DEFENDERS OF ANIMAL RIGHTS, INC.

14412 Old York Road, PO Box 25; Phoenix, MD 21131

About Us

What Defenders Is About

Your Kindness Matters

Sad Puppies

A Man And His Dog

Humane Education

Who We Are

Identifying Our Goals

Our Strategy & Capacity

Making Progress

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WISH LIST

NEWSLETTER

Available Animals

Adoptions

Spay & Neuter

Driving Directions

Financial Information

Policies

WHISTLE-BLOWER POLICY

            It is the policy of Defenders of Animal Rights, Inc., that it has zero tolerance for any dishonest or fraudulent acts.  Every employee must report to the president any misleading, deceitful, or dishonest behavior of any co-worker or supervisor.  Any misleading, deceitful, or dishonest behavior on the part of management must be reported to the shelter’s attorney for further investigation.

 

            The shelter coordinator is charged with making sure time sheets are accurately completed.  The coordinator must correct any discrepancies, censure the person or persons responsible, and report any incidents to the president. 

 
NO RETALIATION 

            Employees will be subject to disciplinary action including termination if they harass or otherwise retaliate against any employee who has reported, in good faith, any dishonest act. 

 
CONFIDENTIALITY
           
Suspected violations may be presented anonymously or on a confidential basis.  The whistle-blower’s confidentiality will be protected to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation. 
 
PROTECTION AGAINST MALICIOUS ACCUSATIONS

            Anyone filing a complaint about a violation must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation.  Allegations that prove to be unsubstantiated and prove to have been made maliciously and/or falsely will be subject to disciplinary action including termination.

           


CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY

 

          No Director, Officer, or Employee may use the organization, its donor list, customers, or clients as a means of achieving monetary or personal gain. 

 

          The awarding of Defenders’ business to any Officer, Director, or Employee or relatives of any Officer, Director, or Employee is strictly prohibited. 

 

          No member of the Board of Directors may be related to any other Board member. 

 

          Given the wide variances in practices, policies, and procedures among animal groups, employees of Defenders of Animal Rights may not volunteer or work for any other animal-related charity. 

 

Every year, each Board member signs a “Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form.”

 

 


                                                      PRIVACY POLICY

          Defenders of Animal Rights, Inc., is committed to protecting the privacy of its contributors and adoptive families.  It is the policy of this organization that we do not sell, trade, or share a donor’s personal information with anyone else, nor do we send donor mailings on behalf of other organizations.  
          
        
The text, photographs, and any other materials present in our publications or
website are the property of Defenders of Animal Rights, Inc.

RECORD-KEEPING POLICY

 

            Our standard policy is that we will retain these items as follows:

 

                        Donation envelopes for three years

                        Payroll records, bank-related statements, and credit card receipts indefinitely

                        Adoption records for no more than eight years

                        Invoices, eight to ten years, as space permits

 

           All confidential information, including the above-mentioned documents, is kept under lock and key.  It is shredded when no longer needed.

 

          Donor records remain confidential, and we repeatedly state this in our publications.  This is our firm and unwavering commitment to our contributors.

 

          Employees sign a Confidentiality Agreement as a condition of employment.


                                                       AUDITING COMMITTEE

                The Board acts as an auditing committee between management and the Certified Public Accountant.  The Board reviews the financial statements and approves the budget.  Board members are part of the decision-making process on how the money is spent.  Any major expenditure outside the scope of the normal operating budget is voted on by the Board.  Board members are able to inspect all records at any time and contact the Certified Public Accountant with any concerns or questions they might have.


"The scales of justice must be equal for all God's creatures."

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