Things you should do before donating to anyone

Here's a checklist to check off before you send your money to any Rescue.

1. Visit the facility. If it isn't within driving distance, you should support those local to you. Never send money blindly.

2. Ask for references. Talk to their Vet, are they in good standing with him? Talk to the farrier. (If it's a horse rescue) Talk to the volunteers, they will usually give you an honest opinion about the place. (a lot of them continue to volunteer, even if they think it's a bad rescue, in the hopes of making the lives of the animals a little better.)

3. If they claim to be a 501c3 non profit, ask to see their letter from the IRS.


4. Ask to see a particular animal they may have featured on their website. Some rescues feature, or ask for donations for, an animal that is no longer there. Having been adopted already, or was actually a personal pet. (I'm sorry, but "I don't have time to update the website" is not a valid excuse for this particular issue)


I'm going to elaborate on number 4. Some rescues have their personal pets alongside the rescue animals. Not that there is a problem with that. However, are their pets fed separate from the rescue animals? Or is the rescue supporting their pets? Do the owners care for their pets, or do they leave it up to the volunteers? You should always ask questions. Make sure your money isn't going towards helping someone support their personal pets.


5. Do they have enough room to house the number of animals they have on site? Some rescues just don't know how to say no and overcrowding is not helping the issue.


Like I said earlier, don't send your money blindly. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem. For every dishonest rescue out there, there's an honest one that is having to work even harder for donations.