Last Chance for Animals
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Dedicated to ending animal abuse and exploitation through education, public outreach and investigations.
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $3.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 15.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 76%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 150
- Highest pay
- $129,808, cfo
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
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 15.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 27% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 6 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, 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 (2)
- $2.0 million spent. Education and Public Outreach:LCA strives to educate the public about animal cruelty and exploitation throughwebsites, social media, brochures, email alerts, mailings, and media attention. These educational tools are valuable resources for the public, as they provide information on various animal rights issues, encourage readers to take action, and offer an opportunity to update members on LCA activities.LCAs main website, www.lcanimal.org, had 250,513 total visitors in 2024. Facebook and Instagram accounts had over 1.4 million impressions and a total reach of over 1.5 million. Followers and subscribers were comprised of Facebook (340,951), X (9,345), Instagram (18,313), and YouTube (46,325 with 6.4 million impressions and 778,713 views). LCAs email action alerts inspire supporters to take action on urgent issues. Supporters send emails and letters, sign petitions, make phone calls, and post on social media to help bring about changes needed for animals.LCAs founder and president, Chris DeRose, is frequently interviewed for national and international digital media, printed newspapers and magazines, and television and radio programs. He travels in the U.S. and abroad, giving lectures and educating the public about animal rights. Banning Rodeo Cruelty in Los Angeles - L.A. Councilmember Bob Blumenfield introduced Ordinance #320-1575 in February 2021that would ban the use of inhumane implements, such as electric prods, flank straps, and spurs, that force animals to perform in rodeos. After the L.A. City Council voted unanimously on 12/5/23 for the City Attorneys office to amend the proposed rodeo ban language, it was amended on 7/18/24, changing it from an inhumane implements ban to an animal exhibition ban for the six most egregious events that included bull riding, calf roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, and team roping. The Neighborhoods and Community Enrichments Committee must now approve the ban before it goes to the City Council for a final vote.LCA has supported the Ordinance since its introduction and is working closely with a coalition of animal advocates and Councilmember Blumenfield to get it passed. Throughout 2024, LCA rallied supporters via email action alerts, social media posts, and information on www.stopbullriding.com to visit the L.A. City website and leave a comment on the City Council file in support of the ban. LCA participated in coalition meetings and hearings with City Council staff and lobbied for passage of the Ordinance. LCA co-hosted nine rodeo protests in Southern California, including three Professional Bull Riders events and the first-ever rodeo event at San Diegos Petco Park. LCAs mobile video truck circled the rodeo venues, showing footage of animals hurt in the rodeo. LCA continues to educate the public about the cruelty and deaths inflicted on animals by the rodeo industry and plays a key role in efforts to pass the Los Angeles Rodeo Ordinance.Stopping the Dog Meat Trade in South Korea - On 1/9/24, the S. Korean National Assembly made history by passing the Special Bill for the End of Dog Meat Consumption, which will ban breeding, raising, slaughtering, distributing, and the sale of dogs for meat by 2027. In early February, President Yoon Suk Yeol signed the Special Bill into law, making its passage official. This historic victory will save 1,000,000 - 2,000,000 dogs a year.LCA and our sister organization in S. Korea, Animal Liberation Wave (ALW), have worked tirelessly to raise public awareness about the bill and work with the S. Korean government to ensure the country meets its 2027 deadline. Over 200,000 people attended the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival at the S. Korean National Assembly that showcased the eight Flower Dogs - iconic symbols of LCA/ALWs fight against the dog meat trade. In the second half of 2024, LCA/ALW joined with other animal rights groups and over 100 activists to rally at Seouls Cheonggye Plaza and demand a swift end to the dog meat trade. LCA/ALWs legal team secured a seat on the Committee for Ending Dog Consumption and reviewed the government's plan to ban dog meat and gave feedback.For almost a decade, LCA/ALW has been at the forefront of the fight to end the dog meat trade by conducting hard-hitting undercover investigations, mobilizing supporters to support legislation, and staging striking visual campaigns to raise public awareness. LCA/ALW continues to work with the S. Korean government on their plans to phase out dog meat by February 7, 2027. www.StopDogMeat.com 38th Annual Fur-Free Friday - In 1986, LCA held the first Fur-Free Friday protest in Los Angeles on the Friday after Thanksgiving, widely known as Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year, to raise awareness of the atrocities inflicted on millions of fur-bearing animals that are slaughtered for the sake of fashion. LCA hosted the 38th annual Fur-Free Friday protest on 11/29/24. Protesters marched down the world-famous Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, and stopped outside retailers who have not adopted a global fur-free policy and continue to sell fur online and outside of California. The protest has grown into a national tradition, with peaceful protests held on Black Friday across the globe each year. www.FurFreeFriday.comSaving Africas Mountain Gorillas - After supporting the Ugandan and Rwandan Wildlife authorities in their conservation efforts of the critically endangered mountain gorillas from 2006 to 2016, LCA began supporting the AirWing program of war-torn Virunga National Park in Congo. Virungas Rangers risk their lives daily to protect the land, the natural resources, the wildlife, and the majestic mountain gorillas from poachers and rebel militia. Since 2016, 70 Rangers have been killed in the line of duty, and more than 200 since the park opened in 1925. In 2024, LCA donated a high-powered drone to aid the AirWing in protecting the Park.Because of conservation efforts that LCA has helped support, mountain gorillas have been
- $919,368 spent. Investigations:LCA, often called the FBI of Animal Rights, is widely known for its Sam Simon Special Investigation Unit (SIU), which conducts in-depth investigations to expose horrible cruelty and misuse of animals. The SIU team focuses on validating information, detecting suspect activity, exposing illegal or unethical activities, and reporting them to local, state, and federal authorities for prosecution. The information obtained in LCAs investigations is used to develop campaigns, provide grassroots education and outreach to the public, and help draft legislation that brings lasting changes for animals. The scope of LCAs investigations includes but is not limited to pet theft, puppy mills, the Asian dog meat trade, animals used in entertainment, vivisection, and pharmaceuticals manufactured from the demise of animals. LCA Europe Again Exposes Cruelty on Italian Prosciutto di Parma Supplier Farms In December 2024, LCA released a second investigation into three Prosciutto di Parma supplier farms in Italy. Filmed between April and November of 2024, the footage again depicts a pattern of suffering, neglect, and unsanitary conditions with potential violations of animal welfare and sanitation laws. The three farms house a total of 7,500 pigs, including 500 sows, all managed by the President of the Italian Pig Farmers Association (Assousuini), and have been added to the list of farms supplying Prosciutto di Parma already exposed by LCA in 2023. Premiering on Rai TVs Report, a popular investigative journalism program, LCAs second investigation received coverage throughout Italy and rattled the pig farming industry. The Parma Ham Consortium claimed the farms in question are not producers of Parma Ham, yet LCAs footage documented Prosciutto di Parma tattoos on the pigs, confirming their designation. Assousuini then claimed the footage was edited and outdated, even though the location of the farms was proven accurate via GPS, and dates on farm paperwork inside the barns proved accurate footage dates. The Report segments viewership across Italy totaled over 4.5 million people.The U.S. is the largest importer of Prosciutto di Parma, importing 750,000 hams in 2023. This is an international scandal that harms animals and deceives the public. Prosciutto di Parmas high-quality claims mislead consumers who assume the overall production of Italy's famous brand does not involve animal cruelty. LCA will be campaigning against major U.S. retailers to stop carrying Parma Ham products. Investigating California Retailers Selling New Fur in Violation of Fur Ban California's fur ban went into effect on January 1, 2023, making the production and sale of new fur products illegal in California. Since 2023, LCAs investigators have been documenting retailers ignoring the law and continuing to sell new fur. LCA was responsible for the first successful lawsuit upholding the California fur ban. In 2024, LCA successfully stopped luxury brand Stefano Ricci from selling new fur in its Beverly Hills store and online to California residents. LCA discovered that Neiman Marcus was violating not only the fur ban but also its own fur-free policy, and after filing a legal complaint, Neiman Marcus stopped selling all fur products online. LCA continues to conduct undercover investigations at fur retailers throughout California to stop illegal fur sales.Exposing Cruelty on S. Korean Chicken Farms On 7/15/2024, LCA/ALW released the first-ever major investigation into S. Korean chicken farms. The footage, taken from March to June 2024, is from three farms that supply chickens for Samgyetang chicken soup products. Samgyetang is the chicken equivalent of bosintang, dog meat soup, and is also consumed during Boknal, the hottest days of the summer. The investigation exposed sick and injured chickens suffering in filthy and cruel conditions. The investigation received widespread media coverage throughout S. Korea, including Hankyoreh, a media outlet with over 4,000,000 online subscribers, where the story was the second-most viewed. LCA/ALW held a major protest educating the public about the cruelty of Samgyetang and calling for a cruelty-free Boknal culture. Using LCAs online action form, over 900 supporters contacted Weee!, America's largest online Asian supermarket, demanding that they stop carrying Samgyetang products. Other Investigations To determine targets that may be abusing animals, LCAs investigation team researched and applied to over 50 different facilities during 2024. Ongoing investigations at 12/31/24 included a research laboratory conducting tests on primates and a facility using animals for entertainment.
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 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 2024.
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 January 1986.
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.