Humane Society of Louisiana Inc
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
we empower individuals and communities to create a no-kill state, where the lives of all animals matter.
- Income
- $938,903
- Spending
- $1.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 0.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 96%
- Employees
- 12
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $40,577, treasurer
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
Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 13% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% 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
Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 8 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (4)
- $280,629 spent. DIRECT ANIMAL CARE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES -The Humane Society of Louisiana saved and helped thousands of animals and their caregivers by supporting shelters, rescuers, low income pet owners and community cat caregivers; our primary focus was on helping animals in communities without animal control services. Sadly, our cross-country pet adoption transport opportunities are still greatly reduced, compared with previous years. Despite this extremely challenging environment, we were still able to rescue and transport 687 animals (635 dogs, 41 cats and 11 horses) to private adoption partners. We also locally adopted more than 217 animals (121 dogs, 44 cats, 24 horses, 18 birds, 2 rabbits, 1 piglet, 4 goats and 3 small animals.) In response to the current climate, we continued assisting with pet retention projects to help keep pets with their families. We provided services and support ranging from preventative vet care to free pet food, directly aiding needy families with pets. We helped pet caregivers in crisis situations, including homeless families, domestic abuse victims, critically ill hospital patients and more. In addition, we coordinated the annual Mardi Gras Horse Adoption Program, placing 16 parade horses in homes, preventing their slaughter after carnival. We continued our wildlife protection work in 2024, mobilizing volunteers and team members to transport more than 135 injured or orphaned wild animals to wildlife rehabbers and sanctuaries; we aided scores of volunteer rehabilitators with food and supplies, publicizing their need for community support. In addition to assisting individual pet owners and caregivers, we distributed food, supplies and offered other support to more than 82 shelters and rescues. We provided cat food and other support for an average of 400 community cats and their carers daily. We provided food, care and veterinary services for an average of 125 animals each day at three animal care facilities and in foster homes. One highlight of the year was our purchase of a new animal transport van to facilitate our cross-country adoption program. Our crew also refurbished another used van for local vet appointments and for transporting animal food, equipment and supplies.
- $275,291 spent. CRUELTY INVESTIGATION AND PREVENTION -HSLA responded to more than 3,000 reports of cruelty, neglect and abandonment in 2024. As a licensed private investigation agency, we saved animals and resolved cases through interagency partnerships, animal rescue and adoption, resource sharing, pet owner education and more. We regularly provided veterinary care, personnel support, animal housing, equipment and transport services to underfunded law enforcement agencies. Our assistance routinely facilitated animal seizures, as well as criminal prosecutions, which otherwise would not have been undertaken. As part of this program, we provided emergency veterinary care for more than 217 animals and general/basic vet care for 535 animals in need. We aided and sought justice for hundreds of animals who were shot, knifed, abandoned, beaten, chained, starved, neglected and otherwise harmed. 12 volunteer case managers, field investigators and pro bono attorneys helped move cases through the court system to ensure crimes against animals were prosecuted. A few 2024 case highlights that show the scope of our work include: 26 dogs seized in Bienville parish - a case in which 6 additional dogs and puppies died; 30 farm animals saved from an inhumane sanctuary in Avoyelles parish; 3 adult dogs and their puppies rescued from neglect in Evangeline parish; 1 rescued horse saved in Allen parish; 2 dogs saved from a lifetime of severe abuse in Union parish; 1 family dog with a gunshot wound provided with lifesaving care in St. Landry parish; 2 live dogs cruelly abandoned in dumpsters saved. We rescued and adopted a piglet, after he was being tossed in the crowd like a football during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. We advocated for law enforcement action in the case of 3 beloved pet goats, who were stolen and slaughtered in St. Tammany parish. We increased public awareness of multiple animal cruelty issues with scores of special events and activities, media appearances, speaking engagements, community meetings and workshops. From our new headquarters in historic Old Gretna, our statewide base of operations for our anti-cruelty programs in the Greater New Orleans area, we carried out numerous cruelty prevention campaigns, including our successful work to stop the illegal sale of dyed baby chicks in Terrebone parish and our ongoing work to end inhumane live animal giveaways, focusing on the LIvingston parish fair, and more.
- $191,160 spent. SPAY-LA: PET OVERPOPULATION PREVENTION - Despite rising costs and the increased difficulty of securing veterinary appointments, especially in rural areas, we continued to provide free and low cost spay/neuter surgeries. We altered more than 817 animals - 295 cats, 518 dogs and 4 horses. Many spay/neuter services were provided in rural areas of the state, where the costs of the surgeries are higher and where few discounted services are available. For many of the animals served, transport to and from appointments was provided by volunteers, team members and private rescuers. We distributed 27 humane cat traps and supplies to rescuers and TNR groups, aiding in the rescue and neutering of hundreds of additional animals in 2024. Our Executive Director, in his volunteer capacity as the Chair of the Louisiana Pet Overpopulation Advisory Council, continues to spearhead the work of this state board, which raises funds for and distributes spay/neuter grants to small shelters and rescues, with funding from the sale of Animal Friendly license plates; HSLA regularly promotes sales of the license plates to help small charities fund spay/neuter surgeries. This year, we also spearheaded the passage of legislation to create Pet Stamps, which will also be sold on an ongoing basis to raise awareness and needed funds for spay/neuter grants across Louisiana. We maintained an online Spay Neuter Resource Guide, which directs Louisiana pet owners to low cost spay/neuter clinics and resources around the state by parish. We provided live assistance, education and referrals to hundreds of residents contacting us for information on spay/neuter services.
- $189,212 spent. operation of three animal care facilities: the enoch j donaldson animal sanctuary, the tylertown animal transport center and merry wood refuge; disaster relief; education and outreach; and grassroots lobbying for public animal shelter, spay/neuter assistance and humane community policies.
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 December 1997.
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.
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