Erie County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

What it reported doing in 2024

The spca serving erie county is a private humane society funded by donations. The spca provides humane care for distressed animals, including housing, placement and disposal of same. The erie county spca allows adoption of animals and has multiple satellite adoption locations. The spca accepts stray dogs, cats, and other animals. Stray animals are kept in specially-designated areas away from adoption areas to prevent spread of potential diseases, bites, and to give owners a chance to locate them at the shelter. Over 9,233 domestic and wild animals were admitted and cared for this past year with each animal being examined by both our veterinary and behavior staff for good health and temperament before being placed in the adoption program.over 2,870 animals of all kinds (cats, dogs, farm animals, small pets, reptiles) were adopted into new homes.over 1,423 animals received foster care preparing them for subsequent adoption, with more than 708 individuals and families participating in our foster/foster-to-adopt program.special agents responded to over 1,898 calls for suspected animal cruelty and for domestic and wild animal rescue resulting in over 1,655 domestic animals being brought to the spca by officers in 2025. 1,172 animals were seized on cruelty complaints.3,683 sick, injured and orphaned wildlife were treated at the spca's wildlife rehabilitation center and clinic, with over 156 different wild species cared for. Over 478 programs were presented with our humane educators to over 9,537 children which included girl scouts tours, school programs and community programs throughout erie county.2,723 dogs, cats, and rabbits were spayed or neutered at the spca's surgical units, and over 560 surgical and medical treatments were performed by the shelter's medical team through the yelp for help program. 1,528 dogs and cats were spayed or neutered at the spca's lipsey clinic surgical units, 130 dental procedures, and 198 other surgeries were performed by the lipsey clinic's medical team.the spca had 1,831 active volunteers logging 39,303 hours in the shelter plus volunteers logging 4,428 hours in the paws for love program.of the farm animals and fowl admitted to the educational farm and barn as cruelty cases, strays, and surrenders, 48 farm animals were placed for adoption, returned to owner, or transferred out during the year. The pet pantry distributed over 439,576 pet meals, more than 37,126 pounds of litter, and over 6,859 other pet supplies.the vaccine clinics vaccinated over 1,956 pets and microchipped over 635 pets.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 86.8%; rating input score 87
• Program expense ratio: 72.9%; rating input score 73
• Fundraising efficiency: $4.31 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -6.2%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.21; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 10.5%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3.7% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 2.8% per year; rating input score 100; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 6.9% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings