People Animals Love
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO SPONSOR PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN THAT DEMONSTRATE HOW THE SPECIAL BOND BETWEEN ANIMALS AND HUMANS CAN MAKE A UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION IN SOLVING CHALLENGING SOCIETAL NEEDS.
- Income
- $332,443
- Spending
- $289,947
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- 10.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 200
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 79% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
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.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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)
- $188,616 spent. IN PERSON ANIMAL-ASSISTED SUPPORT PROGRAM (IN-PERSON THERAPY TEAM VISITS): VOLUNTEERS AND THEIR DOGS, WHO ARE SCREENED, ASSESSED, TRAINED, AND CREDENTIALED AS PAL THERAPY DOG-HANDLER TEAMS, VISIT PEOPLE IN THE WASHINGTON DC METRO AREA TO PROMOTE THEIR HEALTH AND WELLBEING. ALL VISITS ARE PROVIDED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES. MOST VISITS ARE WITH OLDER ADULTS, CHILDREN, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND OTHER VULNERABLE POPULATIONS SUCH AS PEOPLE WHO ARE ILL, GRIEVING, UNHOUSED, INCARCERATED, OR SOCIALLY ISOLATED AND LONELY. THERAPY TEAMS ALSO HELP "THE HELPERS" BY SUPPORTING FRONTLINE WORKERS SUCH AS HEALTHCARE AND HOSPICE STAFF; TEACHERS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS; POLICE OFFICERS; VETERANS; AND FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS OF THOSE WHO ARE ILL OR AT THE END OF LIFE. OUR "READ TO A DOG" VISITS IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES HELP CHILDREN BUILD THEIR READING SKILLS, CONFIDENCE, AND EMPATHY. IN 2024, MORE THAN 200 PAL TEAMS MADE MORE THAN 2,500 IMPACTFUL VISITS AT 282 DIFFERENT SITES. ON EACH OF THESE VISITS, PAL TEAMS MAY MEET WITH AS FEW AS ONE PERSON, OR AS MANY AS 50+ PEOPLE. BECAUSE THE EXACT NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT PAL TEAMS VISIT WITH CANNOT BE ACCURATELY TRACKED, PAL ESTIMATES THAT 82,000 PEOPLE WERE TOUCHED BY PAL VISITS IN 2023. MOST PAL VISITS ARE ONE HOUR. ON AVERAGE, PAL CONDUCTS 30 VISITS PER WEEK. SOME PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE ONE VISIT; MOST RECEIVE RECURRING VISITS (E.G., MONTHLY FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR). MANY PAL HANDLERS HAVE VOLUNTEERED FOR YEARS (SOME FOR DECADES), AND SOME WITH MULTIPLE DOGS.
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 June 1986.
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.