2023 Annual Report

Animal Humane Society's community impact

View a summary of our Annual Report

With your support, Animal Humane Society continues to advance animal welfare and shape the way organizations care for animals and engage their communities.

Each year AHS cares for more than 13,000 dogs, cats, and critters in our shelters and provides programs and services that positively impact the lives of nearly 100,000 animals across Minnesota.

Organization and Purpose

Animal Humane Society (AHS) – established in 1878 and incorporated as a nonprofit charitable organization in 1891 – works to engage the hearts, hands, and minds of the community to help animals. AHS’s vision is to compassionately and responsibly create a more humane world for animals. Three core values guide AHS as an organization: be good to animals, partner with people, and lead responsibly with compassion. 

AHS is primarily supported through donations, fees for adoption and other services to the community, and sales of pet care supplies. AHS has locations in Golden Valley, Coon Rapids, Saint Paul, and Woodbury, Minnesota.

AHS maintains two wholly-owned subsidiaries:  

  • Animal Humane Society Veterinary Centers, P.C., a nonprofit subsidiary that provides high-quality, low-cost veterinary services to the public. 
  • Kasota Holdings, LLC, a nonprofit single-member limited liability company that maintains rental units in St. Paul, Minnesota. AHS is the single-member owner of Kasota Holdings, LLC.
Senior yellow lab at AHS.

Adoption and surrender

AHS helps thousands of dogs, cats, and critters in need find loving homes each year. AHS’s commitment to open admission guarantees safe refuge to every animal that comes to us for help. Innovations and investments in medical treatment and behavioral rehabilitation ensure that we can help animals with even the most significant challenges. As a result, AHS now places more than 90 percent of the animals entrusted to its care, up from 59 percent in 2008. 

The success of AHS’s shelter program is reflected in three key measures: the total number of animals admitted for rehoming, the percentage of animals with live placements (placement rate), and the average length of stay in shelter. Although AHS’s adoption and surrender programs were curtailed by COVID-19, AHS continued to achieve strong results across all three metrics. 

In the year ended June 30, 2023:

  • 13,013 companion animals came into AHS facilities. 
  • 11,904 of those animals – more than 90% – were placed in homes, reunited with owners, or released to other organizations.
  • The average length of stay for animals in shelter was 11.5 days.

Placements included 9,433 animals adopted, 822 animals reunited with owners, 1,465 cats returned to field, and 184 animals transferred to partner organizations.

In FY23, more than 90% of the animals in our care were placed in homes, reunited with their families, or released to other animal welfare organizations. The average length of stay for animals in shelter was 11.5 days.

Robust medical and behavioral programs contribute to this continued success:

  • 7,526 animals received spay/neuter surgeries before adoption. Spay/neuter and other non-essential surgeries were prohibited by executive order for six weeks at the onset of the pandemic.
  • AHS veterinarians diagnosed and treated 12,105 conditions.
  • AHS Shelter Behavior programs readied 2,523 cats and dogs for placement.

Companion animal intake total: 13,013 

Companion animal intake by reason for surrender

2023 Annual Report Intake by reason pie chart

Companion animal intake by species

2023 Annual Report Intake by species pie chart

Companion animal placement total: 11,904

Companion animal placement by type

2023 Annual Report Placement type pie chart

Companion animal placement by species

2023 Annual Report placement by species pie chart

Companion animal euthanasia total: 1,186

Euthanasia by reason*

2023 Annual Report euthanasia by reason pie chart

Euthanasia by species

2023 Annual Report euthanasia by species pie chart

*AHS is committed to taking in every animal in need. Unfortunately, some animals come to us with severe or untreatable illnesses or behavior issues that prevent us from placing them in the community. If we cannot help an animal become healthy or suitable for placement, humane euthanasia is the most compassionate alternative. There is no time limit for animals in our care. More information about these statistics.

AHS employee in PPE holding a black and white kitten.

Affordable veterinary care

AHS’s Veterinary Centers provide low-cost spay/neuter surgeries and full-service veterinary care on a sliding fee scale, expanding care to animals whose options would otherwise be limited. In September 2020, AHS opened a new public veterinary center in St. Paul, MN to expand these efforts.  

In the year ended June 30, 2023, AHS’s vet centers provided 11,277 services to the public, including 4,515 medical and wellness appointments, 1,064 dental and specialty surgeries, and 5,798 spay/neuter surgeries. 

AHS employee handing out a bag of dog food.

Community engagement

AHS works with individuals and organizations across Minnesota to create a more humane world for animals, including:

  • Outreach to under-engaged communities, including education programs and free or low-cost services that empower low-income pet owners and improve the lives of pets. 
  • A pet food pantry that distributed more than 37,402 pounds of cat and dog food to Minnesota families in need.
  • Education programs that foster humane values and compassion for animals, including day camps, a youth club, and other activities for kids and families serving 4,827 participants.
  • A Community Cats program focused on reducing euthanasia and providing alternative solutions for feral and free-roaming cats through return-to-field and trap-neuter-return programs. This program served 1,465 cats.
  • A partnership with the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota that provided emergency care for 12 injured and orphaned wild animals. 
  • A robust volunteer program that enlists 531 active volunteers in providing animal enrichment, foster care, shelter support, and other assistance. In addition, 234 volunteers provided foster care for 766 animals before adoption.
A litter of puppies receiving care at AHS.

Pet services

AHS offers programs to serve all stages of an animal’s life, including:

  • More than 70 family-friendly pet training classes each week, along with one-on-one training and socialization sessions, therapy animal courses, playgroups, and rabbit agility classes. 1,169 pets attended classes and private training sessions through AHS’s training programs.
  • A free Pet Helpline (952-HELP-PET) that handled 58,555 incoming calls, providing caring, compassionate advice and resources to help with everything from solving behavior problems to finding pet-friendly housing.
  • Compassionate end-of-life services, including owner-requested euthanasia for 1,266 pets and a weekly pet loss support group. 
  • Online resources for pet owners, including a behavior resource library at animalhumanesociety.org.
An Aussie recovering from eye surgery, wearing a medical cone at AHS.

Rescue

Aiding animals in critical situations is core to AHS’s work. AHS’s humane agents respond to reports of possible animal cruelty or neglect throughout Minnesota. They receive reports about animals that are lacking proper food, water, and shelter. They also participate in larger, more complex cases involving cruelty, with on-site investigations, forensics, and seizures aiding law enforcement agencies that seek AHS assistance. 

During the year ended June 30, 2023, AHS’s Humane Investigations unit received 1,800 requests for assistance and opened 844 formal cases. Follow-up investigation and forensics of these cases took AHS agents into 79 of Minnesota’s 87 counties. Those investigations impacted the lives of 7,567 animals.

AHS took in 2,684 animals from other animal welfare organizations throughout Minnesota and other states, finding homes for animals that would otherwise face euthanasia in overcrowded facilities.

Financials

Statement of financial activities

For the 12 months ended June 30, 2023

REVENUE

  
Contributions – Operating $9,571,574
Contributions – Capital Campaign $1,544,500
Contributions – Wills and Estates $3,620,036
Contributions – In-kind $323,069
Special Events and Promotions $710,428
Adoption Fees and Program Revenue $5,630,228
COVID-19 Government Revenue $214,888
Investment Gain (Loss) $442,388
Dividend and Interest Income $631,512
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets $39,844
Other $126,296
TOTAL SUPPORT AND REVENUE $22,854,763

EXPENSES

  
PROGRAM SERVICES  
Adoption and Surrender $13,274,056
Community Engagement $4,459,146
Rescue $520,867
Pet Services $644,474
SUPPORTING SERVICES  
General and Administrative $1,832,076
Capital Campaign $543,676
Fundraising $4,069,150
TOTAL EXPENSES $25,343,445
   
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS $(2,488,682)

NOTE: As part of our long-term strategic plan, AHS made planned use of cash reserves in FY23 to fund investments in programs and services that will generate future revenue.

AHS exceeds standards of accountability

The Minnesota Charities Review Council’s Standards of Accountability state that at least 70% of an organization’s annual expenses should be for program activity with not more than 30% for management, general, and fundraising expenses combined. Animal Humane Society exceeded this standard by directing 74% of our expenses back into programming for the animals and our community.

2023 Annual Report graph totals pie chart

The mission of Animal Humane Society is to engage the hearts, hands, and minds of the community to help animals.

FY23 Board of Directors

Dick Hall,  Past Chair
Marianne Barnett, Chair
Diana Purcel, Treasurer
Sarah (Sally) Godfrey, Secretary
Susan Blaska Lindahl
Janelle Dixon
Lisa Erickson, Vice Chair
Kelly Lindberg
Brenda McCormick
Kelly Palmer
Todd Solow
Constance St. Germain
Brian Woolsey

Leadership

Janelle Dixon, President and CEO
Eileen Lay, Chief Operating and Financial Officer
Lisa Bonds, Chief Advancement Officer

For caring, compassionate advice and resources to address all your animal concerns.

Contact the Pet Helpline