irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $174KTO PROVIDE A FOSTER CARE PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS HOUSING KITTENS AND ADULT CATS IN THE CAPITAL REGION AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Adoption Program
Facilitates the adoption of abandoned, abused, and stray cats, including those with medical conditions or behavioral challenges, into permanent, loving homes
Foster Care Program
Provides temporary housing and care for kittens and adult cats in the Capital Region and surrounding communities, supporting shelter capacity and animal well-being prior to adoption
Spay/Neuter Program
Arranges for spaying and neutering of cats prior to adoption to reduce the population of unwanted companion animals
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Rescue and Adoption of Cats 3 activities
- Operate foster care program for cats and kittensProvides temporary foster homes for rescued cats and kittens, including pregnant cats, nursing mothers, injured or sick animals, and those needing socialization before adoption. The program supports the adjustment of cats to indoor home environments and includes specialized care for vulnerable populations such as neonatal kittens and cats with medical needs.
- Rescue and shelter homeless, abandoned, injured, or sick catsOperates a no-kill shelter in Albany, NY, and provides care for lost, homeless, abandoned, injured, or sick cats and kittens. The organization rescues cats from the streets, hoarder situations, natural disasters (e.g., house fires), and outdoor colonies, offering medical treatment, spaying/neutering, vaccinations, and FeLV/FIV testing. It also accepts transfers of cats from other organizations.
- Track and report annual cat rescue and adoption outcomesDocuments and publishes annual statistics on cat rescues, adoptions, births in care, and transfers. Facilitated the adoption of 354 animals in 2025, 343 in 2024, 246 in 2023, and 300 in 2022. Cared for 21 animals born in its facility between January and July 29, 2026, and facilitated 177 adoptions during the same period.
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Structured Animal Adoption Program 1 activity
- Facilitate cat adoptions through shelter, foster, and PetSmart partnershipsManages a comprehensive adoption program that includes an online application system, in-person meet-and-greets, and weekly adoption clinics at PetSmart locations in Clifton Park and East Greenbush, NY. Acts as the in-store adoption partner for PetSmart, rotating cats from shelter and foster care into retail settings for public exposure. Coordinates bonded pair adoptions and charges a $175 adoption fee per cat (as of February 1, 2026).
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Animal Rescue Volunteer Coordination 1 activity
- Maintain volunteer program to support animal and facility careEngages volunteers in daily operations including animal care, facility maintenance, adoption events, and transport. Volunteers provide weekly or biweekly support at the Albany shelter and assist with off-site adoption clinics and delivery of adopted cats.
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Animal Welfare and Rescue Support 1 activity
- Support cat care through fundraising and donation programsRaises funds via public contributions, sale of donated items, e-commerce sales of cat-related products, sponsorship programs for individual cats, and bequests through wills or trusts. These funds support veterinary care, spaying/neutering, vaccinations, prescription diets, and general operations for rescued cats.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$796K
Contributions & grants$672K84%
Program service revenue$43K5%
Investment income$12K2%
Other revenue$69K
expenses
Total expenses$303K
Program expenses97%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$885K
Cash$814K
Investments$15K
Liabilities$25K
Net assets$859K
Liquid reserves32.8 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +108.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 9
- ALEXIS STEFANACCI — DIRECTOR
- COURTNEY HARRISON — TREASURER
- GRETCHEN ZEGGER — CO-PRESIDENT
- JOANNE OWENS — DIRECTOR
- LAURA CONWAY — CO-PRESIDENT
- MANDI LOSS — DIRECTOR
- MARY GARDY — DIRECTOR
- MARY LOU BAKER — DIRECTOR
- SANDRA SIDOTI — VICE PRES -
relationships · 8
Who they work with
- ASPCA Partner — Cited as a source for feral cat lifespan data and aligned on animal welfare practices.
- Clifton Park PetSmart Partner — Hosts a Whiskers adoption location within the PetSmart store in Clifton Park.
- New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Government — Registered Rescue #RR-304 with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
- PetSmart Partner — Hosts Whiskers adoption centers in retail locations in Clifton Park and East Greenbush.
- PetSmart Partner — Hosts adoptable cats at PetSmart locations for public viewing and adoption.
- PetSmart Partner — Hosts adoption clinics at PetSmart locations in Clifton Park and East Greenbush, where cats from the shelter and foster homes are available for meet-and-greet sessions.
- PetSmart Partner — In-store adoption partner in East Greenbush, NY, hosting Whiskers' adoptable cats and supporting public adoption clinics.
- Whiskers Lifetime Commitment Program Partner — Program that supports planning for a cat's future in conjunction with Whiskers, Inc.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Population Control Through Spay/Neuter Before Adoption 66 orgsmethodology: spay_neuter_before_adoptionBy requiring spay/neuter prior to adoption, the organization reduces the future population of unwanted companion animals, because preventing reproduction at the point of adoption directly limits the number of offspring entering the shelter system.shared approach: Spay-Neuter Access Expansion →
- Foster-Based Care Expansion 50 orgsmethodology: foster_based_careBy using a foster network instead of a centralized shelter, the organization improves animal health and socialization outcomes while scaling capacity, because home environments reduce stress, support early intervention, and allow care for vulnerable populations such as kittens and pregnant cats.shared approach: Foster-Based Care Model →
- No-Kill Lifelong Care Model 8 orgsmethodology: no_kill_lifelong_careBy pledging lifelong care and prohibiting euthanasia for population control, the organization increases animal well-being and adoption engagement, because adopters and volunteers are more motivated to support a shelter that guarantees permanent safety and dignity for cats.shared approach: No-Kill Lifesaving Model →
- Retail-Partnered Adoption Accessibilitymethodology: retail_partnership_adoptionBy placing adoption centers in high-traffic retail locations, the organization increases adoption rates, because greater public visibility and low-barrier interaction opportunities convert casual observers into adopters.