on medical care, it is made available for adoption to loving homes. Funds from donations, grants and fundraising events are utilized to pay for facility costs, feed and medical care for horses and other livestock in rehabilitation, and training. Medical costs can often be very steep for seized horses as neglect and abuse often create significant medical conditions. Prior to 2012, Skagit County Law Enforcement was able to send seized horses and other livestock to other counties or organizations at no cost. In 2008, recipient organizations began to suffer financially and were no longer able to accept these animals. Coupled with an increase in seizures, law enforcement struggled to respond to urgent requests. Roughly five seized horses in 2005 turned into nearly 40 in 2010. In 2012, SAIN applied for 501(c)(3) status in order to receive neglected, abandoned and/or abused animals in emergency situations from law enforcement officers and ensure they receive necessary care. Today, SAIN continues to work with Skagit County law enforcement, as well as neighboring counties, to rescue horses and other livestock that the Humane Society or other rescues that specialize in dogs and cats have no capacity to serve. Skagit County has high horse and livestock ownership. SAIN regularly assists with horses, cows, goats, sheep, roosters and other animals with unique needs. We provide necessary medical and farrier care so that once rehabilitated, these animals can find their forever homes. The nature of working with law enforcement on cruelty and neglect seizures is highly variable. Months can pass without a single animal in distress, but the nature of livestock ownership means that often animals are seized in whole groups. Owners who have had animals seized have the right to appeal in court, and during legal proceedings the animal must remain in SAIN's custody. It is impossible to predict exactly how many animals SAIN will assist in a year, or how long each animal will need to remain in SAIN's care, and so the organization must be prepared for any possible scenario. In 2025, 3 animals were brought into SAIN's care, all horses. The average cost to SAIN per animal is roughly $3,160. SAIN has a goal to help as many animals as the organization possibly can in any given year. Depending on how long an animal is in the program, feed and continued maintenance costs can add up to greater amounts per animal. The organization never rushes an animal toward adoption. SAIN ensures animals are physically and behaviorally ready to move to their new homes. That means some animals need to remain in the program longer and may cost more than others. SAIN is unique in Skagit County as the only organization prepared to accept horses and other livestock that have been neglected or abused. Skagit County's rural nature makes livestock ownership common, increasing the need for SAIN's services. There are a number of animal welfare organizations that assist with house pets such as dogs and cats. SAIN regularly partners with other animal welfare organizations, such as Save A Forgotten Equine out of King County, to leverage resources and share the burden of larger seizures. Because SAIN is all volunteer run and has no operating facility, it has no traditional operating expenses. Dollars raised go directly to animal care and well-being. Going into 2025, SAIN had one horse in long-term care that will likely stay with the organization for his lifetime. Smudge is a 13 year old Appaloosa gelding with advanced vision loss from leptospirosis and uveitis, and also is mildly neurological, which means he has limited awareness of where his hind legs are in space. These conditions mean that moving him would be difficult and traumatic for him, and as he is currently happy, the organization has decided to maintain him at his current foster home indefinitely. One horse entered SAIN's care during the major flooding event in December of 2025. Marguerite was rescued from chest high flood waters by one of SAIN's dedicated volunteers and walked over 1.5 miles to the nearest foster home. When she received her first veterinary evaluation, SAIN learned that not only was she severely underweight, she was also severely neurologic, likely from significant arthritis in her neck. This condition meant she was prone to falling, and could not be safely handled by volunteers or have her feet safely trimmed by a farrier. Sometimes, the best thing for the animal is also the hardest decision to make, and she was euthanized in early 2026. SAIN does not often accept animals that are released directly from an owner, but two horses came to SAIN this year from a woman who could no longer properly care for them. They were virtually untouched and had to be herded onto a trailer together to transport them to a foster home. SAIN hired a local trainer, and both horses are now working beautifully under saddle. They should both be adoptable in 2026. For all animals in the program, SAIN provides initial assessments then matches them to foster homes. While animals are in foster care, SAIN funds food, supplements, veterinary care, farrier care, and if necessary, behavioral assessment and training to increase adoptability. Volunteer foster homes provide the safe haven and much needed love and compassion until an appropriate permanent home can be found. SAIN has an ongoing contract with Skagit County to take ownership of animals seized during neglect and
- $37,213 spent. Community Support Programs - These programs all fulfill the part of SAIN's mission focused on preventing animal cruelty and neglect by supporting owners in need. SAIN launched the Animal Assistance Program in 2020 to help owners maintain care for their animals in times of need while they work toward a sustainable, long-term solution. In 2025, the AAP assisted 86 animals. AAP is an assistance program to help pet owners with unexpected pet related expenses. People should not have to choose between feeding or caring for their beloved animals or paying other necessary bills. AAP assistance is typically used for emergency veterinary care, or to provide pet food during times of unexpected financial hardship. SAIN believes that caring for beloved pets meets the basic human need for love and companionship. In May of 2023, SAIN received an infusion of funds as The Anacortes Animal Relief Fund (AARF) was merged into SAIN's AAP to specifically assist residents in the Anacortes area. In 2025, AAP funds were utilized to assist 35 cats, 48 dogs, 3 horses, and a variety of other animals associated with the significant flooding event of December, 2025. All of these animals have humans who love them and can't bear to see them in pain. All of these people were faced with a tough decision when they took their furry friends into the vet, knowing they would likely be presented with a bill they could not afford. AAP helps ensure these animals can remain with their companions, and in good health. SAIN has a simple application for funds located on its website. The application verifies that the applicant is a private pet owner currently experiencing financial need. Expenses are paid directly to a veterinary clinic or feed store on behalf of the applicant. The program does not cover the entire bill, but for many of these people, the assistance makes all the difference. Assistance usually is awarded between $250 and $500 per pet. The number of assistance awards SAIN has been able to grant has gone up each year, illustrating continued need for this project. A second community support program is Skagit Pet Pantries. What started as a collaboration with Team Happy Tails from Leadership Skagit's Class of 2021 to develop a network of open access pantries, where people can easily get pet food for their animals in times of need, has now grown into a partnership with Community Action of Skagit's Food Distribution Center. The program initially relied on pet food being donated by the public at specific pet-related locations (such as vet clinics and feed stores). Volunteers would transport items from the donation stations directly to the pantries, located at various food banks in Skagit County. SAIN quickly realized the coordination of the food transport was a limiting factor for the success of the program. Additionally, the food banks openly stated a preference for more consistent food types. It is logistically easier for them to distribute food that is all the same type, size and weight, than randomly donated food items. In 2022, SAIN received some restricted funds for this program and utilized those funds to purchase one pallet each of cat and dog food and delivered the pallets to Community Action's food distribution center. The food distribution center transported the food to 12 local food banks. That effort was a resounding success. The food flew off the shelves and grateful residents were wondering when the next restock would be. The food distribution center appreciated the simplicity of the donation and stated that the need far outstripped the two pallets SAIN was able to initially provide. Following that first purchase, the SAIN Board discussed the project and decided to allot enough funds to purchase one pallet each of dog and cat food once per quarter of the year for donation, and quarterly donations were made for the remainder of 2022, 2023 and 2024. In 2025, SAIN increased its commitment to the program by donating pallets of food every other month. The Community Action's food distribution center continues to show appreciation for this project and professes the need for this assistance is great in Skagit County. Even at the increased frequency, the donated food is still gone before the next donation can be made. As far as SAIN knows, no other project like Skagit Pet Pantries exists to this scale in Skagit County. The total purchase costs approximately $3,500 every two months, for a projected total annual expense of $21,000. The third community support program is SAIN's Domestic Violence Case Assistance Program, which was also launched in 2021. This program provides support for victims of domestic violence who are trying to make a change in their life by temporarily providing foster care or board and care for their animals. We had no applications for this program in 2025, but we continue to offer it as a resource for law enforcement as cases arise.
- $1,373 spent. Community Awareness: The organization disseminated educational materials, flyers, and messages in person, online, and through social media as part of a program of community assistance, education and outreach. The focus of these activities was the prevention of animal cruelty, appropriate animal care, and the broad advertisement of contact information for reporting animals in need. SAIN volunteers attended 5 community events, including the Country Living Expo, Mount Vernon Farmer's Market, Community Service Fair, and Christmas in the Stables. SAIN published 109 posts/stories/reels in Facebook and Instagram promoting animals ready for adoption, providing updates on animals in rehabilitation/foster homes, providing information on SAIN's mission and events, providing information on proper animal care and welfare, and providing information on animal control and the signs of animal neglect and cruelty. SAIN's social media content generated more than 775,000 views. SAIN's website had more than 11,850 visitors in 2025. SAIN also created and disseminated a 2025 annual report, fliers and brochures.
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 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 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 March 2014.
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.