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HAPPY LIFE ANIMAL RESCUE INC
PAWLING, NY · EIN 811804421 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE D20 · Animal-Related · Small ($100K-$1M) · happylifeanimalrescue.org
revenue
$440K
expenses
$402K
net assets
$133K
employees
2
program ratio
95%
mission · from form 990

HAPPY LIFE ANIMAL RESCUE INC IS A NON FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO RESCUING ANIMALS LEFT HOMELESS DUE TO OVERPOPULATION IN SHELTERS, BEING GIVEN UP THEIR OWNERS, AND THOSE IN DANGER OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT. HAPPY LIFE ANIMAL RESCUE SAVES LIVES OF ANIMALS WHO HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME IN SHELTERS, AND BRING PEOPLE AND ANIMALS TOGETHER TO ENRICH EACH OTHERS LIVES. ULIMATELY, HAPPY LIFE ANIMAL RESCUE STRIVES TO WORK WITH OTHER RESCUES AND HUMANE ORGANIZATION IN FINDING FOREVER HOMES. HAPPY LIFE ANIMAL RESCUE AIMS FOR LOVING HOMES WHERE NO ANIMAL WILL SUFFER FROM ANIMAL ABUSE OR NEGLECT. OUR VISIION IS TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SPAY AND NEUTER, AND THE HOPE OF NO FURTHER NEED FOR KILL SHELTERS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Happy Life Animal Rescue Inc is a nonprofit animal rescue organization based in Pawling, NY, dedicated to rescuing dogs and cats from overcrowded shelters, abuse, neglect, and owner surrender. The organization provides medical care, spay/neuter services, and behavioral assessments before placing animals in permanent homes. It operates as a limited-intake shelter and relies entirely on donations and community support.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Adoption Program
Facilitates adoptions of rescued dogs and cats through in-person visits at the Pawling center and off-site events; includes counseling to match pets with suitable homes
Foster Program
Places animals in temporary foster homes to free up space and provide individualized care; fosters receive supplies and veterinary support from the organization
Heartworm Prevention Program
Tests all dogs for heartworm and provides preventative medication; educates adopters on ongoing prevention needs
Spay and Neuter Program
Ensures all adopted animals are spayed or neutered prior to adoption as part of a commitment to reduce shelter overpopulation
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Rescue and Adoption of Cats 3 activities
    • Adoption events and community outreach
      Hosts adoption events most weekends at pet stores and community locations across the Hudson Valley and tri-state area to connect animals with adopters. Also hosts annual events such as the Gary B. Love Golf Outing and participates in community festivals like the Happy Life Family Fun Day.
    • Direct animal surrender intake
      Accepts direct surrenders of dogs and cats on a limited basis when space and care capacity are available.
    • Foster and transport program
      Operates a foster program as a core component of its mission to care for animals in need. Provides pull fees, transport, and daily enrichment for animals in its care, including facilitating animal transport in collaboration with other rescues and humane organizations.
  • Structured Animal Adoption Program 1 activity
    • Adoption counseling and matching
      Provides personalized adoption counseling to match prospective adopters with dogs or cats suited to their home environment and lifestyle.
  • Animal Adoption Services 1 activity
    • Animal rescue and adoption program
      Rescues dogs and cats from abuse, neglect, shelter overpopulation, and owner surrender, and places them in permanent homes. Facilitates the adoption of 600 to 700 animals annually through foster and adoptive placements, with same-day adoptions available in most cases following pre-registration.
  • Animal Welfare Fundraising through Retail and Sales 1 activity
    • Funding for animal welfare programs
      Funds adoption programs, spay/neuter initiatives, access to veterinary care, animal transport, crisis response, and lifesaving programs for animal welfare organizations nationwide. Provides science-led nutrition support to shelters and rescues across North America to improve animal health and adoption readiness.
  • Pet Food and Supply Pantry Services 1 activity
    • Pet food pantry and surrender prevention support
      Operates a pet food pantry open Tuesdays through Fridays and Sundays, offering free pet food and supplies to families in need to prevent pet surrenders. Provides in-person assistance during open hours to help individuals access these resources.
  • Pre-Adoption Veterinary Care for Shelter Animals 1 activity
    • Pre-adoption medical care and animal health services
      Provides comprehensive veterinary care for all animals in its program prior to adoption, including spaying or neutering, vaccinations, microchipping (with no annual fees), heartworm testing and preventative medication. Ensures transparency of medical histories for adoptable dogs.
  • Lost and Found Pet Reunification Services 1 activity
    • Rehoming and lost pet reunification services
      Facilitates rehoming of pets through Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet using a dedicated referral link, listing pets on its website to increase visibility. Participates in the Petco Love Lost network using photo-matching technology to help reunite lost pets with their families.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$440K
Contributions & grants$417K95%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$170%
Other revenue$22K
expenses
Total expenses$402K
Program expenses95%
Admin / overhead4%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$71K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$212K
Cash$127K
Investments$0
Liabilities$80K
Net assets$133K
Liquid reserves3.8 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +19.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
ROY C FORSTER VICE PRESIDE 25 $46K
LORRAINE FORSTER DIRECTOR/TRE 25 $20K
board members · 2
  • JESSICA LOVE — SECRETARY
  • ROY FORSTER — DIRECTOR
relationships · 20

Who they work with

  • BISSELL Pet Foundation Partner — Funds adoption events, animal transport, spay/neuter, and crisis response programs to reduce pet homelessness.
  • Band Partner — Uses Band as a volunteer app for foster communication and group chats.
  • Constant Contact Partner — Uses Constant Contact for email distribution services.
  • Forster Family Partner — Founding family of Happy Life Animal Rescue and ongoing participants in the organization.
  • Gary B. Love Golf Outing Sponsors Partner — Sponsors who supported the 2nd Annual Gary B. Love Golf Outing fundraising event.
  • Hill's Pet Nutrition Partner — Provides science-led nutrition to shelters and rescues through its Food, Shelter & Love program.
  • Humane organization Partner — Works with humane organizations to place animals in forever homes.
  • Main Street Cafe Partner — Partner restaurant providing food service at the Happy Life Family Fun Day event.
  • Other rescues Partner — Collaborates with other animal rescue organizations to find permanent homes for animals.
  • Pawling center Partner — Location where animals are available for visitation and adoption events.
  • PetSmart Partner — Hosts regular cat adoption events for Happy Life Animal Rescue in Mohegan Lake, NY.
  • PetSmart Charities Partner — National funder supporting adoption programs, spay/neuter initiatives, and veterinary care access.
  • Petco Love Partner — National nonprofit investing in adoption and lifesaving programs for animal welfare organizations.
  • Petco Love Lost Partner — Collaborates with Petco Love Lost to reunite lost pets using photo-matching technology.
  • Precision Veterinary Partner — Trusted veterinary partner providing medical care for animals prior to adoption.
  • Qgiv Partner — Platform used for online financial donations to support the pet food pantry.
  • Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet Partner — Partners with Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet to provide a platform for pet owners to rehome their pets with support and increased visibility
  • Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet Partner — Partnership to list and screen pets for rehoming through a dedicated referral link
  • Tractor Supply — Patterson, NY Partner — Hosts adoption events to help animals meet potential adoptive families.
  • Volz Auto Partner — Local business supporter of adoption events and fundraisers in the Hudson Valley.
strategies · 5

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.

  • Foster-Based Rehabilitation and Capacity Expansion
    methodology: foster_based_rehabilitation
    By utilizing foster homes as an extension of shelter capacity, we rescue more animals and provide decompression and behavioral rehabilitation for those from high-stress environments, because foster care reduces shelter stress and improves adoption readiness.
  • Home-to-Home Rehoming with Support
    methodology: home_to_home_rehoming
    By enabling direct rehoming from owner homes using referral partnerships and photo-matching technology, we reduce shelter intake and increase reunification, because keeping animals out of shelters maintains stability and increases successful outcomes.
  • Prevention-First Population Control
    methodology: preventive_population_control
    By promoting spaying and neutering and providing pet retention support such as free pet food, we reduce shelter intake and overpopulation, because preventing surrenders and unplanned litters addresses root causes of animal homelessness.
  • Right-Fit Adoption Matching
    methodology: right_fit_adoption
    By prioritizing suitability over speed in adoptive placements, we ensure stable, lasting adoptions, because matching based on the animal’s individual needs improves long-term outcomes and reduces returns.
  • Science-Led Preventive Care
    methodology: preventive_healthcare
    By implementing science-led nutrition and proactive healthcare such as heartworm prevention, we improve long-term animal health and adoption readiness, because preventive medical protocols reduce disease and increase resilience in shelter environments.