Pet Animal Welfare Society of Connecticut Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

From the fiscal year 2025, 10% of the adoptions were pets of owner surrender situations. The remaining 90% of our adoptions are cats and dogs from stray sitautions, local animal controls, and kitten births because the pregnant cats come into our care.paws's efforts are focused on 4 critical needs: 1) rescue & safe shelter - supported by 150 trained volunteers and 20 foster homes available for the various needs of cats, kittens, dogs, or puppies needing a foster home. Paws believes in the five freedoms all animals deserve: a) freedom from hunger and thirst access to fresh water and dietb) freedom from discomfort providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.c) freedom from pain, injury or disease prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatmentd) freedom to express normal behavior providing sufficient space, proper facilities, and company of the animal's own kinde) freedom from fear and distress ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.2) medical support - supporting the treatment of paws pets before they are available for adoption. Pets receive vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, and a microchip along with other medical treatment as needed. Paws also supports outsourced medical procedures those procedures that paws cannot do in-house like x-rays, ultrasounds, etc. 3) outreach and education for the humane treatment of all animals, including our tnr (trap/neuter/return) program dedicated to reducing and managing the numbers of feral and stray cats in our community. Feral cats are trapped, spay/neutered, and then returned to their original territory. Friendly adults and young kittens can be placed for adoption.4) adoptions and foster programs: every adoption requires an approved application and at least one scheduled visit with an adoption counselor to our shelter. In fy 2025, we had 385 cat/kittens adoptions and 79 dog/puppy adoptions. The requests for dog and cat owner surrenders have increased post covid with the financial challenges of the pet owner owners. During the fiscal year 2025 paws received 625 owner surrender applications. Adoption counselors strive to find the right pet for every home and the right home for every pet. Our foster program targets our most vulnerable animals, including those who are sick, injured, and too young for adoption or in need of extra socialization. Our greatest need is placement for our pregnant cats, moms with nursing kittens, and kittens too young to thrive in the shelter.5) volunteering: individuals part of the volunteer program are trained to assist in cleaning and socializing for the cats; socializing and exercising the dogs; coordinate day trips for dogs; coordinating dogs to attend community events paws is participating in; processing adoption applications by making calls to references; laundry duties; greeter for reading to rescues program. Our fosters are also volunteer based.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 96.3%; rating input score 96
• Program expense ratio: 83%; rating input score 83
• Fundraising efficiency: $56.51 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 85.7%; rating input score 86; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -9.1%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.54; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 9.2%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.7% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.1% per year; rating input score 100; 35th percentile among comparable filings