Skagit Animals in Need

What it reported doing in 2025

Core Program - Rescue, Rehabilitation and Rehoming. SAIN is an all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to rehabilitating and rehoming large animals and livestock seized in neglect and cruelty cases or released to animal control or law enforcement. Its core program is the rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming of neglected or abused animals. Once in SAIN custody, animals are placed with a safe foster home, medical and behavioral assessments are performed, and rehabilitation begins. Once an animal is at a healthy weight and up to date on medical care, it is made available for adoption to loving homes. Funds from donations, grants and fundraising events are utilized to pay for facility costs, feed and medical care for horses and other livestock in rehabilitation, and training. Medical costs can often be very steep for seized horses as neglect and abuse often create significant medical conditions. Prior to 2012, Skagit County Law Enforcement was able to send seized horses and other livestock to other counties or organizations at no cost. In 2008, recipient organizations began to suffer financially and were no longer able to accept these animals. Coupled with an increase in seizures, law enforcement struggled to respond to urgent requests. Roughly five seized horses in 2005 turned into nearly 40 in 2010. In 2012, SAIN applied for 501(c)(3) status in order to receive neglected, abandoned and/or abused animals in emergency situations from law enforcement officers and ensure they receive necessary care. Today, SAIN continues to work with Skagit County law enforcement, as well as neighboring counties, to rescue horses and other livestock that the Humane Society or other rescues that specialize in dogs and cats have no capacity to serve. Skagit County has high horse and livestock ownership. SAIN regularly assists with horses, cows, goats, sheep, roosters and other animals with unique needs. We provide necessary medical and farrier care so that once rehabilitated, these animals can find their forever homes. The nature of working with law enforcement on cruelty and neglect seizures is highly variable. Months can pass without a single animal in distress, but the nature of livestock ownership means that often animals are seized in whole groups. Owners who have had animals seized have the right to appeal in court, and during legal proceedings the animal must remain in SAIN's custody. It is impossible to predict exactly how many animals SAIN will assist in a year, or how long each animal will need to remain in SAIN's care, and so the organization must be prepared for any possible scenario. In 2025, 3 animals were brought into SAIN's care, all horses. The average cost to SAIN per animal is roughly $3,160. SAIN has a goal to help as many animals as the organization possibly can in any given year. Depending on how long an animal is in the program, feed and continued maintenance costs can add up to greater amounts per animal. The organization never rushes an animal toward adoption. SAIN ensures animals are physically and behaviorally ready to move to their new homes. That means some animals need to remain in the program longer and may cost more than others. SAIN is unique in Skagit County as the only organization prepared to accept horses and other livestock that have been neglected or abused. Skagit County's rural nature makes livestock ownership common, increasing the need for SAIN's services. There are a number of animal welfare organizations that assist with house pets such as dogs and cats. SAIN regularly partners with other animal welfare organizations, such as Save A Forgotten Equine out of King County, to leverage resources and share the burden of larger seizures. Because SAIN is all volunteer run and has no operating facility, it has no traditional operating expenses. Dollars raised go directly to animal care and well-being. Going into 2025, SAIN had one horse in long-term care that will likely stay with the organization for his li

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 36%; rating input score 36
• Program expense ratio: 91.9%; rating input score 92
• Fundraising efficiency: $177.21 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 71
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Limited
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 62.3%; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.24; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 12%; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: 21.1% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 20.4% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings