Reptile Rescue Center

What Reptile Rescue Center does

Reptile Rescue Center (RRC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit reptile rescue and sanctuary founded in May 2009 and headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. The organization operates a three-part mission of Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Education: it accepts surrendered, injured, abused, and neglected reptiles from pet owners, breeders, pet stores, and animal welfare agencies nationwide (subject to in-person transport), provides veterinary-led rehabilitation and quarantine in a separate detached facility, and either adopts animals into screened central Arkansas homes or houses them as permanent sanctuary residents and Animal Ambassadors. A 30-mile adoption radius around Little Rock and structured home-evaluation requirements reflect an animal-welfare-led, conservative placement model rather than a volume-driven one.

The core offering is operational rather than technological: in-house reptile husbandry expertise, a 3-6 month minimum quarantine protocol, custom-built reptile-specific enclosures, and access to ARAV-certified veterinary care through a core partnership with North Hills Animal Hospital (Dr. Marilyn Baeyens, one of only two ARAV-certified vets in Arkansas). Education is delivered through on-site presentations at schools, camps, community groups, and birthday parties, plus live animal displays at fairs, festivals, and expos — these require 60-day advance booking and deposits (50% for programs, 25% for parties).

RRC is funded through a portfolio of diversified streams: tax-deductible individual donations (one-time, monthly, tribute), adoption fees (e.g., $55 for Ball Pythons), in-kind item donations of supplies, animal sponsorship gifts, merchandise sold through Spreadshirt and LaCroixTees (~ $5/item margin), and affiliate/community-commerce programs through eFundraising Online (up to 40% commission) and iGive.com. A small staff (founder/Executive Director Janna Shepherd and Assistant Director Lynn Greenberg) is augmented by a multi-tier volunteer program (Animal Maintenance, Socialization, Limited Service, Internships). No revenue figures, funding rounds, or capital structure are disclosed.

Name

Reptile Rescue Center

Legal name

Reptile Rescue Center

Website

https://reptilerescuecenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Reptile Rescue Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Little Rock, Arkansas, founded May 2009, that rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes surrendered pet reptiles nationwide and delivers reptile education programs to schools, camps, community groups, and events in central Arkansas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sanctuaries & Long-Term Care (Farm, Equine, Exotic) (BPAGAIAH), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK), Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD)

Keywords

• Reptile rescue services
• Animal rehabilitation
• Wildlife education programs
• Nonprofit animal sanctuary
• Pet adoption services

Headquarters

HQ city

Little Rock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: RRC operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization relying on donations to cover care expenses including food, heating/lighting, bedding, and veterinary visits. Donations include one-time, monthly, and tribute donations.
2. Adoption Fees: Adoption fees charged for reptiles placed in new homes, typically around $55 for Ball Pythons.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of Reptile Rescue Center merchandise through Spreadshirt and LaCroixTees. RRC earns approximately $5 per item sold.
4. eFundraising: Earnings from eFundraising Online through magazine subscriptions, Restaurant.com eCertificates, and cookie dough sales. RRC earns up to 40% from sales through their group campaign.
5. iGive.com: Earnings from iGive.com when supporters shop through their account with RRC selected as the cause. Also earns $0.01 per search through the iGive.com toolbar.
6. Item Donations: In-kind donations of reptile supplies and equipment that can be used directly or sold to fund rescue operations.
7. Sponsorships: Sponsorship program allowing supporters to sponsor specific animals at the rescue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Reptile Rescue Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes reptiles in central Arkansas. The organization operates a three-part mission encompassing rescue and adoption services, public education through live animal programs (Animal Ambassadors and educational displays), and community connection via volunteer opportunities, sponsorships, and item donations. It sustains operations through donations, sponsorships, adoption fees, educational program fees, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

Reptile Rescue Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit reptile rescue and sanctuary offering a comprehensive portfolio of services centered on three core missions: Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Education. The core offerings include reptile surrender and intake services accepting animals from owners, animal welfare agencies, pet stores, and breeders; rehabilitation with veterinary care and behavioral support; and reptile adoption placement in central Arkansas homes. Educational Programs feature live Animal Ambassadors at school/camp presentations, birthday parties, community groups, and public event displays. Supporting offerings include a Volunteer Program with Animal Maintenance and Socialization teams, Sponsorship opportunities for rescued animals, an Item Donations program accepting supplies, and a Merchandise Store through partner platforms. Care Sheets and Articles provide educational resources on reptile husbandry and responsible ownership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reptile Rescue and Surrender Services Intake and rehabilitation services for surrendered, abandoned, or otherwise displaced reptiles. Owners contact the organization by phone, email, or in-person visit to surrender reptiles regardless of circumstance; the rescue provides care and rehoming pathways. Service is targeted at reptile owners across central Arkansas who can no longer keep their pets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% success rate switching snakes from live feeding to frozen/thawed prey
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North Hills Animal HospitalcoreOthersNorth Hills Animal Hospital in Sherwood provides professional veterinary medical attention for rescued reptiles. Dr. Marilyn Baeyens and Dr. Amy Hawley are both highly skilled in reptile medicine and have been invaluable for extreme rehab cases.
• Dr. Marilyn BaeyenscoreOthersDr. Marilyn Baeyens serves as the primary veterinarian for RRC and is one of only two vets in Arkansas certified by the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV).
• Dr. Amy HawleyminorOthersDr. Amy Hawley at North Hills Animal Hospital provides veterinary support for rescued reptiles with specialized expertise in reptile medicine.
• Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV)minorOthersProfessional certification body for reptile and amphibian veterinarians. Dr. Baeyens is one of only two vets in Arkansas certified by ARAV.
• SpreadshirtminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline merchandise platform selling Reptile Rescue Center branded merchandise. RRC earns approximately $5 per item sold.
• LaCroixTees.comminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorT-shirt design partner Brett LaCroix creates fun reptile-themed designs with RRC logo. RRC earns $5 from every sale of these t-shirts.
• eFundraising OnlineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFundraising partner offering magazine subscriptions, Restaurant.com eCertificates, and cookie dough sales. RRC earns up to 40% from every sale through their Group Campaign.
• iGive.comminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline shopping portal where RRC receives donations when supporters shop through their account with RRC selected as the cause. Also earns from search queries through the iGive.com toolbar.
• Museum of DiscoveryminorOthersPartnered for educational displays including the Science After Dark event focusing on the Science of Africa.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary: Pennsylvania-based reptile-specific rescue and sanctuary operating a similar surrender-to-adoption pipeline. Closest direct functional peer because both organizations are reptile-only rescues, not generalist animal shelters.
• Phoenix Herpetological Society: Arizona-based reptile and amphibian sanctuary with education programs and adoption services. Comparable in mission scope (rescue, rehab, education) and in offering public-facing reptile experiences similar to RRC's Animal Ambassador model.
• Southeast Reptile Rescue: Nonprofit reptile rescue providing surrender intake, rehabilitation, and rehoming services. Directly comparable operational model to RRC for reptile-only intake and adoption placement.
• Bay Area Amphibian and Reptile Society: Regional herpetological society offering reptile rescue coordination, education, and adoption support. Comparable to RRC's herpetological-society customer segment and education-outreach focus.

Others

• Museum of Discovery: Existing RRC educational partner in Little Rock; comparable as a hands-on STEM education venue with live-animal programming. Relevant adjacent ecosystem peer for collaboration models rather than direct competition.
• Petfinder: Largest online adoption platform connecting shelters, rescues, and adopters. Ecosystem participant rather than competitor; RRC could plausibly use Petfinder to widen its currently hyper-local adoption funnel.

Broad incumbents

• ASPCA: National animal welfare organization with rescue, advocacy, and public-education programs. Comparable as a high-profile 501(c)(3) operating across rescue and education, though not reptile-specialized.
• Best Friends Animal Society: Large national animal welfare nonprofit operating sanctuaries and adoption programs. A broad incumbent in the animal welfare space — overlapping mission with RRC but at vastly greater scale and broader species coverage.
• Humane Society of the United States: Largest U.S. animal welfare organization with advocacy, rescue, and education programs. Overlaps with RRC's mission and public-charity status, but operates at national scale across many species.

Regional players

• Little Rock Zoo: Local zoological park in the same metro as RRC, with reptile exhibits and education programs. Regional peer on the public-facing, live-animal education side rather than the rescue side.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Reptile_Rescue
• Facebookfacebook.com/ReptileRescueCenter
• Pinterestpinterest.com/ReptileRescue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reptile-rescue-center

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Reptile Rescue Center