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Nonprofiteer
← BLUE STAR SERVICE DOGS INC

Form 990 for tax year 2025

Filed by BLUE STAR SERVICE DOGS INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$367,296
Total expenses
$420,243
Contributions and grants received
$365,046
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$1,876
Other revenue
$374
Total assets, end of year
$593,007
Total liabilities, end of year
$219,310
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$373,697
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$280,683
Management and general expenses
$128,512
Fundraising expenses
$11,048
Program service expenses (Part III)
$280,683

Program services were 66.8% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $365,046

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $33,106

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $1,876 · related or exempt $1,876

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $535

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $161

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $374 · related or exempt $374

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 6 · Compensation of disqualified persons

    total $215,933 · program services $117,463 · management and general $98,470

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $17,359 · program services $9,443 · management and general $7,916

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $18,028 · program services $9,807 · management and general $8,221

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $7,500 · program services $2,500 · management and general $5,000

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $7,353 · program services $7,353

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $13,599 · program services $3,263 · fundraising $10,336

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $2,180 · program services $1,643 · management and general $310 · fundraising $227

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $3,429 · program services $1,513 · management and general $1,431 · fundraising $485

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $12,601 · program services $11,476 · management and general $1,125

  • 17 · Travel

    total $7,780 · program services $7,780

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $330 · program services $301 · management and general $29

  • 20 · Interest

    total $7,009 · program services $7,009

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $20,190 · program services $18,432 · management and general $1,758

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $12,044 · program services $9,719 · management and general $2,325

  • 24a · Other expenses: Dog Adoption, Training

    total $62,657 · program services $62,657

  • 24b · Other expenses: Other Expenses

    total $7,067 · program services $5,574 · management and general $1,493

  • 24c · Other expenses: Dues and Subscriptions

    total $4,760 · program services $4,700 · management and general $60

  • 24d · Other expenses: Postage & Shipping

    total $424 · program services $50 · management and general $374

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $124,394 · end of year $106,615

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $161,074 · end of year $112,854

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $6,038 · end of year $5,947

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $15,455 · end of year $17,373

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $469,135

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $120,943

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $368,382 · end of year $348,192

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $2,026

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $15,161 · end of year $1,721

  • 23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

    beginning of year $225,232 · end of year $210,241

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $8,306 · end of year $7,348

  • 29 · Capital stock, trust principal or current funds

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 30 · Paid-in or capital surplus, or land, building or equipment fund

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 31 · Retained earnings, endowment or other funds

    beginning of year $426,644 · end of year $373,697

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

We rescue shelter dogs, start training them in prison housed programs, pair them with military veterans and first responders diagnosed with visible and invisible wounds and continue training them together to be service dogs and qualified handlers. Doing this we are rescuing one to heal another.

Activities or mission (Part I)

We rescue shelter dogs, start training them in prison housed programs, pair them with military veterans and first responders diagnosed with visible and invisible wounds and continue training them together to be service dogs and qualified handlers. Doing this we are rescuing one to heal another.Across all programs, Blue Star Service Dogs continued to support veterans and first responders living with PTSD, TBI, and other invisible injuries, helping them regain independence, strengthen family connections, and navigate civilian life through the healing power of the human-animal bond. All services were provided at no cost to participating veterans and first responders.In 2025, Blue Star Service Dogs achieved accreditation with Assistance Dogs International (ADI), recognizing the organization's adherence to the highest standards of service dog training, ethics, and client support.

  • In 2025, 49 students were approved and enrolled in the Blue Star Service Dogs program. During the onboarding phase, 13 students determined they were unable to commit to the time and training requirements of the program and chose not to move forward before training began.Of the 36 students who progressed into the program, three participants began training and later determined that a service dog was not the appropriate tool for their needs. These decisions were made collaboratively and early in the process to ensure ethical placement and the best long-term outcomes for both the individuals and the dogs.In 2025, Blue Star Service Dogs proudly graduated 14 students, including 11 veterans and 3 first responders, each completing our individualized service dog training program. Graduation timelines reflect individualized pacing, particularly for participants living with PTSD or traumatic brain injury (TBI), to support long-term success. Graduated teams continued to receive follow-up support, training guidance, and access to Blue Star Service Dogs resources to support long-term success.

    Expenses $215,325

  • During the year, Blue Star Service Dogs brought 29 dogs into training, including 24 dogs rescued from shelters across Michigan and 5 dogs entering the program through responsible breeder donations. Five dogs were career-changed and returned to their original shelters after careful evaluation to ensure the best possible outcome for each dog, and all five were adopted into permanent homes within one week of their return.Overall, approximately 83% of dogs brought into training in 2025 successfully remained in the program. This retention rate reflects a thoughtful intake and selection process that prioritizes ethical decision-making and long-term success for both dogs and handlers.Our prison-based training program remained a cornerstone of our work, with 29 dogs actively training inside Michigan correctional facilities. In 2025, 78 incarcerated teammate handlers participated in the program, providing daily care, structure, and foundational obedience and early task training under the guidance and supervision of Blue Star Service Dogs trainers, who visited the facilities weekly to support progress and maintain training standards.In addition to our service dog program, Blue Star Service Dogs continued its long-standing Bay County Animal Control partnership, through which 25 shelter dogs received basic obedience, manners, and confidence-building training to increase adoptability. All of these dogs were successfully adopted into permanent homes.

    Expenses $52,165

  • Throughout 2025, Blue Star Service Dogs expanded its education and outreach efforts, delivering 94 educational presentations and community engagement events, including both in-person and virtual (Zoom) sessions. These presentations addressed service dogs and public etiquette, disability awareness, shelter rescue partnerships, the prison dog training program, and the organization's work supporting veterans and first responders. Programs and outreach activities served communities across Michigan.

    Expenses $13,193

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Andrew Boschma

    TREASURER & DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4

  • Tina Peterson

    PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Brian Ganhs

    VP & DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Modesto De La O

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kevin Thompson

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Mark Jewell

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Laurie Brewis

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Mike Mitchell

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Carie Smith

    SECRETARY & DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2025
Filed
25 June 2026
IRS schema version
2025v4.2
Source object
202611769349301436

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