Animal Retreat Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Meridian Canine Rescue's mission is to save animals' lives through storytelling and education. We focus primarily on individual dogs and their unique behaviors as we provide resources to the public, facilitate adoptions, and train humans/dogs.
- Income
- $253,716
- Spending
- $243,754
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- -30.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 92%
- Employees
- 3
- Highest pay
- $41,592, executive dir.
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
Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 87% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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: 58 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 4 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
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.
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)
- $185,590 spent. Meridian Canine Rescue (MCR) has the following programs: Adoption, Dog Care, Behavior and Training, EPIC, Rabbit Program, and Volunteer & Foster. In 2024, we prioritized our efforts as follows: 1) Moving our operations to a 15+ acre farm (March 2024) and rebranding to "The Animal Retreat (2) Expanding our community outreach services by providing specialized meals, housing, behavior plans, training, and enrichment activities in new formats; (3) increasing our professional dog training employee to full time work that is dedicated to keeping dogs in homes, ie by providing free and low cost consultations and classes to families struggling with their dogs' behavior issues and managing a free helpline for the community; (4) increasing the number of residents in our prison dog training program, EPIC, and providing them with job skill training, as well as graduating and adopting out several surrendered and transferred dogs; and (5) launching our rabbit program (our first rescue farmed animal species) by collaborating with other local, nonprofit organizations to rescue several bunnies, create care protocols, etc.We are one of the few organizations in the area that focuses on dogs with behavioral issues; our organization provides low stress living environments that have a tremendous impact on the success of our training and rehabilitation program. The Animal Retreat also educates the public, particularly adopters, to better care for their own dogs--and, now rabbits. In addition, The Animal Retreat collaborates with other organizations in the area to transfer dogs that require special training and assessment to be ready for adoption.
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 January 2008.
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.