Oregon Humane Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE OREGON HUMANE SOCIETY ("OHS") IS A PRIVATE ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATION, FOUNDED IN 1868 AND INCORPORATED IN 1880, WHOSE MISSION IS TO CREATE A MORE HUMANE SOCIETY WITH THE VISION OF A WORLD WHERE ALL ANIMALS ARE TREATED WITH COMPASSION, KINDNESS AND RESPECT. OHS IS A STANDALONE, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, OPERATING WITH CAMPUSES IN PORTLAND AND SALEM, OREGON. OHS IS SUPPORTED PRIMARILY BY PRIVATE DONATIONS AND REVENUES GENERATED FROM SERVICES PROVIDED TO CARE AND FIND HOMES FOR HOMELESS ANIMALS, PROTECT ANIMALS FROM CRUELTY AND NEGLECT, PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE VETERINARY CARE AND TRAINING SERVICE, AND EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS. NOTABLY, OHS IS NOT AN AFFILIATE OF NATIONAL ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS.
- Income
- $37.5 million
- Spending
- $40.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 7.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 65%
- Employees
- 877
- Volunteers
- 2,769
- Highest pay
- $581,714, president & ceo through 03/2025
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: 77 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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, 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 (4)
- $18.7 million spent. SHELTERING AND ADOPTIONS: IN 2025, OHS PLACED 12,478 PETS WITH NEW FAMILIES IN OREGON, THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, AND BEYOND. THE ANIMALS THAT FOUND NEW HOMES CONSTITUTE AN OVERALL LIVE RELEASE RATE (LRR) OF 97%. THROUGH THE SECOND CHANCE PROGRAM, OHS SAVES MORE LIVES BY ACCEPTING ANIMALS FROM SHELTERS, NONPROFIT RESCUE GROUPS, AND ANIMAL SERVICE AGENCIES ACROSS OREGON AS WELL AS PARTNER SHELTERS IN OTHER STATES SUCH AS CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, HAWAII, LOUISIANA, AND TEXAS. MANY OF THESE SHELTERS ARE OFTEN UNDER-RESOURCED AND STRUGGLE WITH TOO MANY ANIMALS AND TOO FEW ADOPTERS. IN 2025, 7,017 ANIMALS WERE ACCEPTED FROM 62 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.LIVE RELEASE RATES FOR 2025: OHS USES LIVE RELEASE RATE (LRR) TO TRACK THE OUTCOME OF ANIMALS THAT ARE BROUGHT INTO ITS SHELTERS. THE LRR ACCURATELY REFLECTS THE MANY OPTIONS FOR PETS THAT COME TO THE SHELTER IN ADDITION TO ADOPTIONS - FOR EXAMPLE, ANIMAL TRANSFERS TO OTHER RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS AND ANIMALS THAT ARE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS. THE LRR DOES NOT INCLUDE END-OF-LIFE SERVICES.OHS RELEASED A TOTAL OF 12,904 ANIMALS. OHS OVERALL LRR: 97%PORTLAND CAMPUS LIVE RELEASE RATE: 98%SALEM CAMPUS LIVE RELEASE RATE: 95%LENGTH OF STAY FOR 2025: OHS CALCULATES THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY (LOS) BY INCLUDING THE DAY OF ARRIVAL THROUGH THE DAY OF DISPOSITION (ADOPTION, TRANSFER, EUTHANASIA, OR RETURN TO OWNER). THE LOS REFLECTS THE ENTIRETY OF THE TIME THE ANIMAL WAS IN THE CARE OF THE ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING STRAY ANIMAL HOLDING PERIODS, TIME IN FOSTER CARE, BEHAVIORAL REHABILITATION, AND PROTECTIVE CUSTODY IN CRIMINAL CASES.PORTLAND CAMPUS LOS:DOG LOS AVERAGED 17.5 DAYS (PUPPIES AVERAGED 9.3 DAYS) CAT LOS AVERAGED 13.1 DAYS (KITTENS AVERAGED 16.2 DAYS)SALEM CAMPUS LOS:DOG LOS AVERAGED 10.1 DAYS (PUPPIES AVERAGED 10.6 DAYS) CAT LOS AVERAGED 16.3 DAYS (KITTENS AVERAGED 21.7 DAYS)OFF-SITE ADOPTION: BRINGING PETS OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY FOR ADOPTION IS ANOTHER WAY THAT OHS MAINTAINS A HIGH LRR. A TOTAL OF 373 ANIMALS FOUND HOMES DIRECTLY THROUGH OUR OFF-SITE ADOPTION EVENTS.MEDICAL SERVICES - HOLMAN ANIMAL MEDICAL LEARNING CENTER: DURING THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2025, OREGON HUMANE PERFORMED 11,921 SURGERIES IN THE HOLMAN ANIMAL MEDICAL LEARNING CENTER (AMLC) ON THE PORTLAND CAMPUS, INCLUDING 6,272 SPAY/NEUTER SURGERIES FOR SHELTER PETS, 4,980 SPAY/NEUTER SURGERIES FOR OWNED PETS THROUGH THE SPAY & SAVE PROGRAM, PLUS 669 OTHER ESSENTIAL AND EMERGENCY SURGERIES. IN ADDITION, THE AMLC PROVIDED 13,221 MEDICAL EXAMS FOR PETS, AND HELPED TRAIN 115 OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY VETERINARY STUDENTS. BEST FRIENDS' CORNER: OHS OPERATES A RETAIL STORE LOCATED IN THE LOBBY OF THE PORTLAND SHELTER. THE STORE STOCKS A VARIETY OF GOODS THAT A NEW ADOPTER MAY NEED TO MAKE THEIR NEW PET FEEL AT HOME. IN 2025:GROSS SALES: $420,455NET LOSS: $61,299.46 (AFTER DEPRECIATION AND ALLOCATIONS)VOLUNTEERS: OHS VOLUNTEERS CHANGE THE WORLD FOR EACH DOG, CAT, RABBIT, RODENT, OR BIRD THEY HELP. VOLUNTEERS MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE AND THE LIVES OF OUR ANIMALS AND TEAM BETTER THROUGH SO MANY KIND AND COMPASSIONATE ACTIONS, FROM OFFERING DAILY WALKS, ACCLIMATING ANIMALS TO HUMANS, GETTING ANIMALS SETTLED IN THE SHELTER TO PROVIDING A HELPING HAND TO OUR TEAM. FOSTER CARE HAS CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO OREGON HUMANE'S VOLUNTEER HOURS. DONATING 416,720 HOURS OF SERVICE TO ALL PROGRAMS OFFERED AT OHS IN 2025, VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED SERVICES EQUIVALENT TO 200 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.TOTAL VOLUNTEER HOURS: 416,720 (INCLUDING FOSTER VOLUNTEER HOURS)TOTAL NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME TO OHS WAS 2,769.YOUTH AND COMMUNITY GROUPS PROGRAM: INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE YOUTH VOLUNTEER PROGRAM NUMBERED 340, PROVIDING 10,443 VOLUNTEER HOURS.FOSTER CARE: THERE WERE 909 FOSTER CARE VOLUNTEER FAMILIES, VOLUNTEERING 311,943 HOURS.ANIMALS FOSTERED TOTALED 2,825PRIMARY REASONS FOR FOSTER CARE:THEY WERE TOO YOUNG FOR ADOPTION.THEY WERE UNDERWEIGHT.THEY WERE RECOVERING FROM A MEDICAL CONDITION.
- $8.0 million spent. COMMUNITY VETERINARY SERVICES: DURING THE YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 2025, OHS HAD 18,448 PATIENT VISITS TO THE COMMUNITY VETERINARY HOSPITAL (CVH) INCLUDING 283 SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES, 339 DENTAL PROCEDURES AND 553 OTHER URGENT SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES. IN ADDITION, OHS PROVIDED $2,007,773 IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR VETERINARY CARE. SALEM CAMPUS - VETERINARY SERVICES: OHS SALEM CAMPUS PROVIDES MEDICAL SERVICES PRIMARILY FOR SHELTER ANIMALS, PLUS SPAY/NEUTER FOR OWNED CATS, COMMUNITY CATS, AND PETS FROM OTHER RESCUE GROUPS. IN 2025, THE SALEM CAMPUS PROVIDED 5,842 SURGERIES. THIS INCLUDED SPAY/NEUTER SURGERY FOR 2,460 SHELTER PETS, 1,121 COMMUNITY CATS,1,847 OWNED PETS, PLUS 232 PETS FROM OTHER RESCUE GROUPS.
- $2.7 million spent. COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION SERVICES: FOSTERING SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT ENHANCE CONNECTION BETWEEN ANIMALS AND HUMANS IS CENTRAL TO OHS WORK. ADDITIONALLY, OHS COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING DEPARTMENT STRIVES TO PROMOTE CRITICAL AND HELPFUL INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE MEDIA, SPECIAL EVENTS, AND REAL-TIME PHOTOS OF ANIMALS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION ON WWW.OREGONHUMANE.ORG. IN 2025: VISITORS TO THE OHS PORTLAND CAMPUS TOTALED 64,786 (ON AVERAGE, 180 PEOPLE VISITED THE PORTLAND CAMPUS EACH DAY). VISITORS TO THE SALEM CAMPUS TOTALED 49,514.ADOPTIONS AT THE PORTLAND CAMPUS AVERAGED 25 PER DAY.ADOPTIONS AT THE SALEM CAMPUS AVERAGED 10 PER DAY.OHS ISSUED 67 PRESS RELEASES. OHS HAD 3,850 TELEVISION, RADIO AND ONLINE NEWS STORIES. OHS MAGAZINE REACHED 27,000 READERS EACH QUARTER.OHS WEBSITE AVERAGED 4,420 DAILY VISITORS AND TOTAL NEW VISITORS TO THE SITE WERE APPROXIMATELY 1,400,269 FOR THE YEAR.THE AVERAGE TIME SPENT ON OHS'S WEBSITE WAS 1:52.OHS HAS A ROBUST FOLLOWING ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH 122,327 ON FACEBOOK, 75,705 ON INSTAGRAM, AND 19,749 ON TIKTOK.HUMANE EDUCATION: EDUCATION IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN OHS HISTORY. FOCUSED ON TEACHING COMPASSION, KINDNESS, AND EMPATHY TOWARD ANIMALS AND PEOPLE, HUMANE EDUCATION TOUCHES CHILDREN, TEENS, AND ADULTS. HUMANE EDUCATION REACHED 100,100 PEOPLE, INCLUDING 21,490 CHILDREN AND 78,610 ADULTS. HUMANE EDUCATION MADE 326 CLASSROOM VISITS IN PORTLAND AND SALEM IMPACTING 7,564 YOUTH AND 374 ADULTS. 13 SUMMER CAMP SESSIONS WERE ATTENDED BY 378 TOTAL CAMPERS.HUMANE EDUCATION HOSTED NINE CAREER DAYS, 61 TOURS AND FIELD TRIPS, AND SEVEN AFTER-SCHOOL CLUBS.
- $3.3 million spent. HUMANE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND RESCUE OHS EMPLOYS THREE HUMANE SPECIAL AGENTS WHO ARE COMMISSIONED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF OREGON STATE POLICE TO ENFORCE OREGON'S TOUGH ANIMAL PROTECTION LAWS STATEWIDE. HUMANE LAW ENFORCEMENT HANDLES A VARIETY OF ANIMAL WELFARE COMPLAINTS. IN 2025, THERE WERE 3,793 CALLS AND E-MAIL MESSAGES TO THE REPORTING LINE AND WEBSITE. HUMANE SPECIAL AGENTS TRAVELED ACROSS OREGON TO INVESTIGATE 791 NEW CASES OF ANIMAL ABUSE OR NEGLECT LEADING TO 852 ANIMALS BEING SEIZED OR SURRENDERED, AND 12 CRIMINAL CASES. THE HUMANE LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT ALSO ASSISTED OUTSIDE AGENCIES 166 TIMES AND PROVIDED 203 VETERINARY FORENSIC SERVICES FOR CASES INVESTIGATED BY OREGON HUMANE AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. IN TOTAL, 2,048 ANIMALS WERE HELPED BY OREGON HUMANE LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT IN 2025. OREGON HUMANE'S GOAL IS TO SAVE LIVES AND ENHANCE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THEIR PETS, WHILE ENSURING THAT THE ROUGHLY TWO MILLION PETS IN THE REGION ARE PROTECTED FROM ABUSE OR NEGLECT. RESCUE: OREGON HUMANE'S TECHNICAL ANIMAL RESCUE (OHSTAR) MEMBERS WITH ANIMAL FIRST-AID AND RESCUE TRAINING ARE AVAILABLE TO RESPOND TO ANIMAL RESCUE SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE CRITICAL TECHNICAL SKILLS. OHSTAR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS DEPLOYED 37 TIMES TO AID IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. THE OHSTAR TEAM ENRICHES OREGON HUMANE'S MISSION THROUGH SAVING LIVES AND ENHANCING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THEIR PETS. BEHAVIOR CONSULTATION AND TRAINING - OREGON HUMANE'S EXPERIENCED BEHAVIOR AND TRAINING TEAM OFFERS A VARIETY OF DOG, PUPPY, CAT AND KITTEN TRAININGS SERVICES AND ARE SUMMARIZED AS FOLLOWS:PROVIDED 281 PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS IN PORTLAND AND 56 IN SALEM.PUBLIC TRAINING CLASSES OFFERED NUMBERED 646 IN PORTLAND AND 306 IN SALEM.$8,628 PROVIDED IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PET OWNERS FOR BEHAVIOR AND TRAINING ASSISTANCE.A VOLUME OF 1,023 PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS WERE HANDLED BY THE BEHAVIOR HELP LINE, A FREE SERVICE PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY.144 SHELTER DOGS AND 99 SHELTER CATS WERE HELPED THROUGH THE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PROGRAM.115 DOGS AND 95 CATS WERE ADOPTED THROUGH THE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PROGRAM.COMMUNITY SUPPORT: OREGON HUMANE DRAWS SUPPORT FROM OREGON'S COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND, INCLUDING DONORS FROM ALL OF OREGON'S COUNTIES AND NEARLY EVERY CITY AND TOWN. THIS PAST YEAR, 29,155 HOUSEHOLDS DONATED TO SUPPORT OREGON HUMANE'S WORK. OF THESE, 1,405 DONORS WERE RECOGNIZED AS MEMBERS OF THE PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE, HONORING THEIR ANNUAL COMMITMENT OF $1,000 OR MORE.DONORS ARE OFFERED A BROAD ARRAY OF GIVING OPTIONS, INCLUDING:PAWS MONTHLY GIFT PROGRAM, 5,800 GENEROUS DONORS WHO PARTICIPATE WITH A RECURRING DONATION. THE AUTOS-FOR-ANIMALS VEHICLE DONATION PROGRAM, WHICH RECEIVED 424 CARS, TRUCKS, RV'S, AND MOTORCYCLES.GIFTS FROM ESTATES AND TRUSTS, WHICH COMPRISE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OREGON HUMANE'S OPERATING INCOME. SUPPORTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO LEAVE A GIFT TO OREGON HUMANE IN THEIR ESTATE PLANS. DURING THE YEAR, 82 NEW PROBATE ESTATES AND MATURED TRUSTS WERE OPENED. ADDITIONALLY, 199 HOUSEHOLDS SHARED THAT THEY HAD INCLUDED OREGON HUMANE IN THEIR ESTATE PLAN. CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES ARE ANOTHER WAY TO SUPPORT OREGON HUMANE. FOUR WERE SECURED IN 2025.PET OWNERS CAN ENSURE THE WELFARE OF ANIMALS THAT MIGHT OUTLIVE THEM BY PARTICIPATING IN THE FRIENDS FOREVER ESTATE-PLANNING-FOR-PETS PROGRAM. IN 2025, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 564 FRIENDS FOREVER HOUSEHOLDS ENROLLED. TEN PETS WERE RECEIVED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE PROGRAM.
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
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1941.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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