Transparency & Animal Welfare Standards

Our Impact

The Underdogs Rescue is committed to providing every animal with the time, veterinary care, foster support, behavioral assessment, training, and adoption promotion needed to achieve a safe, permanent outcome. When an animal requires an extended stay due to complex medical or behavioral needs or a lack of immediate placement, we continue to pursue the best available path forward.

Our nonprofit status

The Underdogs Rescue Inc. is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) public charity.

  • Legal name: The Underdogs Rescue Inc.
  • EIN: 46-3764760
  • Federal tax-exempt status effective date: September 18, 2013
  • Public-charity classification: Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
  • Contributions: Tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law
  • Primary service area: Oklahoma City and the surrounding Oklahoma City metro area
  • Rescue model: Foster-based rescue, with limited boarding used for some dogs when foster placement is not immediately available, or an animal’s needs require it
  • Animals served: Dogs and cats
  • Active foster network: Approximately 25 foster homes

The Underdogs Rescue files Form 990-EZ as required. Oklahoma does not provide a separate state tax-exemption designation applicable to our organization.

Donations support direct animal care and the essential work that makes lifesaving possible. Funding is used for veterinary examinations, diagnostics, medications, vaccinations, microchips, spay/neuter surgery, parasite prevention and treatment, food, foster support, boarding when necessary, transport, adoption efforts, and core rescue operations.

Our humane-care commitment

Euthanasia is considered only when it is the most humane option for an animal who is suffering and beyond meaningful medical help, has a grave and untreatable medical prognosis, or presents a serious and unmanageable behavioral safety risk despite appropriate assessment and intervention.

Over the organization’s history, The Underdogs Rescue has made euthanasia decisions only in rare cases involving severe behavioral safety concerns or grave medical suffering when an animal was beyond meaningful medical help. These decisions are made with great care and are never based on the creation of space.

Veterinary care and adoption standards

Every animal accepted into The Underdogs Rescue program receives individualized care based on age, health, history, and the recommendations of licensed veterinary professionals.

We fully vet animals before adoption unless a documented medical condition prevents a particular procedure or treatment from being safely completed. When an exception is necessary, we disclose the animal’s known medical needs and any unfinished care to the prospective adopter.

Full veterinary preparation generally includes:

  • Age-appropriate vaccinations
  • Spay/neuter surgery
  • Microchipping
  • Parasite treatment and prevention
  • Monthly preventives appropriate to the animal’s species, age, health status, and veterinary guidance
  • Testing, diagnostics, medications, and follow-up treatment as medically indicated
  • Additional veterinary care needed to prepare an animal for safe placement

We do not declaw cats and do not support declawing as a routine practice or condition of adoption.

We do not place animals for breeding. Animals are spayed or neutered before adoption unless a licensed veterinarian determines that surgery must be delayed or cannot be safely performed for medical reasons.

We seek safe, permanent, indoor homes where animals are treated as family members. We do not adopt dogs as outside-only dogs, and we do not adopt cats as barn cats or outdoor-only cats.

We disclose known medical, behavioral, and care information as accurately and transparently as possible. Adoption decisions consider the needs of the individual animal as well as the prospective adopter’s household, lifestyle, housing, current animals, and ability to provide long-term care.

Responsible adoption practices

Our goal is not simply to place animals quickly. Our goal is to make informed, stable, and lasting matches between animals and adopters.

All adoptions are completed through an adoption application and adoption agreement. Applicants agree that they are adopting the animal as a companion animal for themselves or their immediate family and will not give away, sell, or otherwise dispose of the animal.

If an adopter can no longer keep an animal adopted through The Underdogs Rescue, they agree to contact the rescue first and give The Underdogs Rescue the opportunity to reclaim the animal at no charge.

Our adoption process may include:

  • An adoption application
  • Conversation with an adoption coordinator or foster caregiver
  • Review of household, housing, animal-care, and lifestyle considerations
  • Veterinary reference and/or landlord verification when appropriate
  • A meet-and-greet or placement discussion when feasible
  • A signed adoption agreement before placement
  • Post-adoption support and follow-up when appropriate

Adopters agree to provide clean and adequate shelter, food, water, veterinary care, and humane treatment. Adopted animals must live indoors as part of the family and may not roam freely. Dogs must wear a collar or harness with identification tags when outside the home.

The Underdogs Rescue may follow up after adoption to help ensure the adoption agreement is honored, and the animal is well cared for. Adoption fees are nonrefundable and help support the rescue’s ongoing care of animals.

2025 Outcomes & Year-End Care

Reporting Period: January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025

Last Updated: September 1, 2026

In 2025, The Underdogs Rescue admitted 59 dogs and cats (based on recorded intake date) and finalized 38 adoptions. We recorded no transfers to other organizations and no returns to owners during 2025.

During the year, we recorded 1 humane euthanasia and 4 deaths in care. As of December 31, 2025, 16 dogs were in our care.

2025 Intake Cohort Summary

  • TOTAL ANIMALS ADMITTED: 59

  • LIVE OUTCOMES: 38 (all finalized adoptions)

  • NON-LIVE OUTCOMES: 5 (1 humane euthanasia, 4 deaths in care)

  • ACTIVELY IN CARE AT YEAR-END: 16 dogs

  • TOTAL ACCOUNTED FOR: 59 animals

Status of the 16 Dogs Remaining in Care on Dec 31, 2025

  • 8 dogs were in foster-supported boarding while awaiting open foster homes.

  • 4 dogs were on medical hold receiving active veterinary care.

  • 4 dogs were in foster placements that were permanently adopted by their foster families in early 2026.

  • 0 cats remained in care at year-end.

Live Release Rate Calculation

2025 LIVE RELEASE RATE: 88.4%

We calculate Live Release Rate using standard shelter outcome methodology:

38 Live Outcomes divided by 43 Total Outcomes (38 Live + 5 Non-Live) = 88.4%

How We Report Outcomes:

  • Live outcomes include adoptions, returns to owner, and transfers to rescue partners.

  • Non-live outcomes include animals who died in care and humane euthanasias.

  • Animals remaining in care at year-end are excluded from outcome percentages until a final outcome occurs.

  • We report euthanasia and deaths in care separately to maintain full transparency.

  • We never euthanize animals to create space.

Financial transparency

The Underdogs Rescue is committed to using donated funds responsibly to support its animal-welfare mission.

Donations directly support the rescue’s ability to provide:

  • Veterinary examinations, diagnostics, medications, surgeries, and emergency care
  • Vaccinations, testing, parasite treatment, monthly preventives, and microchipping
  • Spay/neuter surgery and recovery care
  • Food, litter, crates, cleaning supplies, and foster support
  • Boarding when foster placement is unavailable or medically/behaviorally necessary
  • Transport, adoption promotion, and responsible placement services
  • Essential administrative, insurance, technology, and compliance costs that allow the rescue to operate safely and accountably

Our Form 990-EZ and federal nonprofit documentation are available through appropriate public records and may be provided upon request.

Contact and public records

The Underdogs Rescue welcomes questions from adopters, donors, grantmakers, veterinary partners, foster homes, volunteers, and community members.

For questions about our animal-care standards, adoption process, annual outcomes, foster program, grant eligibility, or partnership opportunities, please get in touch with us through our official website or email:

The Underdogs Rescue Inc.
Email: theunderdogsrescue@gmail.com
Website: www.the-underdogs-rescue.org
EIN: 46-3764760
Federal 501(c)(3) status effective: September 18, 2013