Yancey County Humane Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Our mission is to shelter, rehabilitate and adopt stray and unwanted dogs and cats of Yancey County into permanent loving homes and provide compassionate, humane and educational services to improve animal welfare.
- Income
- $973,556
- Spending
- $990,144
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 3.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 91%
- Employees
- 48
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $48,124, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.3 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 33% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 87% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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
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 June 30, 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)
- $800,433 spent. 2025 Accomplishments Dog Adoptions: 317 Cat Adoptions: 326 Pets returned to owners: 89 Animals Euthanised, died, or lost: 138
- On September 27th, 2024 Yancey County was devastated by Hurricane Helene. At the time of the disaster, the shelter had 84 animals in house with no power or water. In five days, despite having no phone or internet, the staff had every shelter animal transported to waiting rescues in Florida and up north. In addition, the shelter saw help arrive from all over the United States to provide medicines, food for dogs, cats, and livestock, cat litter, hay, pet bowls and beds and other supplies to help the county residents take care of their pets. Pet charities from across the county pitched in to help YHS and other area shelters provide free veterinary services to an estimated 1,300 animals. On November 16th, the shelter reopened and resumed operations, continuing to serve as a distribution hub for free pet food and flea and tick medicine to help hurricane victims.
- After the tragic loss of active supporter and benefactor Janicke Glynn during Hurricane Helene, a fundraising campaign was initiated in her memory to raise money for an on-site low-cost spay and neutering clinic to serve Yancey, Madison, and Mitchell County shelters and the local community. $156,082.91 was raised during the fiscal year to fund the building of the new clinic, named JJs Fix a Friend for Janicke. The clinic is expected to provide revenue annually to support the shelter mission of improving animal welfare.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 November 1985.
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.
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.