Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$5,458,979

Total expenses

$5,870,389

Contributions and grants received

$5,015,469

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$5,500

Investment income

$432,010

Other revenue

$6,000

Total assets, end of year

$17,027,372

Total liabilities, end of year

$399,469

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$16,627,903

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$4,949,744

Management and general expenses

$219,781

Fundraising expenses

$700,864

Program service expenses (Part III)

$4,949,744

Program services were 84.3% 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.

Mission and programs · 2024

• INCORPORATED IN 1977, DOGS FOR BETTER LIVES (DBL) IS THE OLDEST HEARING DOG TRAINING CENTER IN THE UNITED STATES, AND AMONG ONE OF THE FIRST ASSISTANCE DOG ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD TO BE FULLY ACCREDITED BY ASSISTANCE DOGS INTERNATIONAL (ADI). DBL TRAINERS MUST COMPLETE AN IN-DEPTH THREE-YEAR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM TO BECOME CERTIFIED AS ASSISTANCE DOG TRAINERS. DBL IS UNIQUE IN THAT CERTIFIED TRAINERS BRING THE TRAINED ASSISTANCE DOGS TO THE CLIENTS' HOMES FOR PLACEMENT, ALLOWING FOR CUSTOMIZED ONE-TO-ONE CLIENT TRAINING AND SUPPORT. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION HAS ONE OF THE MOST THOROUGH FOLLOW-UP PROGRAMS IN THE ASSISTANCE DOG SECTOR.IN NOVEMBER 2017, THE NATIONAL NONPROFIT CHANGED ITS NAME FROM DOGS FOR THE DEAF TO DOGS FOR BETTER LIVES TO BETTER ENCOMPASS THE RANGE OF ASSISTANCE DOGS IT TRAINS AND PLACES, WHICH INCLUDES HEARING DOGS, AUTISM ASSISTANCE DOGS, FACILITY DOGS, AND CAREER CHANGE DOGS. DBL TRAINS SHELTER DOGS EVALUATED FOR APPROPRIATE TEMPERAMENT, CONFIDENCE, AND WORK ETHIC AND WITH PURPOSE-BRED DOGS WITHIN ITS OWN BREEDING PROGRAM AND THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH AFFILIATED SERVICE DOG ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, PARTICULARLY GUIDE DOG PROGRAMS. DOGS BEGIN EXTENSIVE TRAINING, WHICH CAN TAKE FOUR TO 6 MONTHS OR LONGER FOR EACH DOG. ONCE TRAINED, DOGS ARE CAREFULLY MATCHED WITH APPLICANTS FROM A WAITING LIST. CERTIFIED TRAINERS TAKE THE DOGS TO THE CLIENTS' HOMES TO TEACH THEM HOW TO MAINTAIN THE DOGS' TRAINING. AFTER PLACEMENT, CLIENTS ARE SUPPORTED FOR THE LIFE OF THE DOGS BY CONDUCTING ONGOING GUIDANCE, AFTERCARE, AND IN PERSON FOLLOW-UP VISITS. DBL DOES NOT REQUIRE FEES OR DEPOSITS THUS DOGS ARE PROVIDED AT NO COST TO THEIR CLIENTS.IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25, DBL LAUNCHED TWO NEW PROGRAMS PUPPY RAISING PROGRAM IN COOPERATION WITH PRISON PET PARTNERSHIP AND THE WASHINGTON CORRECTIONS CENTER FOR WOMEN IN GIG HARBOR. THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, PUPPIES WILL BE RAISED FOR OUR PROGRAM. IN THIS UNIQUE PROGRAM, INCARCERATED HANDLERS RAISE AND TRAIN PUPPIES WHO WILL ONE DAY WORK AS ASSISTANCE DOGS. STAFF TEACHES THE HANDLERS TO WORK WITH THE DOGS USING POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT TRAINING TECHNIQUES AND GENERAL OBEDIENCE SKILLS THAT LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE ASSISTANCE DOG TRAINING AT ONE OF DBL'S TRAINING CAMPUSES. AND THE FROM SHELTER TO SERVICE DOG PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ATLANTA HUMANE SOCIETY IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. DBL WORKS WITH SHELTER STAFF AND FOSTER VOLUNTEERS TO IDENTIFY AND TRAIN SHELTER DOGS WHO MAY BE GOOD CANDIDATES FOR OUR ASSISTANCE DOG PROGRAM WITH THE GOAL OF HELPING MORE PEOPLE AND DOGS IN NEED. DBL MAINTAINED REGULAR CONTACT WITH AND PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR 166 EXISTING CLIENTS AND 78 WAITLIST CLIENTS. DBL RESCUED SIX DOGS FROM SHELTERS; FOUND HOMES FOR FOUR RETURNED SHELTER DOGS; BRED 43 PUPPIES; AND ACQUIRED 22 DOGS THROUGH NETWORKING WITH OTHER SERVICE DOG AGENCIES. THE ORGANIZATION PLACED A TOTAL OF 62 DOGS: FIVE AUTISM ASSISTANCE DOGS, 16 HEARING DOGS, 13 FACILITY DOGS, 22 CAREER CHANGE DOGS, ONE DBL DEMO DOG, FOUR SELECTED BREEDERS, AND ONE DOG WERE TRANSFERRED TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL WORKING DOGS.

  Expenses $3,876,756 · Revenue $5,500

• DBL'S PUBLIC EDUCATION IS PRIMARILY DONE THROUGH SHARING OF DIGITAL ONLINE MEDIA AND PRINTED MATERIALS, INCLUDING ITS MONTHLY ENEWSLETTER, QUARTER IMPACT REPORT, QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, CANINE LISTENER, AND ANNUAL REPORT. REGULARLY, THE ORGANIZATION PRESENTS ON CAMPUS, IN-PERSON, AND VIRTUALLY ONLINE TO SEVERAL DIVERSE AUDIENCES ACROSS THE NATION, DEMONSTRATING HOW THE DOGS ARE TRAINED TO HELP PEOPLE, NEED FOR PUPPY RAISERS AND BREEDER CARETAKERS FOR AN EVER-GROWING BREEDING PROGRAM, AND FURTHER NEED FOR REGIONAL VOLUNTEER LEADERS TO ADVOCATE FOR ITS NATIONAL PROGRAMS.DBL IS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP ITS VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS THROUGH THE LAUNCHING AND GROWTH OF ITS REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARDS (RAB) ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING IN CALIFORNIA, PACIFIC NORTHWEST (OR, WA), TEXAS, SOUTHEAST (GA AND FL), AND NORTHEAST (MA, NJ, NJ, AND VA) REGIONS. THE RABS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING DBL, THROUGH HELPING TO ADVOCATE FOR AND EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION, SHARE POWERFUL IMPACT, AND ENGAGE VOLUNTEERS, AMONG OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. AS A RESULT OF ITS OUTREACH AND CULTIVATION EFFORTS, DBL CONTINUES TO RECEIVE CONSISTENT INCOME FROM BEQUESTS, FOUNDATIONS, COMMUNITY/CLUB ORGANIZATIONS, ALONG WITH CURRENT DONORS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC PLACING THE ORGANIZATION IN THEIR ESTATE PLANS.DBL'S NATIONAL BOARD HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AND DIVERSIFY WITH 21 VOLUNTEER MEMBERS CURRENTLY, INCLUDING 18 REPRESENTATIVES OUTSIDE OF OREGON ACROSS 13 STATES. THE BOARD INCLUDES CLIENTS, VETERINARIANS, AND AN IMPRESSIVE DIVERSIFICATION OF BACKGROUNDS INCLUDING MARKETING, LAW, FINANCE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, MEDICINE, AND HUMAN RESOURCES. COMPANIES REPRESENTED, INCLUDE MICROSOFT, ALASKA AIRLINES, F5, BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM, LITHIA MOTORS, U.S. BANK, GOODRX, TRIMBLE, AND TOYOTA, AMONG OTHERS.

  Expenses $1,072,988

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

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. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

29 October 2025

IRS schema version

2024v5.2

Source object

202513079349301011

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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