Critter Encounters
Critter encounters is a wildlife rescue and sanctuary, maintaining and caring for native and exotic species. Critter encounters uses these animals as animal ambassadors in educational programs throughout …
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Critter Encounters is a wildlife sanctuary caring for native and exotic species and providing live animal educational programs to the communities within Southern California.In the last year, Critter Encounters Animal Ambassadors did hundreds of events, bringing joy and education to Retirement Facilities, Schools, Girl Scouts, as well as Community & Private events. These programs generated over $130,000 in program services revenue. In addition, Critter Encounters also raised over $8,000 in private individual and corporate donations.
Verified certifications
Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.
Mission
Critter encounters is a wildlife rescue and sanctuary, maintaining and caring for native and exotic species. Critter encounters uses these animals as animal ambassadors in educational programs throughout the community.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 8 similar animal welfare in United StatesRed flags
· All clearWhere every $1 goes
Common questions
· Auto-generated from filings + methodologyCritter Encounters is a registered animal welfare nonprofit based in Ramona, CA, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 2021 and has been operating for 5 years. Its EIN is 872215099. It has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 93/100 (Strong transparency), indicating well-documented governance, financials, and contact details. The organization reports $230K in annual revenue. 15 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.
Critter Encounters has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 93/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 93 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 100% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for animal welfare charities in United States is 92/100.
Critter Encounters is located in Ramona, CA, United States. The organization was established in 2021 and has been active for 5 years.
Based on official tax filings, Critter Encounters has $230K in annual revenue. It allocates 100% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 96% for animal welfare charities in United States. Its revenue is below the peer average of $1M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.
Critter Encounters is classified as a Animal Welfare organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). It has $230K in annual revenue. The organization has 15 disclosed officers and directors.
No red flags have been detected for Critter Encounters. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.
Critter Encounters has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 93/100 (Strong transparency) and no red flags have been detected, which suggests it is a well-documented organization. It is regulated by the IRS. 100% of expenses go to programs. The peer average is 96%. You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research purposes and does not endorse any organization. Always do your own due diligence.
Critter Encounters is a wildlife sanctuary caring for native and exotic species and providing live animal educational programs to the communities within Southern California.In the last year, Critter Encounters Animal Ambassadors did hundreds of events, bringing joy and education to Retirement Facilities, Schools, Girl Scouts, as well as Community & Private events. These programs generated over $130,000 in program services revenue. In addition, Critter Encounters also raised over $8,000 in private individual and corporate donations. Critter Encounters is classified as a animal welfare organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2021.
Among animal welfare charities registered in United States: Critter Encounters's GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 93/100 is in line with the peer average of 92/100. It allocates 100% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 96%. Its annual revenue of $230K is below the peer average of $1M.
Yes, donations to Critter Encounters are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Critter Encounters is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 872215099, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Verified against 5 official sources, last refreshed .
Filing history
4 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
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Tax-deductibility for donors
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.
CRITTER ENCOUNTERS is registered in United States. Donations from the Netherlands to charities outside the EU/EEA are generally not tax-deductible for Dutch donors unless the charity is listed on the Dutch ANBI register with foreign-recognized status.
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Leadership
Officers & trustees (3)
Source: Public filings
Latest news
From global news sources
10 articles found
From global news sources
Sentiment
NeutralWHAT TO DO | ‘The Pillowman,’ Wild Wonders critter show; Celebrate Trails Day - JaxToday
Paws in the Pasture Springtime Critter Egg-stravaganza - fox10tv.com
Ramona Garden Club awards grants to Wildlife Research Institute and Critter Encounters - San Diego Union-Tribune
Critter Control franchise brings humane-focused wildlife removal to California - Pest Management Professional
Kentucky critter encounters: 8 stories of wildlife living among us - Lexington Herald Leader
3 Critter Encounters in Hocking Hills State Park - Ohio Magazine
Woman Orders Fiancé 'Entertainment He Can Touch' for His Bachelor Party (Exclusive) - People.com
Critter Encounters moves to new Ramona location with its 52 animals - San Diego Union-Tribune
Wild Wonders: Critter Encounters At Lake Of The Ozarks That Made 2024 Memorable - LakeExpo.com
CRITTER ENCOUNTERS: RAMONA RESCUE IS HAVEN FOR INJURED AND DISABLED ANIMALS - East County Magazine
Activity timeline
Filings and press mentions, merged
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Other animal welfare in United States, by integrity assessment
Sources and verification
Refreshed
- Registration and legal identity
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
- Financial filings
- IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.
- Officers and trustees
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 15 disclosed in the public registry.
- News and media coverage
- GDELT Project + Google News
- Supplementary verification
- Charity Navigator
Data freshness
What we don't know
Honest gaps - our score reflects transparency, not impact
Methodology
GiveRadar combines public registry filings, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and news archives into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.
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Quick facts about Critter Encounters
- What is Critter Encounters?
- Critter Encounters is a animal welfare publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Ramona, United States. Critter Encounters is a wildlife sanctuary caring for native and exotic species and providing live animal educational programs to the communities within Southern California.In the last year, Critter Encounters Animal Ambassadors did hundreds of events, bringing joy and education to Retirement Facilities, Schools, Girl Scouts, as well as Community & Private events. These programs generated over $130,000 in program services revenue. In addition, Critter Encounters also raised over $8,000 in private individual and corporate donations.
- When was Critter Encounters founded?
- Critter Encounters was founded in 2021.
- Who leads Critter Encounters?
- Andrea Burgan serves as CEO.
- Where is Critter Encounters located?
- Headquartered in Ramona, United States.
- What is Critter Encounters's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $100K-$1M. 100% of expenses go to program services.
- Is Critter Encounters trustworthy?
- Critter Encounters has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 93 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
- What is Critter Encounters's registration number?
- IRS EIN: 872215099.
- What is Critter Encounters's website?
- http://www.critterencounters.org