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THE ARIZONA ANIMAL WELFARE LEAGUE
PHOENIX, AZ · EIN 237149453 · Form 990 · FY2021 · NTEE D200 · Animal-Related · Medium ($1M-$10M) · www.aawl.org
revenue
$6.3M
expenses
$5.5M
net assets
$20.5M
employees
136
volunteers
450
program ratio
82%
mission · from form 990

TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT CARE, PROTECTION, AND LOVING COMPASSION FOR THE LIFE OF THE ANIMALS ENTRUSTED TO US AND TO TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN PROMOTING HUMANE VALUES FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL ANIMALS AND PEOPLE.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Arizona Animal Welfare League (AAWL) is the largest and oldest no-kill animal shelter in Arizona. It rescues, rehabilitates, and re-homes over 4,000 abandoned or surrendered dogs and cats annually, primarily from other Maricopa County shelters. AAWL also provides low-cost veterinary services, dog training, and community outreach programs to support pet owners.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2021

what they reported doing

Program narrative the organization filed with the IRS. Ordered by program spending.

  1. #1 primary $455K
    AAWL'S MD PETCARE IS A LOW-COST VETERINARY CLINIC TO HELP THOSE THAT CANNOT AFFORD THE HIGH COST OF MEDICAL CARE FOR THEIR PET(S). BY HELPING LOW-INCOME PET OWNERS ACCESS VETERINARY CARE, WE HELP KEEP ANIMALS OUT OF THE SHELTER SYSTEM AND IN THEIR HOMES WHERE THEY BELONG. AAWL ALSO OFFERS MONTHLY LOW-COST VACCINE AND MICROCHIP CLINICS BOTH ON-SITE AT OUR MAIN SHELTER AND OFF-SITE IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT MARICOPA COUNTY.
  2. #2 $124K
    AAWL/SPCA OFFERS HUMANE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING CAMPS FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES DURING SCHOOL BREAK. CAMPS COVER TOPICS SUCH AS ANIMAL ADVOCACY, VET SCIENCES, AND RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP AND ARE INTENDED TO INSPIRE YOUNGSTERS TO PURSUE ANIMAL MEDICAL CAREERS. OUR STAFF ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH SCHOOLS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES NEAR THE AAWL MAIN SHELTER IN CENTRAL CITY PHOENIX, OFFERING FREE WORKSHOPS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND VOLUNTEER TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS.
named programs · 9 · from sources

what they call their work

Adoption Services
Rescues, rehabilitates, and re-homes dogs and cats, ensuring they are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, micro-chipped, and medically/behaviorally evaluated. Includes an "Adoption Support Coordinator" for post-adoption assistance.
Adoption Support Program
Year-long follow-up support for adopters provided by a full-time Adoption Support Coordinator to ease the transition for pets and families
Community Clinic
Low-cost veterinary clinic providing vaccines, wellness care, and preventative services to pet owners in underserved communities, particularly in East Maryvale and Central City Phoenix
Dog Training Classes
Training programs including private sessions and specialized classes like Feisty Fido for dogs needing behavior support
Foster Care Network
Network of approximately 90 foster families providing temporary care for puppies, kittens, and animals recovering from medical procedures or needing socialization
Foster Parent Network
Network of families providing temporary care and shelter for puppies, kittens, and animals recovering from medical procedures or needing socialization.
Mobile Vaccine Clinics
Mobile wellness and preventative care clinics held in schools and community centers in veterinary desert areas like East Maryvale
Rural Rescue
Program to transport vulnerable animals from rural areas to AAWL for a second chance at adoption.
Slumber Party Program
Innovative adoption program allowing potential adopters to take animals home for a trial period to ensure a good match with their lifestyle
activities · 7 groups

what they do

  • Dog Foster Care & Adoption 15 activities
    • Adoption support and matching services
      Offers one-on-one adoption counseling, a slumber party program for temporary home trials, and lifelong post-adoption support through a dedicated Adoption Support Coordinator to ensure successful pet placements.
    • Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation
      Rescues, rehabilitates, and re-homes over 4,000 dogs and cats annually, providing medical care, microchipping, vaccinations, and behavioral support to incoming animals. The shelter has capacity for 140 cats and 190 dogs.
    • Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation
      Rescues, rehabilitates, and re-homes over 4,000 dogs and cats annually, providing medical care, microchipping, vaccinations, and behavioral support to incoming animals. The shelter has capacity for 140 cats and 190 dogs.
    • Animal Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Rehoming
      Rescues, rehabilitates, and re-homes over 4,000 dogs and cats annually, providing medical care, behavioral support, and adoption services through its no-kill shelter and adoption centers in Phoenix and Chandler, Arizona.
    • Community Education and Pet Retention Support
      Offers free online training guides to help pet owners build strong bonds and support good behavior, and provides resources to help pets remain in or return to their homes, reducing shelter intake.
    • Community Pet Retention Support
      Provides resources to help pets remain in or return to their homes, reducing shelter intake, and offers free online training guides to help pet owners build strong bonds and support good behavior.
    • Community Pet Retention Support
      Provides resources to help pets remain in or return to their homes, reducing shelter intake, and offers ongoing post-adoption support including follow-up and assistance with behavioral and other pet-related questions.
    • Community education and pet owner resources
      Provides free online training guides, wellness care access, and resources to help pet owners maintain strong bonds with their pets and prevent shelter intake.
    • Foster Program
      Operates a foster network of approximately 90 families who provide temporary care for young, recovering, or socially developing animals, supporting their well-being and reducing shelter intake.
    • Foster Program
      Operates a foster network of approximately 90 families that provides temporary care for young, recovering, or socially developing animals, supporting their well-being and reducing shelter intake.
    • Foster Program Operation
      Operates a foster network of approximately 90 families to provide temporary care for young, recovering, or socially developing animals, and offers a "slumber party" program for potential adopters to host animals.
    • Foster care program for animals
      Operates a foster network of approximately 90 families who provide temporary care for young, recovering, or socially developing animals, supporting shelter capacity and animal well-being.
    • Post-Adoption Support
      Offers ongoing post-adoption support through a full-time Adoption Support Coordinator, including follow-up during the first year and lifelong assistance with behavioral and other pet-related questions.
    • Post-Adoption Support
      Provides ongoing post-adoption support through a full-time Adoption Support Coordinator, offering follow-up during the first year and lifelong assistance with behavioral and other pet-related questions.
    • Rescue, rehabilitation, and re-homing of animals
      Rescues, rehabilitates, and re-homes more than 4,000 dogs and cats annually through direct intake and Rural Rescue transport operations, including medical and behavioral care prior to adoption.
  • Lost Pet Recovery & Reunification 4 activities
    • Community Alerts for Missing Pets
      Issues community alerts about scams targeting families of missing pets.
    • Community Alerts for Missing Pets
      Issues community alerts about scams targeting families of missing pets.
    • Community Alerts for Missing Pets
      Issues community alerts about scams targeting families of missing pets.
    • Stray animal intake referral and community alert system
      Refers individuals to partner agencies for stray animal intake and issues community alerts about scams targeting families of missing pets.
  • Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Services 3 activities
    • Low-Cost Veterinary Services
      Operates a low-cost veterinary clinic that provides spaying/neutering, microchipping, vaccinations, medical treatments, and surgeries. In 2025, the clinic performed 2,882 surgeries and provided vaccines and wellness care to nearly 4,000 pets in underserved communities.
    • Low-Cost Veterinary Services
      Operates a low-cost veterinary clinic providing spaying/neutering, microchipping, vaccinations, and wellness care to pets, including nearly 4,000 pets in underserved communities in Phoenix.
    • Low-Cost Veterinary Services
      Operates a low-cost veterinary clinic that provides spaying/neutering, microchipping, vaccinations, medical treatments, surgeries, and behavioral evaluations for animals. In 2025, the organization performed 2,882 surgeries and provided vaccines and wellness care to nearly 4,000 pets in underserved communities.
  • Animal Transport & Logistics Coordination 3 activities
    • Rural Animal Transport Program
      Conducts Rural Rescue trips to transport animals from partner organizations, with 76 trips transporting 754 animals in 2025.
    • Rural Animal Transport Program
      Conducts Rural Rescue trips, transporting animals from partner organizations, with 76 trips and 754 animals transported in 2025.
    • Rural Rescue Transport
      Conducts Rural Rescue trips to transport animals from partner organizations, with 76 trips transporting 754 animals in 2025.
  • Animal Rescue Fundraising Events & Merchandise 1 activity
    • Fundraising through branded initiatives
      Raises funds for animal welfare programs through a custom beer collaboration with Turnout Beverage and raffle ticket sales for pet feature opportunities on beer cans.
  • Adoption Events & Meet-and-Greets 1 activity
    • Special adoption events and partnerships
      Hosts pop-up adoption events in partnership with organizations like PetSmart Charities during National Adoption Week to increase pet placements.
  • Uncategorized 6 activities
    • Community Education and Training
      Offers free online training guides to help pet owners build strong bonds with their pets and support good behavior.
    • Low-cost veterinary and wellness services
      Provides low-cost veterinary care including spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations, microchipping, flea and tick treatment, and medical treatments through a dedicated clinic, serving both shelter animals and pets in underserved communities.
    • Operation of no-kill shelters and adoption centers
      Operates multiple no-kill adoption facilities including the Sonia Breslow Adoption Center in Phoenix and the PetMatch Adoption Center in Chandler, providing public access to adoption services six days per week.
    • Pet Adoption Services
      Operates the Sonia Breslow Adoption Center and the PetMatch Adoption Center, providing public access to adoption services six days a week. This includes hosting pop-up adoption events, offering one-on-one counseling, and a slumber party program for potential adopters.
    • Pet Adoption Services
      Operates the Sonia Breslow Adoption Center and the PetMatch Adoption Center, providing public access to adoption services six days a week. This includes hosting pop-up adoption events, offering one-on-one counseling, and a slumber party program for potential adopters.
    • Volunteer engagement
      Relies on volunteers to support daily shelter operations and animal care.
financials · form 990 · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$6.26M
Contributions & grants$4.49M72%
Program service revenue$1.25M20%
Investment income$458K7%
Other revenue$69K
expenses
Total expenses$5.47M
Program expenses82%
Admin / overhead7%
Fundraising12%
Salaries & benefits$2.91M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$20.72M
Cash$4.09M
Investments$5.37M
Liabilities$180K
Net assets$20.54M
Liquid reserves20.8 mo
2 years on record · 2020–2021 · YoY revenue +9.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
ALESSANDRA S NAVIDAD PRESIDENT/CEO 40 $112K
JUDITH GARDNER PRESIDENT/CEO (THRU APRIL 2021) 40 $49K
board members · 10
  • AMRITA SAHASRABUDHE — BOARD MEMBER
  • ASHLEY ST THOMAS — BOARD MEMBER
  • DIANE LIBERMAN — BOARD MEMBER
  • ERIKA FERRIN — SECRETARY
  • JENNIFER AXEL — BOARD MEMBER
  • KAREN JOHNSON PHD — BOARD MEMBER
  • KENNY FARRELL — CHAIR
  • KYLE PASKEY — BOARD MEMBER
  • PAM EGGERT — VICE CHAIR
  • ROBERT ABRAMSON — TREASURER
relationships · 10

who they work with

  • 12 Rural Rescue partners Partner — Collaborates with 12 rural rescue partners to transport vulnerable animals to AAWL.
  • Arizona Humane Society Partner — Referral partner for stray animal intake and collaborator on community scam alerts
  • Arizona Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Partner — Merged with AAWL in 2007, forming AAWL & SPCA; legally part of the organization though no longer used in public branding.
  • Maricopa County Animal Care & Control Partner — Referral partner for stray animal intake
  • PetSmart Charities Partner — Partnered to host a pop-up pet adoption event during National Adoption Week 2025.
  • The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation Funder — Provided a $500,000 grant to support AAWL's community-based veterinary care programs.
  • The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation Funder — Provided a major grant to expand lifesaving community programs for Arizona animal shelters, including AAWL.
  • Turnout Beverage Partner — Collaborates on a recurring beer can campaign featuring adoptable pets, previously known as Walter Station Brewery.
  • Turnout Beverage Partner — Collaborates with AAWL on the Ale Wagger beer can project, formerly known as Walter Station Brewery.
  • home-home.org Partner — Partners with home-home.org to list foster opportunities for animals in need.