Animal Welfare Professionals

We are in the process of creating a new nonprofit animal rescue in GA.  While we have volunteered & fostered for many county shelters and rescues; we've never actually been responsible for an entire animal rescue organization. 

We want to do everything in our power to start off correctly. Looking to find out the necessary insurance we need to carry initially and long term and the milestones along the way. (For example: one type of insurance might not be needed if only two primary rescue volunteers are fostering but might be needed when we grow to have X number of fosters.)

A little more about us:

• we will be 100% foster based
• we are starting with kittens but will include puppies & dogs as we grow
• initially two primary volunteers will do any animal transports but as we grow we will expand to include other volunteers for transport (with training and an SOP)
• we are starting very slow based on our ability to raise money (must have an adequate amount of money in the bank to cover an "average" emergency vet visit)

Once we understand the types of insurance needed now and in the future; how did you determine the best policies to purchase?

Thanks so much for your input!!

#AccesstoCare
#AdmissionsandIntake(includingIntake-to-placement)
#AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms
#CaseManagement*
#CommunityCatManagement
#CommunityPartnerships*
#FosterPrograms
#LawsandPublicPolicy
#OrganizationalManagement
#PetSupportServices*
#Rehoming
#TransfersandTransport

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rosalie hathcock
Founder & President
Family Furst
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Make a Facebook page. It's a great way to raise funds. 

For vetting start a Waggle fund online. They will directly pay your vet.

I googled you and didn't find you. You need an online presence for potential donors.

Thank you for wanting to help kittens in Georgia. You didn't mention spay/neuter. All our kittens are fixed, vaccinated and chipped before adoption. 

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Beverly Paladinetti
Philanthropy Director
Purrfect Peaches Cat Rescue
c: 770-842-1714
www.purrfectpeaches.org
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Thanks Beverly!!  Yes - all adopted animals will be spayed/neutered, microchipped and current with vaccinations. 

We are in the process of building our social media pages, business email & website. We're also evaluating the many different available platforms for fundraising, foster management, CRM and animal records. 

I would love to talk with you & learn from your experiences since it looks like you are also in GA!

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rosalie hathcock
Founder & President
Family Furst
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-17-2025 05:37 AM
From: Beverly Paladinetti
Subject: Types of necessary insurance for new rescue

Make a Facebook page. It's a great way to raise funds. 

For vetting start a Waggle fund online. They will directly pay your vet.

I googled you and didn't find you. You need an online presence for potential donors.

Thank you for wanting to help kittens in Georgia. You didn't mention spay/neuter. All our kittens are fixed, vaccinated and chipped before adoption. 

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Beverly Paladinetti
Philanthropy Director
Purrfect Peaches Cat Rescue
c: 770-842-1714
www.purrfectpeaches.org
------------------------------

Hi Rosalie,

So great that you are taking steps to help homeless and surrendered pets. It sounds like you are being very thoughtful about both short and long-term needs. My husband and I run a small cat rescue in Massachusetts and faced (and continue to face) many of the same start-up challenges you noted.

What type of insurance are you looking into? Pet insurance to cover pet emergencies or hazard/safety insurance to cover animal-related injuries to foster homes or volunteers? We are foster-based and don't actually have any insurance for our program. While many people would probably say this is a bad idea, the simple fact is that we don't really foresee situations in which we would need it, since we have all volunteers and foster homes sign a detailed waiver of liability in which they acknowledge that cats are living creatures and there is no way to predict their behavior; therefore, the volunteer/foster accepts the risks and releases us from all liability in the event of injury or damage to any person or property, including guests of the foster home. Maddie's University has many online trainings related to legal issues- I definitely recommend watching a few of those.  On the advice of one attorney doing a training, we included a blurb in our waiver of liability form that we cannot be held liable even if injury or damage stems from neglect or accident on our part.  I would definitely suggest focusing mostly on creating a really iron-clad waiver of liability form and ensuring that every single person who steps foot in your organization signs it, even if they don't come into contact with animals.  Either have a separate waiver related to driving or include a piece in your regular waiver form to make it clear that you cannot be held liable any accidents, damage to cars, etc. that occurs while someone is driving for the program and that you do not reimburse for any damage to cars. If you have that, you should be able to have an inexpensive insurance policy with minimal coverage, if you choose to insure your program. I also suggest checking out any requirements in your state regarding insurance for animal-related programs. 

Best of luck!

   

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Shelah Corey Wilk
Co-Director
Ella's Feline Rescue Mission
MA
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Shelah,

Thank you so much!  I didn't realize there were webinars available through Maddie's Fund that cover the legal side of things!  I can't wait to get started watching them!  I would love to see your agreements if you're comfortable sharing them. Liability waivers seem like a very smart move especially since we are just getting started. (I do need to confirm that GA doesn't have state specific requirements.)

Thanks again!

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rosalie hathcock
Founder & President
Family Furst
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-17-2025 07:23 AM
From: Shelah Corey Wilk
Subject: Types of necessary insurance for new rescue

Hi Rosalie,

So great that you are taking steps to help homeless and surrendered pets. It sounds like you are being very thoughtful about both short and long-term needs. My husband and I run a small cat rescue in Massachusetts and faced (and continue to face) many of the same start-up challenges you noted.

What type of insurance are you looking into? Pet insurance to cover pet emergencies or hazard/safety insurance to cover animal-related injuries to foster homes or volunteers? We are foster-based and don't actually have any insurance for our program. While many people would probably say this is a bad idea, the simple fact is that we don't really foresee situations in which we would need it, since we have all volunteers and foster homes sign a detailed waiver of liability in which they acknowledge that cats are living creatures and there is no way to predict their behavior; therefore, the volunteer/foster accepts the risks and releases us from all liability in the event of injury or damage to any person or property, including guests of the foster home. Maddie's University has many online trainings related to legal issues- I definitely recommend watching a few of those.  On the advice of one attorney doing a training, we included a blurb in our waiver of liability form that we cannot be held liable even if injury or damage stems from neglect or accident on our part.  I would definitely suggest focusing mostly on creating a really iron-clad waiver of liability form and ensuring that every single person who steps foot in your organization signs it, even if they don't come into contact with animals.  Either have a separate waiver related to driving or include a piece in your regular waiver form to make it clear that you cannot be held liable any accidents, damage to cars, etc. that occurs while someone is driving for the program and that you do not reimburse for any damage to cars. If you have that, you should be able to have an inexpensive insurance policy with minimal coverage, if you choose to insure your program. I also suggest checking out any requirements in your state regarding insurance for animal-related programs. 

Best of luck!

   

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Shelah Corey Wilk
Co-Director
Ella's Feline Rescue Mission
MA
------------------------------

Rosalie:

I had the same question and through a few agents I knew found the right one to help me.   Feel free to contact her.  Ariana Gross agross@tangramins.com. +1 (707) 789-3084.  Let's not lose sight of the purpose of your question.   I am doing dogs more but she handles it all.  

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Jacqueline Forte
Shelter Operator
Unconditionalloveforstrays Inc.
FL
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Congratulations on taking the first steps toward creating your own nonprofit animal rescue! We started in a very similar position six years ago-as a small, all-volunteer, foster-based TNR and rescue group-and we understand how overwhelming it can feel at the beginning.

One of the most important pieces of infrastructure we established early on was securing proper insurance coverage. We've worked with AWOIP (Animal Welfare Organization Insurance Program) since day one, and it has proven to be an invaluable resource as we've grown.

Even if your team is currently small, having insurance from the beginning helps protect your organization from unforeseen risks. It's also essential to use clear, signed waivers for fosters, adopters, and volunteers. We recently faced a legal challenge that could have significantly impacted our rescue. Fortunately, because we had both solid waivers and appropriate insurance coverage in place, the situation was resolved swiftly through the support of our insurer's legal team.

As your organization grows-from just a couple of foster homes to a broader network of volunteers-it's important to regularly reassess your insurance needs. Milestones such as transporting animals, hosting public adoption events, or bringing on staff may require additional policies or riders. A reputable animal rescue insurance provider can walk you through these stages and help you scale your coverage accordingly.

Wishing you all the best as you build your rescue! Starting strong with the right safeguards will serve you well in the long run.

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Charles Black
Feral Cat Warriors Inc
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Our  liability carrier is Liberty Mutual but it was obtained through AWOIP.  Our D&O carrier is Mount Vernon Fire Insurance Co (a division of USLI).  I personally wouldn't be part of an organization without both. Wishing you all the best!

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Diane Metz
Board of Directors, Volunteer, and Foster Mom
Orange Street Cats, Inc.
Albany NY
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