Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Rescue Ranch Dog Shelter and Adoption Services
The dogs in our Adoption Center come from kill shelters, overflowing municipal and county shelters, hoarding and dumping situations, and other difficult, life-threatening circumstances. We take in adult dogs, seniors, special needs dogs, pregnant moms and puppies.
Dogs are housed at the Adoption Center, in foster, or at the Rescue Ranch Sanctuary depending on their needs.
Our mission is to see them living their best lives and the application process is based on"best match," not "first-come-first-serve". Most dogs go to individuals and famlies, but some go on to become service, search & rescue, or conservation dogs.
Rescue Ranch makes a lifetime committment its dogs, which continues even after they have been adopted. If their circumstances change and their owners can no longer care for them, we take them back no matter how much time has gone by. All dogs are spayed or neutered and receive the best care while at Rescue Ranch.
Rescue Ranch Thrift Store
We operate a thrift store in Yreka, CA. All proceeds, after thrift store expenses, are used to support general operations at the Rescue Ranch shelter.
Kitu's Fund
Kitu’s Fund has a dual purpose. It is both an emergency and high-cost medical fund for Rescue Ranch and a no-interest community loan program.
In the first instance, the fund helps Rescue Ranch dogs: Some of our dogs have physical trauma, some are diagnosed with cancer, while others require heartworm treatments or extensive dental care. These special dogs need our help, but their medical costs are beyond what we can afford without additional funds.
In the second instance, it's a community no-interest loan program: Members of the community can apply for a no-interest loan to cover emergency and/or high-cost veterinary care. Applications are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Loan repayment is based on the applicant’s unique financial situation.
This special medical fund was seeded by a generous contribution from the Arthur R. Dubs Foundation. The Foundation’s help has been instrumental in our ability to provide emergency and necessary high-cost veterinary care to the wonderful dogs se
RRAAP- Rescue Ranch Alter Assistance Program
Rescue Ranch created RRAAP to help community pet owners overcome the barriers preventing them from spaying or neutering their dogs.
Top 3 Barriers to Spay/Neuter
Access: even if cost is not an issue, in rural communities like Yreka, veterinary resources are limited. Patients can wait months for an appointment and choosing an alternative location isn't available to everyone.
Cost: surgery can cost up to $600 or more. Cost depends on the size and health of your pet, and on the procedure. Spaying is usually significantly more expensive. Low-cost programs, on the other hand, typically cost less than $200, even for spaying.
Transportation: the high cost of gas is only one obstacle to transportation. Not everyone has access to a vehicle or is able to drive, even if they can afford the gas.
RRAAP overcomes all of these challenges by obtaining appointments at reasonable rates and offering free transportation.
Low-cost Vaccinations and Microchipping
Rescue Ranch offers low-cost parvo-distemper and Bordetella vaccinations and Microchipping to the public.
Community Pet Food Bank
In these difficult times, more and more pet owners are having a hard time making ends meet. They're struggling to feed themselves, their family, and their pets. Rescue Ranch is committed to helping the community in any way it can. Our Pet Food Bank offers free dog and, when available, cat food to people in need.
The Pet Food Bank usually has some regular dry dog food. We also occasionally have wet food, special diet food, and cat food.
Free Weekly Dog Socialization and Communication classes
Our free Sunday sessions are open to the public and are an excellent way for owers to help their dog acquire important socialization skills with other dogs as well as people. It is also a great opportunity for them to to learn how to communicate effectively with their dog, have their questions answered, and work one-on-one with our knowledgeable staff to address specific issues they might be having.
Where we work
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Our mission is to serve unwanted dogs by saving as many lives as possible and placing as many as possible in loving homes. By extension, therefore, we serve potential adopters and adopters primarily in our local Siskiyou County and the rest of the state of California, Oregon, and Washington. We also serve dog owners in Siskiyou County through our communuity programs and by being the Designated Dog Evacuation Center for the county.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
We have an active following on social media and through our email list. Although it is not always formally collected, we respond to feedback daily through email and by replying to PMs and comments on our FB page. During the recent fires, that is where we communicated regular updates several times a day about evacuation, numbers of intakes, our needs etc. All of our community programs, such as RRAAP spay/neuter assistance and the pet food bank, were created in response to a need as expressed by the people we serve. One fun and recent implementation that resulted directly from feedback is the FB Adopters Group. So many adopters wanted a dedicated FB group to communicate, share pictures of their Rescue Ranch dogs, and engage with the ranch, that we created one last April.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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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.
RESCUE RANCH
Board of directorsas of 09/26/2022
Laura Finley
Retired, US. Fish and Wildlife Service
Term: 2016 -
Kelly Coleman
Save the Rain, 501c3, Executive Director
Term: 2015 -
Laura Finley
retired, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Kelly Coleman
Save the Rain
Alexandria McBride
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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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? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data