easel animal rescue league

What easel animal rescue league does

EASEL Animal Rescue League is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates Mercer County, New Jersey's only no-kill animal shelter, founded in 2008 and headquartered at 4 Jake Garzio Drive in Ewing, NJ. The organization delivers a portfolio of animal welfare services across the greater Mercer-Bucks region, including cat and dog adoption, working/barn cat placement, a foster network, a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program for community cat colonies, humane education, behavior training, pet surrender intake, and low-cost veterinary assistance targeted at financially disadvantaged residents, seniors, and veterans. The adoption center is open five days per week, and recurring adoption events are hosted at partner retail locations including Petco, PetSmart, Concord Pet Supplies, Dogs and Cats Rule, Pet Valu, Rosedale Mills, and Bag of Bones Barkery.

EASEL's operating stack is intentionally lean rather than technology-led. Animal records are managed via Shelter Manager software, and the organization promotes Petco Love Lost's third-party image recognition service to help reunite lost pets with owners. There is no proprietary technology platform; operational capacity rests on approximately 14 staff (4 full-time, 10 part-time) supplemented by roughly 100 active volunteers and a foster network.

Revenue is donation-driven, with an annual operating budget of approximately $1 million sourced from adoption fees, individual and corporate donations, grants, fundraising events such as Designer Bag Bingo and Tricky Tray, and designated funds like the Angela States Vet Guardian Fund for emergency veterinary care. EASEL also manages the Ewing Township municipal animal shelter under a contract originally awarded in 2015 and extended in 2017 at approximately $450,000, providing a stable institutional revenue anchor. The organization is currently in a leadership transition, with the Board moving from direct operational management to governance oversight and recruiting a new professional Executive Director in 2024.

Name

easel animal rescue league

Legal name

EASEL Animal Rescue League

Website

https://easelnj.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EASEL Animal Rescue League is a 501(c)(3) no-kill animal shelter in Ewing, New Jersey, serving the greater Mercer-Bucks region with pet adoptions, foster care, TNR, humane education, and low-cost veterinary assistance for low-income residents, seniors, and veterans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare / No-Kill Shelter Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Veterinary Services (541940), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foster & Volunteer Network Programs (BPAGAIAF), Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD)

Keywords

• Animal rescue services
• No-kill shelter operations
• Pet adoption programs
• Trap-neuter-return services
• Community animal welfare

Headquarters

HQ city

Ewing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Adoption Fees: Revenue from pet adoptions including dogs, cats, and working/barn cats
2. Donations and Grants: Individual donations, corporate donor support, and grant funding. Annual budget approximately $1 million, funded through adoption fees, grants, and individual and corporate donor support.
3. Fundraising Events: Events such as Designer Bag Bingo and Tricky Tray fundraisers
4. Special Purpose Funds: The Angela States Vet Guardian Fund provides financial support for significant medical procedures, partially funded through designated donations

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

EASEL Animal Rescue League operates Mercer County's only no-kill animal shelter, rescuing and rehoming dogs and cats (including working/barn cats) across central New Jersey. Its core services include cat and dog adoption, a foster care network, a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program for community cats, humane education, volunteer coordination, low-cost spay/neuter and veterinary assistance for financially disadvantaged residents, behavior training, pet surrender intake, and lost pet reunification support in partnership with Petco Love Lost.

Product overview

EASEL Animal Rescue League operates as a no-kill animal shelter and community welfare organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on animal rescue, adoption, and community education. The core offerings include a Cat and Dog Adoption Program (with Working Cat/Barn Cat placement), a Foster Program, a TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) Program, a Volunteer Program, and a Humane Education Program. These are complemented by support services including Residence Assistance for Low-Income Households (low-cost spay/neuter, microchipping, veterinary care, pet food), Behavior Training for Dogs and Cats, Pet Surrender Services, a Lost Pet Checklist (powered by Petco Love Lost image recognition), and a Pet-Friendly Housing referral resource. The organization also runs donation and fundraising operations via DoJiggy and Bonfire, and maintains an Angela States Vet Guardian Fund for emergency medical cases. All programs collectively serve the mission of reducing unwanted companion animals in Mercer County, NJ.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cat and Dog Adoption Program EASEL's primary adoption service matching rescued dogs and cats with adoptive families. Each adopted animal is spayed/neutered, microchipped, physically examined, health evaluated, behavior assessed, and given age-appropriate vaccinations (including rabies if at least 4 months old). Experienced adoption counselors work with adopters to match pets to lifestyle, home environment, and preferences.
• Foster Program Temporary foster care network placing shelter animals in volunteer homes until permanent adoption. Covers kittens and puppies too young for adoption, animals needing socialization, recovery from illness or injury, and senior pets.
• Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Program Outdoor cat colony management program that traps, vaccinates, spays/neuters, and returns feral cats to their territory. Kittens and socialized adults are made available for adoption. EASEL partners with Forgotten Cats and Dr. Duggan to perform feral cat surgeries and processes 700+ cats per year.
• Humane Education Program Community education initiative promoting responsible pet ownership, spay/neuter, microchipping, safe environments, and sharing no-kill shelter guidelines and animal welfare advocacy with the public.
• Residence Assistance for Low-Income Households Low-cost pet services for financially disadvantaged residents, seniors, and veterans receiving public assistance. Includes spay/neuter vouchers, low-cost microchipping, low-cost veterinary care, and pet food assistance.
• Behavior Training for Dogs and Cats Training services including feline behavior modification counseling and dog obedience training with professional trainers, in-home assessments, and referrals to local training centers.
• Pet Surrender Services By-appointment surrender intake program accepting cats and dogs from Mercer County residents and prior EASEL adopters. Includes alternatives counseling to help owners retain their pets when possible.
• Lost Pet Checklist / Petco Love Lost Partnership Lost pet reunification support leveraging Petco Love Lost's image recognition technology to search a national lost and found pet database. Includes a lost pet checklist and microchip update guidance.
• Volunteer Program Organizational support and animal care volunteer opportunities including fundraising, community outreach, adoption events, dog walking, TNR assistance, transport, grooming, and shelter greeter roles. Roughly 100 active volunteers support the organization.
• Donation and Fundraising Services 501(c)(3) donation collection via the DoJiggy online portal, individual and corporate donations, Bonfire merchandise store, and the Angela States Vet Guardian Fund for emergency medical assistance. Fundraising events include Designer Bag Bingo and Tricky Tray.
• Pet-Friendly Housing Referral Curated list of pet-friendly housing resources in the Mercer-Bucks area, including Apartment Guide, Zillow, Padmapper, and other rental platforms to help adopters find rental housing that accepts pets.
• Pet Tips and Educational Resources Downloadable PDF guides covering kitten introduction, cat supplies, litterbox tips, black cat safety, dog adoption, senior pet care, and seasonal pet safety tips (spring, summer, winter, holiday).
• Working Cat / Barn Cat Adoption Adoption program placing feral or semi-feral cats in barn or outdoor working environments. Provides an alternative to shelter surrender for outdoor cats unsuitable as indoor pets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1,000 animals saved per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Jackson Galaxy ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Strategic partnership with Jackson Galaxy Project focusing on cat welfare and behavioral initiatives. EASEL was recognized by the Jackson Galaxy Project for making great strides in cat care and adoption practices.
• Ewing TownshipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2017Contract awarded to manage Ewing's municipal animal shelter. The organization has gained national recognition as a model for a rescue-driven municipal shelter under this partnership. Contract extended multiple times (2015, 2017).
• Petco Love LostcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership using image recognition technology to help reunite lost pets with their owners through a national database. EASEL promotes this free service to the community.
• Best Friends Animal SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational animal welfare organization partnership providing support and resources for no-kill shelter initiatives.
• BissellminorOthersCorporate sponsor providing support for pet shelter operations and programs.
• Church-DwightminorOthersCorporate sponsor supporting animal welfare programs.
• Forgotten CatsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHandles feral cat surgeries for EASEL's TNR program, helping to reduce feral cat populations in the region.
• PetcomajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost adoption events at Petco Lawrenceville location, providing space for animal adoptions.
• PetSmartmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost adoption events at PetSmart Princeton location, providing retail space for animal adoptions.
• Concord Pet SuppliesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost adoption events at Concord Pet Supplies Princeton location.
• Dogs and Cats RuleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner adoption event location in Princeton, NJ.
• Pet ValuminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost adoption events at Pet Valu East Windsor location.
• Rosedale MillsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost adoption events at Rosedale Mills Pennington location.
• Bag of Bones BarkeryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost adoption events at Bag of Bones Barkery in Hamilton, NJ.
• Dr. DugganmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHandles feral cat surgeries for EASEL's TNR program.
• Pets for PatriotsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner providing pet adoption services to military veterans, helping veterans adopt shelter animals.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center: New Jersey-based no-kill animal welfare organization in Madison, NJ operating adoption, training, and community programs. Comparable as a similarly sized NJ-focused nonprofit animal rescue with municipal partnerships and comprehensive service offerings.
• Animal Welfare Association: Nonprofit animal shelter in Voorhees, NJ serving southern New Jersey with adoption, low-cost veterinary services, and humane education. Directly comparable as a similarly missioned no-kill NJ shelter with veterinary and community programs.
• Burlington County Animal Shelter: County-run animal shelter in Burlington County, NJ. Comparable as a regional municipal shelter operation in New Jersey with similar adoption and animal control service offerings.
• Associated Humane Societies (Newark): New Jersey-based nonprofit operating multiple animal shelters and adoption centers. Comparable as a larger NJ-focused animal welfare organization with adoption, pet care, and community services.
• Mount Pleasant Animal Shelter: Nonprofit no-kill animal shelter in East Hanover, NJ providing adoption, training, and veterinary services. Comparable as a similarly structured NJ no-kill shelter with comprehensive programs.

Broad incumbents

• ASPCA: National animal welfare organization operating shelter and adoption programs. Comparable as a major animal welfare organization focused on rescue, adoption, and anti-cruelty work.
• Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): Largest national animal protection organization. Comparable as a broad animal welfare advocacy organization operating in the same shelter/rescue space, though at a much larger scale.
• Best Friends Animal Society: National no-kill animal welfare organization and EASEL partner. Comparable as a leading national no-kill advocacy organization that partners with and supports local shelters like EASEL.

Others

• Petco Love Lost: National lost pet reunification platform using image recognition. Comparable as a technology partner integrated with EASEL's lost pet services and broader pet care ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Forgotten Cats: Nonprofit organization dedicated to Trap-Neuter-Return and feral cat management. Comparable as a direct TNR program partner providing feral cat surgery services for EASEL's program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChm2x6Ba1pLaX6tK339P4UA
• Facebookfacebook.com/EASELNJ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/easel-animal-rescue-league
• Instagraminstagram.com/easelnj
• Xx.com/easelnj

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 easel animal rescue league