Dane County Humane Society
Dane County Humane Society reported $31.8 million in revenue and $7.5 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $66.54 went to program services, $9.76 to management and general costs and $23.70 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 93.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $161,260 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 539% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $7.5MFor context, the median across 245 covered animal-related charities: $83.96 programs, $9.42 management, $6.62 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $32M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$93.68 $30M
- Program service revenue$5.34 $1.7M
- Investment income$0.98 $311K
Other revenue was negative: −$22,897. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 66.5% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.8% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 23.7% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.06 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 93.7% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 5.3% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $161,260 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.16% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 5 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 61.5 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 12 of 12 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseDchs's animal services include open-admission animal intake, customer service, daily care, and behavioral support of animals, medical treatment, spay/neuter and other surgical services, humane euthanasia, and participation in the sheltering animals of abuse victims (saav) program. In addition, dchs worked with madison and Dane County animal services to ensure it properly fulfills the services outlined in its contracts with these municipalities. In 2025, medical staff and volunteer veterinarians performed 3,998 surgeries
Dchs's wildlife center is a specialized program that aims to promote the health and welfare of wildlife through rehabilitation, professional training, and public education. Licensed rehabilitators care for sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals found in southern wisconsin year-round. In 2025, dchs staff and volunteers helped 3,158 wild animals of 154 different species, including songbirds, mammals, raptors, waterfowl, reptiles, and amphibians
Dchs's adoption and reception services include customer service and animal adoptions at dchs's main location and dchs's thrift stores. The main adoption center also offers pet supplies and various dchs branded merchandise for sale to individuals adopting animals as well as to other patrons. In 2025, 3,302 animals were adopted. Dchs's 2025 animal save rate was 91%
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $142,532 | $0 | $18,728 | $161,260 |
| ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $121,147 | $0 | $18,948 | $140,095 |
| LEAD SHELTER VETERINARIAN Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $109,215 | $0 | $18,390 | $127,605 |
| DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $120,454 | $0 | $7,002 | $127,456 |
| CONTROLLER & BUILDING DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $104,085 | $0 | $17,643 | $121,728 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Dane County Humane Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $301K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b12 · 12 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5193
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,256
Private foundation grants it received
15 private foundations reported grants to Dane County Humane Society totaling $63,629 on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Dane County Humane Society's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Dane County Humane Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Dane County Humane Society spent in 2025, $66.54 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Michigan Humane SocietyDetroit, MI · revenue $32M · programs 76.1% · FY2025
- Mule Deer FoundationClearfield, UT · revenue $33M · programs 97.9% · FY2025
- Point Reyes Bird ObservatoryPetaluma, CA · revenue $32M · programs 81.4% · FY2025
- Sea Research FoundationMystic, CT · revenue $34M · programs 79.4% · 2025
- Humane Society of MissouriSt Louis, MO · revenue $32M · programs 80.5% · FY2025
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in Wisconsin
Questions people ask
How much of Dane County Humane Society's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Dane County Humane Society reported that 66.5% of its $7.5 million in expenses went to program services, 9.8% to management and general and 23.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Dane County Humane Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Dane County Humane Society reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $161,260, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Dane County Humane Society get its money?
Of $31.8 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 93.7% came from contributions and grants and 5.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Dane County Humane Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 39-0806335 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202601329349303270 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202531129349301363 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202441139349300919 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202311249349303051 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202211119349301211 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202141319349301849 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202011229349301751 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 39-0806335: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.