Toby's Foundation

What Toby's Foundation does

Toby's Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation organized under California law and founded in 2004 by Pamela Douglas, J.D., following the diagnosis of her Australian Shepherd, Toby, with canine epilepsy. The organization's mission is to support research toward a genetic marker and screening test for canine epilepsy in Australian Shepherds, while providing education, resources, and community support to owners and breeders of affected dogs. It operates from a volunteer-led P.O. Box mailing address in Laguna Niguel, California, and is supported by a small Board of Directors that includes Margie Sterioff.

The foundation's core operational activities are (1) facilitating collection of blood/DNA samples from affected and unaffected Australian Shepherds — holding what it describes as the world's largest breed-specific sample database at over 1,000 samples — and (2) co-sponsoring research grants at academic institutions including the University of Minnesota (Dr. Ned Patterson), North Carolina State University (Dr. Karen Munana), Colorado State University (Dr. Stephanie McGrath), Auburn University (Dr. Dawn Merton Boothe), Royal Veterinary College (Dr. Holger Volk), Cornell University (Dr. Philippa Johnson), and the University of Helsinki / Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics (Dr. Hannes Lohi). It also co-sponsors through intermediary funders including the AKC Canine Health Foundation and Morris Animal Foundation. Research co-sponsored by the foundation has identified three chromosome areas potentially related to canine epilepsy in the breed.

The foundation's revenue is derived entirely from tax-deductible donations collected via PayPal and mailed checks. Outreach to its target community of Australian Shepherd owners, breeders, rescue groups, and breed-club members is conducted through a multi-channel approach: the tobysfoundation.org website, the long-running AussiE-Update newsletter (86+ editions since 2007), social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram, recurring advertisements in the Australian Shepherd Journal and Aussie Times, and on-site presence at ASCA Nationals, USASA events, the American Epilepsy Society annual meeting, and the Tufts Canine Genetics Conference. The organization also maintains the "Aussie Album," a memorial photo collection for affected dogs, and educational resources including articles, brochures, and "Murphy's Diary." It collaborates strategically with the Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute (ASHGI), the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC), and the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) and United States Australian Shepherd Association (USASA).

Name

Toby's Foundation

Legal name

Toby's Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://tobysfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Toby's Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that supports canine epilepsy research and education for Australian Shepherds. It funds academic genetic studies, maintains the world's largest breed DNA sample database (1,000+), and serves Aussie owners, breeders, and rescue groups via donations and community outreach.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Health Nonprofit / Canine Disease Research

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAIAG

Animal Cruelty Prevention, Investigation & Humane Law Enforcement

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Animal Welfare & Wildlife Rescue

Keywords

• Canine epilepsy research
• Animal health nonprofit
• Breed health advocacy
• Veterinary research funding
• Canine genetic research

Headquarters

HQ city

Laguna Niguel

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, breeders, and supporters of canine epilepsy research. Donors can give via PayPal online or mail checks to the foundation's P.O. Box in Laguna Niguel, CA.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Toby's Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that supports canine epilepsy research, education, and resources specifically for Australian Shepherds. It collects blood/DNA samples from affected and unaffected dogs, co-sponsors research grants with universities to find genetic markers and develop screening tests, and provides educational resources, newsletters, and community support for affected dog owners and breeders.

Product overview

Toby's Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established in 2004 dedicated to fighting canine epilepsy in Australian Shepherds. The foundation provides educational resources and support services including the Aussie-Update Newsletter, a blood sample collection program for research, the Aussie Album memorial collection, and co-sponsors multiple Canine Health Foundation research grants. The organization focuses on finding gene markers and developing screening tests for canine epilepsy while providing resources and community support for affected dog owners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AussiE-Update Newsletter: The organization's newsletter providing research updates, donor news, and epilepsy awareness information to supporters.

Products and services

• Blood Sample Collection Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1000 Australian Shepherd blood samples collected for genetic research
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• University of Minnesota (Dr. Ned Patterson)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Primary research partner conducting gene identification studies for Australian Shepherd epilepsy. Toby's Foundation co-sponsors CHF grant #01615 with $25,000 for 'Identification of Idiopathic Epilepsy Genes in Australian Shepherds.'
• Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute (ASHGI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Collaboration with ASHGI on joint ads, information sharing, and breed health initiatives. ASHGI helps coordinate blood sample collection at national specialties.
• Royal Veterinary College, University of London (Dr. Holger Andreas Volk)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored research on MCT ketogenic supplement for drug-resistant canine epilepsy and its behavioral comorbidities.
• University of Helsinki and Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics (Dr. Hannes Lohi)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration on canine epilepsy genetics across multiple breeds including Australian Shepherds.
• North Carolina State University (Dr. Karen Munana)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner studying pharmacokinetics of anti-epileptic drugs in dogs, including levetiracetam studies.
• Colorado State University (Dr. Stephanie McGrath)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner conducting CBD dosage studies for canine idiopathic epilepsy.
• Cornell University (Dr. Philippa Johnson)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner studying microstructural myelin and axonal damage in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy using diffusion MRI.
• Canine Health Information Center (CHIC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEncourages dog owners to submit blood/DNA samples to CHIC's DNA repository for storage and researcher access.
• Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary breed club where Toby's Foundation runs advertisements in Aussie Times magazine and participates in ASCA National Specialty events for blood sample collection.
• United States Australian Shepherd Association (USASA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational breed organization where Toby's Foundation advertises in the USASA Journal and participates in national specialty events.
• Auburn University (Dr. Dawn Merton Boothe)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner conducting pharmacokinetics studies on extended-release anticonvulsants for dogs with epilepsy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Canine Health Information Center (CHIC): Program maintaining DNA repository and breed-specific health screening databases. Toby's Foundation explicitly directs owners to submit samples to CHIC; CHIC is a direct infrastructure peer for canine genetic health data.
• Golden Retriever Foundation: Breed-specific nonprofit funding health and genetics research for Golden Retrievers, including epilepsy. Highly comparable operating model (small volunteer nonprofit, donor-funded, breed-restricted scope, university research grants).
• Border Collie Society of America Health Foundation: Breed-club-affiliated health research effort focused on Border Collie genetic diseases including epilepsy. Comparable in being a small, breed-specific, donation-supported research foundation channeling grants to university researchers.
• Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute (ASHGI): Breed-specific nonprofit dedicated to Australian Shepherd health and genetics, including epilepsy. Direct peer in mission scope and donor constituency; the two organizations actively collaborate on joint ads and blood sample collection at national specialties.

Others

• Embark Veterinary: Direct-to-consumer canine DNA testing company that screens for numerous breed-specific genetic disease markers. Not a nonprofit peer but a relevant commercialization and data-collection comparator for the genetic screening endpoint Toby's Foundation is working toward.
• University of California Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory: Commercial veterinary genetics lab offering breed-specific genetic tests. Not a peer nonprofit but a likely commercialization channel for any screening test Toby's Foundation research helps develop.

Emerging players

• Epilepsy Foundation: Major nonprofit dedicated to epilepsy research and education, primarily human-focused. Indirectly comparable as a research-funding and patient-education nonprofit; a potential partner or model for translational impact messaging.

Broad incumbents

• Morris Animal Foundation: Large nonprofit animal health research foundation funding studies across species including canine epilepsy (e.g., Dr. Dawn Merton Boothe's Keppra work). Comparable as a co-funding partner and grant administrator for canine disease research at universities.
• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA): Long-established nonprofit that maintains canine health databases and screening registries. Comparable as a canine health data infrastructure provider; a natural channel partner if Toby's Foundation eventually delivers a genetic screening test for epilepsy.
• AKC Canine Health Foundation: Major nonprofit that funds scientific research on health issues affecting all dog breeds, including epilepsy. Directly comparable as a grantmaking foundation co-sponsoring canine epilepsy research with universities, but with a much broader breed and disease mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/tobysfoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/tobysfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/tobysfoundation
• Pinterestpinterest.com/tobysfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tobys-foundation-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Toby's Foundation