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Contra Costa Humane Society

EIN 68-0281428 · Pleasant Hill, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR DOGS AND CATS IN OUR COMMUNITY, FIND HOMES FOR ANIMALS IN NEED AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED ASSISTANCE WITH CARE FOR THEIR ANIMALS.

Income
$580,445
Spending
$524,562
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
38 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 82%
Employees
9
Volunteers
166

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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 38.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 55% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 87% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (8)
  1. $132,223 spent. PROVIDING ANIMAL WELLNESS SUPPORT (PAWS) FUND:CCHS OPERATES AN EMERGENCY AND SPECIAL NEEDS FUND AS A STANDALONE PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON IN-NEED CATS WITH SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS OR SPECIAL NEEDS AND HELPS FUND THE SPECIALTY CARE THEY NEED TO LEAD FULFILLING, HAPPY LIVES. 28 CATS WERE THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROGRAM IN 2025, ALL OF WHOM HAVE SINCE BEEN ADOPTED INTO LOVING HOMES. TOTAL EXPENSES FOR THE PROGRAM WERE $132,223 FOR THE YEAR ENDING 12/31/2025.TODAY, WE ARE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE THIS FUND AS PROVIDING ANIMAL WELLNESS SUPPORT (PAWS). THE PROGRAM HAS A NEW NAME AND A NEW LOGO, BUT ITS CORE MISSION REMAINS THE SAME. AS ALWAYS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT LIFE-CHANGING MEDICAL CARE FOR AS MANY ANIMALS AS POSSIBLE. WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE PLEDGE TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM AND HELP MORE ANIMALS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
  2. $104,344 spent. CONTRA COSTA HUMANE SOCIETY CAT PROGRAM. SEE STATEMENT O FOR PROGRAM FOCUS.
  3. $74,410 spent. AniMeals:CCHSS ANIMEALS PROGRAM PARTNERS WITH LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTARY DOG AND CAT FOOD AND PET SUPPLIES TO LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY. ANIMEALS WORKS WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND COMPASSIONATE INDIVIDUALS TO COLLECT AND DISTRIBUTE PET FOOD AND SUPPLIES EACH MONTH TO THE COMMUNITYS NEEDIEST PET OWNERS. IN 2025, ANIMEALS SERVED 7,814 PET OWNERS, PROVIDING 63,280 POUNDS OF DOG AND CAT FOOD (DRY AND WET) FOR 10,347 DOGS AND CATS AT 95 SCHEDULED DISTRIBUTIONS. THE ANIMEALS PROGRAM RELIES ON DONATIONS AND GRANTS; TOTAL EXPENSES FOR THE PROGRAM WERE $74,410 FOR THE YEAR ENDED 12/31/2025.
  4. $54,248 spent. CONTRA COSTA HUMANE SOCIETY SPAY/NEUTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP). SEE STATEMENT 0.
  5. $21,243 spent. DOG PROGRAMS:CCHSS DOG PROGRAMS TRANSITIONED IN 2023 FROM A FOSTER PROGRAM TO DIRECT INTERACTION WITH CCAS DOGS AS PART OF THE PROGRAMS DESCRIBED BELOW. TOTAL DOG PROGRAM EXPENSES WERE $21,243 FOR 2025, SUPPORTED PREDOMINANTLY BY DONATIONS. ENRICHMENT (IN-KENNEL)FOR 2025, KENNEL ENRICHMENT FOR CCAS DOGS CONSISTED OF SOUNDPROOFING AND TREATS; SPECIFICALLY, OUR TEAM GOES IN MID-WEEK AND WORKS ON STUFFING AND DISTRIBUTING KONG, PROVIDING IN-KENNEL CALMING AND ENRICHMENT WHEREBY THE SOUNDPROOFING MITIGATES NOISE (DOG AND CAT AREAS).SUNDAY SCHOOL (OUT-OF-KENNEL)IN 2025, WE CONTINUED OUR JOURNEY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO DOGS WHO CURRENTLY RESIDE IN THE CCAS MARTINEZ FACILITY. THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CCAS, WE RECOGNIZED A NEED TO SUPPORT ADOPTABLE DOGS THAT ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO KENNEL STRESS. BASED ON THAT NEED, WE DEVELOPED PROGRAMMING DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ADOPTABLE DOGS WITH ENRICHMENT, EXERCISE, AND A BREAK FROM THEIR KENNELS, AS WELL AS BASIC MANNERS TRAINING TO STRENGTHEN ADOPTION PROFILES WITH A GOAL TO MOVE AS MANY DOGS INTO SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES AS POSSIBLE. OUR TEAMS OF CCHS VOLUNTEERS MEET EVERY SUNDAY AT THE MARTINEZ FACILITY TO PROVIDE MULTIPLE FORMS OF ENRICHMENT. DOGS COME INTO THE SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM BY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CCAS STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AND STAY IN OUR PROGRAM UNTIL THEY LEAVE THE FACILITY. THE TYPE OF ENRICHMENT VARIES AND DEPENDS ON THE NEEDS AND PREFERENCES OF EACH DOG. ACTIVITIES RANGE FROM BASIC MANNERS TRAINING, SNIFFY WALKS, AND PUZZLES FOR MENTAL STIMULATION; ZOOMIES, AGILITY, AND FETCH TO BLOW OFF STEAM AND GET SOME EXERCISE; POOL TIME AND PUPSICLES FOR HOT DAYS; GROOMING AND BELLY RUBS FOR RELAXATION AND LOVE. AND ALL THOSE ACTIVITIES COME WITH A VARIETY OF HIGH VALUE TREATS TO KEEP THE DOGS ENGAGED. OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS ALSO SUPPORT MOBILE ADOPTION EVENTS, HELPING TO INTRODUCE DOGS TO POTENTIAL ADOPTERS AT PUBLIC EVENTS TO FIND THE RIGHT DOG FOR THEIR HOME ENVIRONMENT.
  6. COMMUNITY OUTREACHCONTRA COSTA HUMANE SOCIETY IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING SUPPORT TO PET OWNERS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY DURING TIMES WHEN HOUSEHOLD FINANCES MAKE CARING FOR THEIR PETS A CHALLENGE. THESE PROGRAMS RELY 100% ON THE GENEROSITY OF DONATIONS AND GRANTS.
  7. CAT PROGRAMS:CONTRA COSTA HUMANE SOCIETYS (CCHS) CAT AND KITTEN PROGRAMS INCLUDE SHELTER AND SUPPORT, ADOPTIONS, FOSTER HOMES, MEDICAL CARE, AND ENRICHMENT. THESE PROGRAMS REPRESENT NEARLY HALF OF THE ORGANIZATIONS PROGRAM EXPENSES. CAT PROGRAMS INCLUDE TWO AREAS OF FOCUS:KITTEN FOSTER PROGRAMIN 2025, CCHS CONTINUED ITS PROGRAM TO REDUCE VIABLE KITTEN EUTHANASIA. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOCAL MUNICIPAL SHELTER, CONTRA COSTA ANIMAL SERVICES (CCAS), CCHS BRINGS KITTENS AT HIGHER RISK OF EUTHANASIA INTO ITS KITTEN FOSTER PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON NEONATAL KITTENS, PREGNANT OR NURSING MOTHERS WITH KITTENS, AND KITTENS WITH TREATABLE MEDICAL CONDITIONS WHOSE CARE NEEDS PLACE THEM AT HIGH RISK IN A MUNICIPAL SHELTER. VOLUNTEER FOSTERS CARE FOR THE KITTENS, INCLUDING NEONATAL BOTTLE FEEDING, WEANING, AND SOCIALIZING, UNTIL THE KITTENS ARE SPAYED OR NEUTERED. KITTENS ARE THEN MOVED TO OUR ON-SITE KITTEN NURSERY, WHERE THEY BECOME AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. FOR THE YEAR ENDING 12/31/2025, 953 KITTENS ENTERED THE PROGRAM, WITH 422 ADOPTIONS AND TOTAL PROGRAM EXPENSES OF $38,030.KITTY CORNERKITTY CORNER IS CCHSS ON-SITE, FREE-ROAM SHELTER WHERE CATS AND KITTENS CAN AWAIT ADOPTION IN A RELAXED, HOME-LIKE ENVIRONMENT. ADULT CATS AND OLDER KITTENS RESIDE IN KITTY CORNER, WITH KITTENS UNDER SIX MONTHS OF AGE LIVING TOGETHER IN A SEPARATE FREE-ROAM KITTEN NURSERY. POTENTIAL ADOPTERS CAN SCHEDULE TIME TO INTERACT WITH CATS AND KITTENS IN A COMFORTABLE SETTING TO HELP THEM FIND THE CAT THAT BEST SUITS THEIR LIFESTYLE. FOR THE YEAR ENDING 12/31/2025, 66 CATS ENTERED THE KITTY CORNER PROGRAM AND 327 KITTENS TRANSFERRED FROM FOSTER CARE INTO KITTY CORNER. 106 CATS WERE ADOPTED WITH TOTAL PROGRAM EXPENSES OF $66,314.
  8. SPAY/NEUTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)CCHSS SNAP PROGRAM OPERATES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INTERNATIONAL VETERINARY OUTREACH (IVO) AND CONTRA COSTA ANIMAL SERVICES (CCAS) TO PROVIDE NO-COST COMPANION ANIMAL SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES TO CONTRA COSTA COUNTY RESIDENTS THROUGH MONTHLY CLINICS. WE PAY FOR ALL CLIENT INCURRED SERVICES, INCLUDING UPDATED VACCINATIONS AND MICROCHIPS. IN 2025, WE SUPPORTED 9 CLINICS, PROVIDING SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES TO 126 COMPANION ANIMALS, SUPPORTING 78 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY RESIDENTS. TOTAL EXPENSES FOR THE PROGRAM WERE $54,248 FOR THE YEAR ENDING 12/31/2025.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1997.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.