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TreeTops Animal Rescue
2009 ANNUAL REPORT
ORGANIZATION
TreeTops Animal Rescue was established in Landenberg, PA (Chester County) in 2006. Our Board consists of President Dr. Laurellen Treisner, Treasurer George Treisner, and Secretary Dana Wallace. We are a PA non-profit corporation with federal 501(c)(3) tax deductible status (EIN: 20-5403519), and a PA licensed non-profit rescue network of foster homes.
ADOPTIONS/ FOSTERS for Jan 1- Dec 31, 2009
Successes:
· Adoptions
o Adopted in 2009: 141 animals – 58 cats and 83 dogs.
o TOTAL Adoptions for TreeTops to date: 9/06 – 12/09: 356 animals - 149 cats and 207 dogs
o One adopted dog from last year was successfully re-homed due to his owner’s health issues.
o Monthly average this year: 12 adoptions per month (up from 10 last year)
· Courtesy Listings:
We’ve listed many animals for people looking for homes for unwanted dogs, cats, and goats. Some were adopted to applicants through our website, and for others owners were given assistance in finding other rescues or shelters who could assist them.
· Current foster animals: 13 cats and 9 dogs.
Failures:
· 8 newborn kittens came into foster care but died. One kitten tested positive for FIV, then fell sick and was euthanized. One feral kitten was brought to us after having scratched and bit the person who found it, and by recommendation of the health department, was euthanized for rabies testing. One stray cat in foster care started going out their dog door and after coming and going for a few weeks, disappeared.
· One very sweet but active adopted pup was returned at 8 months as being too wild for the young grandchildren and is currently in foster care waiting for a new home.
FINANCES for Jan 1- Dec 31, 2009
Beginning Balance: $14,420 End balance: $14,422
Expenses = $33,416
Administrative Expenses - office supplies, printing, website, etc. $ 2,705
Program Expenses – food, pet supplies, vet care, etc $30,711
Revenues = $33,418
Adoption donation fees $ 19,885
Cash and Individual Donations $ 13,533
Spay/Neuter Escrow Account Balance = $1,140
(Adopters of young puppies & kittens pay a $100 deposit which is refunded after spay/neuter)
Non-cash donations included toys, food, crates, leashes, other supplies, and the time and efforts (and gas!!) of our volunteers. In particular, thanks to Purina Rally to Rescue and Oxford Feed & Lumber for donations of pet food in bulk; Paws & Claws pet store for selling us supplies at cost; and Dr. James Beach of Walnut Hill Vet for providing veterinary services for rescue animals at a discount.
Strategic Goals for 2010
Increase Fundraising
2009 Progress: To date, TreeTops revenue has come primarily from adoption donation fees and personal donations through adopters, volunteers, and supporters, as well as donation canisters in stores and at adoption events in the local community.
· For 2010: Since TreeTops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit in operation for more than 3 years, we are now updating the additional information needed to be listed on the Guidestar Exchange. Guidestar is the registry organization which gathers and publicizes information about charitable non-profits. This requires a current IRS tax form 990 and 2009 is the first year our revenue is high enough to require us to complete one. In this year, we want to increase donations through the United Way, matching corporate donations, Missionfish on EBay (a portion of each sale goes to the designated charity), and Goodsearch (a non-profit search engine on the web). We have also just signed up with Petsmart charities and the Best Friends Network charities to enable us to start qualifying for grants or donations through those programs, and are searching out other funding opportunities.
Increase Our Community Involvement
2009 Progress:
Several local girl scout and brownie troops have distributed information and collected donations for the animals at TreeTops Rescue. The troops then visited our home for a presentation about what rescue is about while being able to meet some of the foster dogs and cats that they helped. They also really enjoyed feeding our “rescued” goats and alpacas!
· For 2010: We hope to continue to work with local boy and girl scout troops with educational visits like these, but also to help co-ordinate with scout troops and local rescues to develop an animal rescue badge program .
After one of these visits, one of the scout moms, Suzanne Geoque, had the idea for a community day to expose more people to rescues. She got the approval of New Garden Township, and with the support of additional local rescues and scout troops, the first New Garden Rescue day was held Oct. 24th. The committee reported afterwards that there were 23 rescues, 12 vendors, and more than 260 scouts registered as participants!
· For 2010: We plan to support making New Garden Rescue Day an annual event, and one which in the future can help raise money for local animal rescues.
In spring 2009, we took part in a Career Day at the Unionville Middle School with other area rescues, explaining what we do and telling the stories of some of our rescued animals. TreeTops brought 4 foster kittens, our own dog Lucy who was used as a puppy mill breeder for 7 years, and two pygmy goats, all of whom were a big hit. Several local teenagers have also helped out at foster homes and/or our Meet & Greet events to earn community service hours for school.
· For 2010: We hope to take part in more school programs and involve more students to participate in animal rescue as a community service project.
As a Rescue Ambassador in the Purina Pro-Plan Rally to Rescue program, TreeTops Rescue spent a morning at the Purina Rally to Rescue booth at the National Dog Show in Philadelphia with two of our foster dogs Cayce and Fanny. With so many gorgeous purebreds around, we didn’t think they’d get much interest, but they had non-stop attention and a lot of local attendees took information about volunteering. Both of our foster dogs there found adopters that day, Cayce from a volunteer from another rescue booth and Fanny from one of the Rally to Rescue organizers!
· For 2010: We hope to organize our own local Rally to Rescue adoption event sometime this summer. Watch for details this spring, when we’ll be looking for volunteers to help!!
Continue Participation in Public Adoption Events
2009 Progress:
TreeTops added two new locations for regular Meet & Greet events- Pets & Friends in Jennersville, PA (which also allowed us to have rescue cats on display for periods this year) and Petsmart in Glen Mills. We’ve also had a number of Meet & Greet events at our other supporting pet stores, Cutters Mill Pet Store in Chalfont, P & A Pet Foods in Doylestown, and Paws & Claws Pet Store in Kennett Square. A Big THANK YOU to the Paws & Claws Pet Store in Kennett Square which continues to allow us to regularly have rescue cats on display at the store, which has been a great success in helping them get adopted!! During the summer, we also were at the New Garden Grower’s Market in Avondale the first Saturday of each month.
Besides our regular events, TreeTops participated in Delaware Dog Fest in Avondale, Chester County Bark in the Park in Nottingham, New Garden Rescue Day in Landenberg, the Whisker Walk at Oxford Feed & Lumber in Oxford, and the Rally to Rescue booth at the National Dog Show in Philadelphia.
· For 2010: We plan to continue to hold regular Meet & Greet events every month, and we hope to take part in even more community adoption events this year.
Recruit New Foster Homes and Volunteers
2009 Progress:
Although we’ve gotten seven new foster homes this year, as people’s lives change we also have lost some as well. Unfortunately, because PA licenses are by county, we have discontinued TreeTops 2 in Bucks County (which just had one foster home), rather than deal with applying for a second license with a separate set of official records and dog warden inspections at that location.
· For 2010: Every year there is still a great need for more full-time and temporary foster homes for both cats and dogs, as well as regular volunteers. We will continue to use our website as well as Volunteermatch, and also add postings on Petfinder, our TreeTops Rescue Facebook page (set up by our daughter Beth!), the Best Friends Network, and community newspaper listings, among other avenues to try and recruit new volunteers.
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