Before You Donate

Helping animals is truly wonderful but we understand resources are limited. You want to help the animals but you also want a legitimate organization that uses your money wisely and follows the law. Following State and Federal law is a good indicator if the organization is legitimate.

All Michigan Non Profits that raise over $8,000 in one year must file with the Attorney General. You can check the organization’s status at the web site below or by calling (517) 373-1152

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/lic_chrty1_40579_7.pdf

To verify 501(c)(3) status, check “Publication 78, Cumulative List of Organizations described in Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, is a list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions”:

http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/

More information about the organization, such as the last time they filed a tax return, check out Melissa Data:

http://www.melissadata.com/lookups/np.asp

Many non profits post additional information about their organization at:

http://www.guidestar.org/

To find out if they are incorporated in the State of Michigan:

http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/bcs_corp/sr_corp.asp

To find out the intake, euthanasia rates for a shelter in Michigan and make sure you scroll to the section titled “What is an Annual Shelter Report?”:

https://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-1569_16979_21260—,00.html