Joybound People and Pets FKA Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

Community Outreach Programs: Building upon the foundation of animal rescue and adoption, Joybound reaches out to our community to provide a wide breadth of services to support pet families. Our Shelter to Service program trains carefully selected shelter animals to become psychiatric service dogs and emotion support animals, assisting veterans and other individuals coping with psychological trauma and mental health challenges. This year, 131 people were enriched by psychiatric service dogs, facility dogs, and emotional support animals. Joybound's Pet Safety Net program provided counseling, financial support, and resource referrals to help 1,100 families retain their pets during times of crisis. The Community Solutions team responded to 2,137 calls and emails, offering expert guidance to community members facing animal-related challenges. Joybound hosted monthly free Vaccine and Microchip Clinics to provide essential preventive care for pets in underserved communities - serving 2,938 cats and dogs during the year. These clinics were offered on the Joybound campus and at partner locations across Contra Costa County and help protect public health by delivering core vaccinations and by ensuring pets can be identified and reunited with their families through microchipping. By removing financial and logistical barriers, the program supports pet retention, helps keep pets healthy, and reduces shelter surrenders. Through the Community Veterinary Care fund (CVC) 442 veterinary exams were provided to pets from low-income households in Contra Costa County, ensuring these animals received critical veterinary care. Our Pet Food Pantry program provided 30,840 meals to ensure that cats and dogs did not go hungry. For grieving pet owners, Joybound held monthly Pet Loss Support Group meetings, providing support and care during a very difficult time to 43 people working through the loss of their pet. Joybound's Pet Hug Pack therapy animal program continued to provide emotional support and companionship to individuals in hospitals, schools, care facilities, and community outreach events. This year, Pet Hug Pack teams brought comfort and joy to 15,681 people across dozens of sites. All therapy animals are temperament-tested, healthy, and trained for their important roles.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 81.5%; rating input score 82
• Fundraising efficiency: $3.53 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • 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; 66th 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: -37.2%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.79; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 10%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 9.3% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 10.3% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings