BAILING OUT BENJI
Ending puppy mills through research, education and advocacy
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Bailing Out Benji aims to combat the puppy mill industry through education, awareness and advocacy. We firmly believe that people are inherently good and would never want to acquire a pet if the parents are suffering. So our mission is two fold: Provide the most current and accurate data on the puppy mill industry and then get that information into the hands of the public.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Public Education
Bailing Out Benji is committed to educating citizens on the puppy mill problem in the country by raising social consciousness on the issue. We use a variety of techniques to educate; our website, brochures, public service announcements in the form of billboards and newspaper ads, as well as giving free presentations at expos, events, retail stores, libraries and schools.
Our volunteers host educational tables at:
* Pet Expos
* Adoption Events
* Libraries and Schools
* Parades and festivals
On top of our in-person education, our website is a wealth of knowledge that is utilized by thousands of people a day. We also provide printable versions of our puppy mill maps, educational flyers and other PDFs for free to the public.
Research
Bailing Out Benji works tirelessly to research and maintain updated information about puppy mills across the country, as well as the pet stores they sell to. Our information is obtained from USDA inspection data, state licensing agencies, as well as other nonprofits in other states.We are the leading grassroots organization that is working to provide the most current and accurate data regarding the puppy mill industry.
Through our website you are able to view:
*Puppy mill maps per state
*Printable educational materials
*Pet Stores that are selling puppies and where they obtain those puppies
*Cities that have retail bans
*Many other facts regarding the puppy mill industry
Public Awareness Initiative
The business of commercially breeding dogs is a billion-dollar industry in the United States and it's an industry that is shrouded in secrecy. At Bailing Out Benji we believe that once the public is educated about how to safely and humane acquire their next pet, the puppy mill industry will downsize dramatically.
Of the various public PSAs our organization puts out, here are our most popular:
* Billboards
* Bus Ads
* Newspaper Ads
* Targeted Social Media Ads
* Commercials in theaters and on the radio
Where we work
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Overall, our organization is aiming to drastically decrease the number of animals suffering in commercial dog and cat breeding facilities. By exposing the worst offenders and putting pressure on local agencies to act, we hope to see a huge improvement in many of these facilities, with the ultimate goal of ending puppy mills.
We also want to see stores across the country stop selling dogs and cats from puppy (and kitten) mills. Instead these stores can pattern with rescues and shelters to find homes for homeless animals and greatly impact the number of shelter animals we have in the United States.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Research:
-Our goal is to obtain CVI data on all of the stores selling puppies in the country and make that information public for the consumer to be able to do their own research before they buy. We will be researching the stores and requesting FOIA documents state by state and will put the information on our website for the public to see.
- We will continue to monitor the USDA dog and cat breeder licensees and their inspection reports to keep our puppy mill maps updated and educate the public about violations and dog counts as we see them.
* These two steps are crucial in helping our volunteers and other advocates across the country to pass retail bans.
Education:
- We will continue to research the various demographics that are purchasing dogs from pet stores and online puppy mills, so that we can better educate the consumer before they buy.
- We will continue to get the word out about puppy mills and how to avoid them in big ways (billboards, newspaper ads, etc).
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have a solid handle on the research side of the puppy mill industry. Because we have the capability to do this research and make it public, we will be able to get the states done very quickly.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Bailing Out Benji started as a small group of people in Iowa educating about puppy mills, and in the last 2 years we have expanded to having volunteers in 16 states that are working hard to make change in their own area. A few of our successes include:
Organization Wide:
* Passed dozens of retail bans across the country
* Researched, designed and released a series of state puppy mill maps to the public. These maps were viewed several million times on facebook and are available to be printed on our website.
* Released an innovative, interactive puppy mill map to the public. This map allows the public to see the worst puppy mills in their state, the largest puppy mills and stores that are selling puppies.
* In 2017 we were named one of the top puppy mill fighting organizations in the United States (from One Green Planet)
* Our Executive Director and Vice President have both been ask to give presentations by other large advocacy organizations including the Humane Society of the United States and Texas Humane Legislation Network.
* Our work has been featured in The Rolling Stone Magazine, Huffington Post, in several books, on Animal Planet and in a documentary.
Executive Director:
Our founder and Executive Director has received many awards on behalf of Bailing Out Benji and the work that we do. These awards include:
* 2016 Advocate We Love (from the Humane Society of the United States)
* 2018 Iowa Adult Citizen of Character
* 2018 Outstanding Young Iowan Award
* "Person to Watch" in 2019 (from The Des Moines register)
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
BAILING OUT BENJI
Board of directorsas of 12/11/2023
Brandi Webber
Rachel Yarger
Bailing Out Benji
Suzy Stoecklein
Bailing Out Benji
Jason Long
Bailing Out Benji
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes