House Rabbit Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
House Rabbit Society's mission is to save and improve domesticated rabbit lives. We do this though operating a local adoption and community resources facility in the San Francisco Bay Area and through providing up-to-date educational materials with a global reach to shelters and the public, primarily via our website, and online classes.
- Income
- $891,714
- Spending
- $753,613
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 18.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 57%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 310
- Highest pay
- $87,718, executive director
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
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 18.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% 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
Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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
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, 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)
- $343,348 spent. Adoption & Community programs, including rabbit care expenses and veterinary care: HRS rescued 101 rabbits, with new adoptive homes found for 113 rabbits. We assisted 14 municipal shelters and humane societies. Our Essentials Pantry program helped an additional 218 households keep 736 rabbits out of shelters.
- $179,437 spent. Education: our education programs included free online classes in rabbit care and behavior; free hard-copy educational materials, mailed and handed out in vet clinics, at events, and at the Richmond, CA headquarters; and extensive information and online classes via our local and national websites. In addition, one issue of our magazine, House Rabbit Journal, was produced and distributed to members and others; 38 e-newsletters were emailed to supporters; 234 online and onsite classes were held. We engaged 2,329 people at educational outreach events. We assisted 101 shelters and humane societies with educational materials. Our licensed HRS educators provided local support and education in their communities.
- $41,414 spent. Medical Program: At our headquarters facility in Richmond, CA, 558 exams and 284 low-cost spay/neuter surgeries were performed, for in-house rescues, other rescue groups (75 exams), and the public. We were also able to administer 1,085 vaccinations for RHDV2, as well as train 77 veterinary professionals in rabbit-specific medicine.
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 1993.
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.
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.