Organizations Helping Our Domestic and Companion Animals

Organizations Helping Our Domestic and Companion Animals

The following organizations are working hard to improve the lives and welfare of our domestic and companion animals. These organizations provide public education, outreach, resources, information, targeted programs, and in some cases animal rescue, sanctuary, and adoption to animals in need.  

Helping Cats

Alley Cat Allies – Alley Cat Allies is the only national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats. Alley Cat Allies was also the first organization to introduce and advocate for humane methods of feral cat care, particularly Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), in the American animal protection community. By establishing and promoting standards of care, the organization has brought the humane treatment of cats into the national spotlight. As a result, the lives of feral and community cats are treated with more respect, understanding and care by communities across the country. 

Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary – Blind Cat Rescue is a registered nonprofit in North Carolina that rescues and saves the lives of blind, partially blind, FIV+ or Feline Leukemia-positive cats. The mission of Blind Cat Rescue is to save lives and provide a safe, healthy and loving home to cats in Blind Cat’s life-time care sanctuary, who were at risk of being euthanized due to their disability. The sanctuary gives these cats quality of life and works to educate the public about the ability of these cats that have chronic diseases and disabilities—to be loving family pets. They also work to educate the public about the importance of spay and neuter and educate the public about what causes blindness in cats, what causes FELV/feline leukemia and FIV/feline Immunodeficiency virus in cats, sharing information about these chronic diseases. 

Cat Depot – Cat Depot is a free-roaming rescue, adoption, and education center recognized for excellence and leadership in finding homes for more than 13,000 homeless and abandoned cats and kittens. Their mission is to save lives, find loving homes, and provide resources and education to improve the destiny of homeless cats. Their services include affordable, cat-specific veterinary care; adoption; numerous public education programs; family activities including field trips and tours, a kid’s summer camp, and birthday parties; and a community cats program. They are located in Sarasota, Florida.

DC Cat Count – The DC Cat Count is a unique and ambitious three-year project that brings together a diverse group of experts and organizations to pursue the following goals in Washington D.C. The project will serve as a highly visible example of constructive collaboration between animal welfare organizations, wildlife scientists, academic institutions, and citizens who wish to cooperatively pursue common goals to save and help cats and wildlife, rather than participate in conflict or harm to them. The project will conclude in 2021-2022, and show how cat population segments interact and will estimate the total number of cats in the Washington D.C. metro area. The project is using state-of-the-art camera technology, household surveys, shelter cat statistics, outdoor cat colony counts, interactions between cat groups, and will provide practical and informative tools, protocols and guidelines to help cat organizations in the future.

FixNation – FixNation began in 2007 to address the homeless cat population in L.A. through an aggressive spay and neuter program, by building a full-time spay/neuter clinic and providing comprehensive TNR support. FixNation’s mission and vision is to reduce the population of homeless cats by sterilizing as many as possible while demonstrating the effectiveness of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and colony management for the humane care of homeless cats. FixNation strives to build a better world for cats and envisions a day when all tame cats have a home, and community cats are spayed/neutered and cared for in their outdoor homes. FixNation is a model for TNR and cat population management across the country. Since opening its doors in 2007, FixNation has sterilized 110,000 cats in addition to its Catnippers program.

Helping Dogs

Beagle Freedom Project – Since 2010, Beagle Freedom Project (BFP) has been freeing survivors from laboratory experiments, along with senior and special needs animals from shelters, and victims of horrific abuse from around the world. BFP is a non-profit animal rescue and advocacy organization and the world’s leading organization for rescuing and rehoming animals used in experimental research. BFP is dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of animals used in testing and research and subjected to other forms of unique cruelty, abuse and neglect. BFP strives to end this cruelty through its educational programs, campaign initiatives and lobbying efforts to make the world a better, safer and healthier place for both animals and people alike.

Beagle Pro – This website provides rich information about Beagles as dogs, particularly beagles that are used in research for laboratories. About 60,000 dogs are tested on in laboratories every year, 25,000 experience painful experiments. The majority of these dogs are Beagles. Beagles are used for toxicity testing, drugs for humans, industrial chemicals, pesticides and medical research. This website offers ways to help Beagles, petitions you can sign, how to lobby the new legislation, and how to adopt a Beagle used for research.

Fences For Fido – Founded in 2009, Fences For Fido’s mission is to improve the quality of life for dogs living outdoors by building fences free of charge for families who keep their dogs on chains, or tethered, or in small enclosures. In addition to the fence, they also provide an insulated doghouse for each dog as well as spay/neuter services and emergency veterinary care when needed. They work to educate families on how to best care for their four-legged family members during the heat of the summer and the cold, wet winter months. With more than 2,200 dogs already unchained since May 2009, the mission of Fences For Fido continues. They have now expanded to cover more of Washington state and most areas throughout Oregon, answering the call and building an average of 13 fences per month in every kind of weather.

Free Korean Dogs – Free Korean Dogs is a registered Canadian nonprofit charity founded in Toronto in 2015, to rescue and rehabilitate dogs from Korea’s dog meat trade. Their international rescue and adoption program saves hundreds of dogs each year from the Korean dog meat trade and finds them adoptive homes in Canada. Since 2015, they have shut down two dog meat farm operations, rescued over two hundreds dogs from the dog meat trade, and found forever homes for 700 dogs rescued from euthanasia or the risk of being forced into the meat trade. They also work to educate and promote public awareness to create a cultural shift from cruelty to compassion for dogs in Korea through public education campaigns, protests, and events. 

Heat Kills – HeatKills is an informational website that is dedicated to helping to prevent dogs from suffering in hot cars. HeatKills.org has three missions: 1) To create state-of-the-art educational tools and activism strategies that will raise public awareness of the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars, 2) To help other key organizations to prevent, detect and rapidly respond to dogs suffering in hot cars (particularly police departments, mall managers, SPCAs, etc.), and 3) To help ensure that people who leave dogs in hot cars face severe legal consequences.

Justice for Bullies – Justice for Bullies (JFB) was founded in 2014 to promote responsible dog ownership and advance the education of the public on principles of responsible dog ownership. They do this by providing assistance, resources/literature and education to dog owners regarding responsible ownership, breed-neutral animal policies, and dog bite prevention. In addition, JFB emphasizes the promotion of breed neutral bylaws and free dog-bite prevention programs. JFB educates the public about Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) that punishes responsible dog owners and their dogs based off of the dog’s appearance, instead of the individual actions of each dog. They work with legislators, cities and counties to prevent BSL legislation and laws, because it has been proven ineffective, expensive to manage, and provides a false sense of public safety.

Korean Dogs – Korean Dogs actively works to stop the dog and cat consumption and meat trade in South Korea. They are dedicated to bring awareness to and end the dog and cat meat trade where 2.5 million dogs and thousands of cats are brutally tortured every day, are horrifically slaughtered and consumed by Koreans–illegally. The dog and cat meat trade in Korea is a profit-driven, tax free, unregulated industry that is illegal, with the government ignoring the illegal industry that promotes ridiculous myths. This website posts petitions, letters to sign to government leaders, promotes public awareness campaigns, offers a blog, resources, and tips for what you can do to stop this brutality to domestic animals.

Helping All Companion Animals (Dogs, Cats, Rabbits, Pocket Pets, and more)

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) – The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was the first humane society to be established in North America and is, today, one of the largest in the world. Our organization was founded by Henry Bergh in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans, and must be protected under the law. Headquartered in New York City, the ASPCA maintains a strong local presence, and with programs that extend their anti-cruelty mission across the country. The ASPCA is a privately funded 501(c)(3) not-for-profit national animal welfare organization.

Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) – The Animal Legal Defense Fund is an American non-profit law organization that aims to protect the rights and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. Founded in 1979, the ALDF has been fighting to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. ALDF has blazed the trail for stronger enforcement of anti-cruelty laws and more humane treatment of animals in every corner of American life. Today, ALDF’s groundbreaking efforts to push the U.S. legal system to end the suffering of abused animals are supported by thousands of dedicated attorneys and more than 100,000 members and supporters.

Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) – The Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) is a vanguard not-for-profit organization, dedicated to eliminating extreme animal cruelty operations worldwide. Their mission is to be an uncompromising defending force for the welfare of animals, in addition to putting an end to and preventing pain, suffering and torture inflicted as a result of inhumane practices. ARM implements direct-action tactics to investigate, document and expose illegal activities of animal cruelty. The organization’s main goals are to improve the quality of life for animals and educate the public. The end result will raise awareness of the unforeseen ethical, social and environmental implications of animal abuse and produce effective changes in the treatment of defenseless animals.

Best Friends Animal Society – Best Friends Animal Society began in 1984 and is the only national animal welfare organization focused exclusively on ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters. To this end, Best Friends works with shelters, rescue groups and their members nationwide on a variety of grassroots programs. They implement targeted spay/neuter and community cat programs including trap/neuter/return (TNR) programs in order to reduce the number of animals that enter shelters, and by increasing the number of people who adopt pets, they work to end the killing of healthy, adoptable pets at animal shelters.

Hartz Victims – Hartz Victims and Hartz Kills were both created to raise awareness and provide a one-stop information website where consumers and victims of Hartz products can find information on the lethal and toxic Hartz Advanced Care and other over-the-counter flea and tick medications. The mission of this website is to have a place to share stories and to get these toxic products off store shelves. You can submit your personal story about the dangers and toxicity of Hartz products, and you can learn more about what others have experienced using Hartz products. See Hartz Victims on Facebook. For more information, visit Victims Speak Out: Hartz Topical Flea Prevention Kills Pets, Not Fleas.  #hartzvictims

Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) – HSUS is the largest and one of the oldest animal protection organizations. HSUS advocates for stronger laws to protect animals and improve their living conditions; provides animal rescue and emergency response teams in disasters; investigates animal cruelty and neglect cases; conducts campaigns to reform industries; and manages animal care centers and sanctuaries, wildlife rehabilitations centers and emergency shelters for animals in need. HSUS focuses on animal advocacy through public policy, corporate reforms and campaigns that confront and change cruelty on a large level.

In Defense of Animals (IDA) – IDA is a non-profit organization working to end animal exploitation, cruelty, and abuse by protecting for the rights, welfare, and habitats of animals, as well as to raise their status beyond mere property, commodities, or things. IDA’s campaigns cover animals around the world through investigation, rescue & rehabilitation, public education, political & consumer advocacy and litigation.

Maddies Fund – Founded in 1994 after losing their beloved family dog Maddie, Dave and Cheryl Duffield established the Foundation and 501(c)(3) nonprofit to increase community lifesaving of pets, to improve shelter management leadership, offer shelter medicine education and improve foster care across the U.S. Their mission is to create a no-kill nation where every cat and dog is guaranteed a healthy, loving home and habitat. Maddie’s Fund offers educational webcasts, an online community called Maddie’s Pet Forum, a unique app for foster caregivers called Maddie’s Pet Assistant, and Maddie’s Fund Foster Caregiver market research. In addition, there are short and full-term classes through Maddie’s University, an Innovation Grants Program for forward-thinking ideas, and Maddie’s Apprenticeship Program to promote lifesaving efforts and ideas.

National Domestic Violence Hotline – Provides help and support for victims of domestic violence, 24/7 by online chat, by phone at 1-800-799-7233, by test LOVEIS to 22522, or by logging on the thehotline.org. They provide help for friends and family, survivors, abusive partners, pets of victims, legal help, and support for the deaf community.

National Link Coalition – This is the national resource center on The Link between animal abuse and human violence. The Link has been established for over the past 35 years, by researchers and professionals in a variety of human services and animal welfare disciplines, that have proven significant correlations between animal abuse, child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, elder abuse and other forms of violence. Mistreating animals is no longer seen as an isolated incident that can be ignored; it is often an indicator or predictor crime and a “red flag” warning sign that other family members in the household and community may not be safe. This website provides excellent information and resources to address The Link along with how to report it in every U.S. state. Read more about The Link here and visit their online library. 

No Kill Advocacy Center – The No Kill Advocacy Center was founded in 2004 by Nathan Winograd as the nation’s first — and at the time, only — full-service No Kill community, saving not only dogs and cats, including all community cats, but rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, horses, and others. The No Kill Advocacy Center is a legal advocacy organization that reforms shelters through litigation, legislation, education, consultation, training, and other direct assistance. Read about how to get involved and watch the documentary film Redemption, about the No Kill Revolution in America.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than 3 million members. PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in the clothing trade, in laboratories, and in the entertainment industry. They work through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns.

PetSmart Charities – PetSmart Charities and PetSmart Charities of Canada are non-profit organizations dedicated to saving the lives of homeless pets. In the United States, PetSmart Charities is the largest financial supporter of animal welfare and among the 400 largest philanthropic organizations working on any issue. Their motto is “Saving the lives of homeless pets,” and one way they do this is through funding animal welfare programs, spay and neuter programs, and rescue group programs throughout the U.S., through $400 million in grants to nonprofit organizations. For 17 years they have earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, their highest rating, and remain in the top 1% of all charities ranked.

Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine (PCRM) – PCRM promotes preventative medicine, good nutrition and a plant-based diet, and high ethical standards in research and alternatives to animal experimentation. Since 1985, the Physicians Committee has been working tirelessly for alternatives to the use of animals (mice, cats, dogs, monkeys, etc.) in medical education and research and advocating for more effective scientific methods. The staff of physicians, dietitians, and scientists is working with policymakers, industry, the medical community, the media, and the public to create a better future for people and animals.

RedRover – RedRover launched in 1987 to help animals rescued from disasters or neglect by providing shelter and care for displaced pets; help for domestic violence victims seeking safety with their pets; and help for animals with life-threatening illnesses. RedRover is educating youth through the RedRover Readers Program by providing tools to teach children empathy and compassion. RedRover also provides financial assistance, resources and support to low-income people and survivors of domestic violence and their pets, so families can stay together.

Safe Place For Pets – Sponsored by Red Rover, Safe Place For Pets provides a state-by-state list of On-site Housing and Off-Site Housing for people and pets who need a safe escape from domestic violence. They also provide resources and grants to fund safe pet housing programs.

The Animals Voice – Like its magazine, The Animals Voice website has remained true to its promise to animals: to be independent of any organization, so that it can bring its worldwide audience the news of every organization, the campaigns and action alerts of every organization, the struggles and the victories of every organization. The Animals Voice is beholden to no one and no thing — except animals.

World Animal Protection (WAP) – Formerly World Society for the Protection of Animals, or WSPA, World Animal Protection is an international non-profit that tackles cruelty and suffering worldwide and has worked to protect animals around the world for the past 30 years. WAP works with governments, the UN, businesses and other animal welfare organizations, and has 14 country offices. The charity describes its vision as: A world where animal welfare matters and animal cruelty has ended.