Dallas Pets Alive
Dallas Pets Alive is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue founded in 2012 in Dallas, Texas, operating a volunteer-run, foster-based model serving North Texas pet adopters, foster families, and pet owners in crisis. The organization runs adoption programs across the DPA Adoption Container, The Snuggle Spot, and a newly acquired traditional shelter.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersDallas, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Dallas Pets Alive does
Dallas Pets Alive (DPA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization (EIN 46-2768869) founded in 2012 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The organization's mission is to eliminate the killing of companion animals in North Texas, achieved primarily through a volunteer-run, foster-based rescue model targeting healthy and treatable pets at greatest risk of euthanasia. DPA operates a multi-program portfolio including the core Foster and Pet Adoption programs, the PASS (Positive Alternatives to Shelter Surrender) program that keeps pets in homes, the New Digs rehoming service, a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program for community cats, and low-cost veterinary and lost-pet resource hubs. The organization has transformed nearly 27,500 animals' and their families' lives over its first 11 years, with the PASS program alone assisting 8,730 pet owners and keeping 4,040 companion animals out of shelters.
DPA's operational footprint centers on three signature physical assets: the DPA Adoption Container, a 40-foot shipping container adoption facility launched March 2023 at Community Beer Company under a 10-year partnership, featuring matchmaking technology sponsored by Texadia Systems and a retail store; The Snuggle Spot, a cat adoption sanctuary within the Adoption Container launched June 2025; and a traditional brick-and-mortar shelter at 2300 Lone Star Drive gained through the January 2025 merger with the Humane Society of Dallas County (HSDC). Specialized programs include the BARK Dorm (Building Attachment and Resilience K-9) at Gainesville State School and the CATS Dorm (Creating Attachment Through Safety) at McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility, both run in partnership with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. DPA also maintains an operating partnership with Dogs Matter, a pet foster care program for owners in addiction recovery.
DPA generates revenue primarily through individual donations, monthly gifts, workplace giving, foundation grants (The Dallas Foundation $50,000 in June 2025, Petco Love $10,000 in February 2025, Byrne Family Foundation Trust $4,500 in July 2025, Pedigree Foundation and Dallas Foundation in prior years), signature fundraising events (DPA Soirée annual gala, North Texas Giving Day where $100K+ was raised in 2024), merchandise sales, and adoption fees ($100 for adult cats, $150 for kittens). Its technology stack includes integrations with CUDDLY (fundraising platform and container operations), ShelterLuv (adoption applications), Kindful (donation processing), Point (event management), GoodPup (virtual training), 24PetConnect/Petco Love Lost/PawBoost/Pet FBI (lost-and-found services), and Texadia Systems (matchmaking tool). The organization holds Charity Navigator Four-Star rating, Candid/GuideStar Platinum Transparency, CNM Prime 2026, and DCEO Nonprofit Award recognition, and is a Best Friends Animal Society network partner with Founder Leslie Sans appointed to the Best Friends Network Strategy Council in September 2025.
Dallas Pets Alive firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dallas Pets Alive
- Legal name
- Dallas Pets Alive!
- Website
- https://dallaspetsalive.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Dallas Pets Alive is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue founded in 2012 in Dallas, Texas, operating a volunteer-run, foster-based model serving North Texas pet adopters, foster families, and pet owners in crisis. The organization runs adoption programs across the DPA Adoption Container, The Snuggle Spot, and a newly acquired traditional shelter.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dallas Pets Alive industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animal Rescue and Welfare Services
- NAICS
- Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910), Temporary Shelters (624221)
- SIC
- Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB)
Keywords
Where Dallas Pets Alive is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dallas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Dallas Pets Alive business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Primary revenue stream from individual donations, monthly gifts, workplace giving, stock donations, and grants from foundations including The Dallas Foundation ($50,000), Petco Love ($10,000), and Byrne Family Foundation Trust ($4,500)
- Adoption Fees: Fee-based adoptions: $100 for adult cats, $150 for kittens. Spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped included
- Merchandise Sales: Pawsome merch shop at the Adoption Container and online store at shop.dallaspetsalive.org
- Special Events: Signature fundraising events including DPA Soirée annual gala, North Texas Giving Day participation, and benefit concerts at Community Beer Company
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Cat Adoption |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | New Digs Program |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Snuggle Spot Admission |
| Subscription | Monthly | Donation Programs |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
Dallas Pets Alive product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dallas Pets Alive is a volunteer-run, foster-based animal rescue organization that rescues dogs, cats, and other companion animals at greatest risk of euthanasia in North Texas and places them in permanent homes. It operates adoption and foster programs, the innovative Adoption Container physical adoption facility at Community Beer Company, The Snuggle Spot cat sanctuary, and the PASS (Positive Alternatives to Shelter Surrender) program that keeps pets in homes through owner support.
Product overview
Dallas Pets Alive is a volunteer-run, foster-based animal rescue organization operating primarily in North Texas. The organization operates a multi-product service portfolio centered on pet rescue, adoption, and retention programs. Core offerings include the Foster Program and Pet Adoption Program, complemented by innovative initiatives like the DPA! Adoption Container (a 40-foot shipping container facility at Community Beer Company) and The Snuggle Spot (cat adoption sanctuary within the container). The organization provides extensive support services including the PASS program for pet retention, Trap-Neuter-Return for community cats, low-cost veterinary resources, lost pet services, and New Digs rehoming assistance. Specialized programs include the BARK Dorm and CATS Dorm partnerships with juvenile justice facilities. Additional offerings include the FOSTER+ support program, annual DPA! Soirée fundraising gala, and merchandise shop. The organization recently merged with the Humane Society of Dallas County, gaining traditional shelter space for the first time.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PASS (Positive Alternatives to Shelter Surrender): Program to help keep pets in their homes and out of shelters by providing support and alternatives to families considering surrender
- Humane Society of Dallas County (HSDC)
- Dogs Matter
- The Snuggle Spot
- DPA! Adoption Container
- BARK Dorm (Building Attachment and Resilience K-9)
- CATS Dorm (Creating Attachment Through Safety)
- Foster+
- New Digs
- DPA Soirée
Products and services
- DPA! Adoption Container A 40-foot shipping container adoption facility located at Community Beer Company that serves as a creative retail-style space for pet adoptions, featuring a rooftop for private events, retail store, matchmaking technology for matching patrons with foster pets, and bar space. Open Thursday-Sunday.
- The Snuggle Spot A cat adoption area within the DPA Adoption Container that provides a hands-on sanctuary where adoptable cats and kittens can interact with potential adopters through cuddling, playing, and matchmaking events. Free admission, open Thursday-Saturday 12:30-4:30 PM, limited to 3-4 visitors at a time.
- Pet Adoption Program Foster-based rescue and adoption services for dogs, cats, and other companion animals at greatest risk of euthanasia in North Texas shelters. Operating since 2012 with adoption fees of $100 adult cats and $150 kittens, inclusive of spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchip, and GoodPup virtual training perks.
- Foster Program Temporary in-home pet care program enabling volunteers to provide shelter, recovery, training, and socialization for rescue animals until permanent adoption. The number of animals DPA can save depends entirely on the number of foster homes available.
- PASS (Positive Alternatives to Shelter Surrender) Program providing alternatives to shelter surrender by helping pet owners experiencing housing, addiction, financial, or transitional crises keep their pets or find temporary foster care. Includes medical assistance, food pantries, low-cost vet care connections, training support, and rehoming assistance.
- BARK Dorm Program Building Attachment and Resilience K-9 program in partnership with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department at Gainesville State School, pairing incarcerated youth with dogs in temporary foster care from Dogs Matter and PASS. In its first 12 months, the program enrolled 20 dogs.
- CATS Dorm Program Creating Attachment Through Safety program at McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility pairing young women with cats awaiting adoption or owner reunification. Run in partnership with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
- Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Program Community cat management program providing humane trapping, spay/neuter services, vaccinations, and return of feral cats to their outdoor locations to prevent overpopulation, supported by Alley Cat Allies resources.
- New Digs Pet rehoming program helping owners who can no longer keep their pets find new loving homes in North Texas while bypassing risky shelter surrenders. No adoption fee is charged; donations are encouraged to support the lifesaving mission.
- DPA! Merchandise Shop Online shop selling DPA branded merchandise including clothing and accessories with proceeds supporting rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming efforts; also available in-person inside the Adoption Container.
- DPA! Soirée Annual Fundraising Gala Annual signature fundraising gala celebrating rescue, transformation, and community impact. Features entertainment, auctions, and life-saving story celebrations. Held at venues like The Hall on Dragon with approximately 350 seats.
Quantifiable outcome
- 27,500 animals transformed with their families since 2012
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Dallas Pets Alive
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dallas Pets Alive technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Feature3 records
Dallas Pets Alive partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Humane Society of Dallas County (HSDC)coreTransformational merger bringing HSDC under DPA umbrella in January 2025. HSDC has served Dallas County for over 40 years as a dog and cat shelter. Provides DPA's first traditional shelter space, enabling hands-on volunteer experiences and expanded adoption capacity.
- Texadia SystemscoreSponsored innovative matchmaking tool for North Texas Giving Day prize, then went above and beyond to ensure DPA's Adoption Container had optimal technology. Tool allows patrons to search and be matched with foster pets that cannot attend events, increasing exposure for shelter animals.
- Community Beer Company (CBC)core10-year partnership creating the DPA Adoption Container - a 40-foot shipping container adoption space at CBC's brewery. Features outside bar for CBC, retail store, matchmaking technology, and event space. Grand opening March 2023. Community Beer Company's motto 'Beer for the Greater Good' aligns with DPA's rescue mission.
- Dogs MattercorePartnership for BARK Dorm (Building Attachment and Resilience K-9) program at Gainesville State School. Dogs Matter provides dogs in need of temporary foster care while owners are in treatment. DPA facilitates placement through PASS program. Dogs Matter founder Stephen Knight named 2024 CNN Hero of the Year.
- Texas Juvenile Justice DepartmentcorePartnership providing BARK Dorm and CATS Dorm (Creating Attachment Through Safety) programs at state juvenile facilities. Incarcerated youth earn opportunity to care for rescue animals, learning responsibility, patience, and life skills while animals receive temporary homes.
- Best Friends Animal SocietymajorBest Friends Network partner - coalition of 5,500+ partners nationwide. DPA Founder Leslie Sans appointed to Best Friends Network Strategy Council in September 2025. Provides national platform, resources, mentorship, and innovation sharing for no-kill mission.
- CUDDLYmajorPowers the DPA Adoption Container and provides wishlist donations for pet families. Donates pet food for DFW Pets Are Family events. Platform for ongoing support to keep pets in homes across North Texas.
- Alley Cat AlliesminorProvides resources for care of community cats and Trap-Neuter-Return programs referenced in DPA's community cat education materials.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Dallas Pets Alive competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SPCA of Texas: Major DFW animal welfare nonprofit operating shelters, adoption, foster, and rescue programs. DPA directly competes for adopters, fosters, donors, and grant funding in the same North Texas geography.
- Austin Pets Alive!: Parent-mission foster-based rescue model from which DPA was conceptually spun out; operates the same foster-centric, no-kill, major-medical rescue playbook at scale in Austin.
- Humane Society of North Texas: Fort Worth-based traditional animal shelter offering adoption, low-cost spay/neuter, and rescue services referenced as a partner in DPA's resource hub. Direct competitor for North Texas donors and adopters.
- Operation Kindness: DFW-based no-kill animal shelter providing adoption, veterinary, and foster services. Comparable in scope to DPA's traditional shelter operations post-HSDC merger.
Broad incumbents
- Best Friends Animal Society: National no-kill umbrella organization operating the 5,500+ partner network that DPA belongs to. Broader national mission with advocacy, shelter operations, and sanctuary programs spanning every state.
- ASPCA: Largest U.S. animal welfare organization with national rescue, advocacy, and shelter programs. Indirectly competes for nationwide donor dollars and sets much of the industry standards DPA adheres to.
- Humane Society of the United States: National animal welfare policy and rescue organization. Overlaps with DPA's mission on policy advocacy, shelter rescue partnerships, and major donor cultivation at the national level.
Others
- Petco Love: National nonprofit investor (~$410M deployed since 1999) that grants funding to local rescues including DPA. Functions as a major funding source and ecosystem enabler for organizations of DPA's profile.
- Maddie's Fund: Family foundation that invests in no-kill shelter and rescue innovation across the country. DPA displays Maddie's Fund as a funder/credibility partner, indicating direct financial backing and ecosystem relevance.
- PetSmart Charities: National pet welfare foundation funding adoptions, spay/neuter, and disaster response. Competes for similar grant pools as the funders DPA taps (Petco Love, Maddie's).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dallas Pets Alive social profiles
Digital presenceDallas Pets Alive compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Dallas Pets Alive financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dallas Pets Alive leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Dallas Pets Alive subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Dallas Pets Alive funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dallas Pets Alive M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dallas Pets Alive
What does Dallas Pets Alive do?
Dallas Pets Alive is a volunteer-run, foster-based animal rescue organization that rescues dogs, cats, and other companion animals at greatest risk of euthanasia in North Texas and places them in permanent homes. It operates adoption and foster programs, the innovative Adoption Container physical adoption facility at Community Beer Company, The Snuggle Spot cat sanctuary, and the PASS (Positive Alternatives to Shelter Surrender) program that keeps pets in homes through owner support.
Is Dallas Pets Alive a public or private company?
Dallas Pets Alive is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Dallas Pets Alive founded?
Dallas Pets Alive was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Dallas Pets Alive based?
Dallas Pets Alive is headquartered in Dallas, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dallas Pets Alive make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are adoption Fees, merchandise Sales and special Events.
Who are Dallas Pets Alive's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SPCA of Texas, Austin Pets Alive!, Humane Society of North Texas and Operation Kindness. Broad incumbents are Best Friends Animal Society, ASPCA and Humane Society of the United States. Others are Petco Love, Maddie's Fund and PetSmart Charities.
Does Dallas Pets Alive have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dallas Pets Alive.
What industry is Dallas Pets Alive in?
Dallas Pets Alive's product category is Animal Rescue and Welfare Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAIAA, Animal Shelters & Adoption Services, with a secondary code of AFAEALAB, Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations. Its NAICS code is 812910 and its SIC code is 7340.