People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Standards For Charity Accountability
Governance
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Board Oversight
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Board Size
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Board Meetings
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Board Compensation
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Conflict of Interest
Measuring Effectiveness
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Effectiveness Policy
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Effectiveness Report
Finances
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Program Expenses
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Fundraising Expenses
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Accumulating Funds
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Audit Report
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Detailed Expense Breakdown
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Accurate Expense Reporting
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Budget Plan
Fundraising & Info
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Truthful Materials
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Annual Report
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Website Disclosures
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Donor Privacy
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Cause Marketing Disclosures
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Complaints
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals does not meet the following 3 Standards for Charity Accountability:
Standard 2 (Number of Board Members)
Soliciting organizations shall have a board of directors with a minimum of five voting members.
PETA does not meet this Standard because:
- The organization has 3 voting members of the board.
Standard 14 (Budget)
Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.
PETA does not meet this Standard because, when the organization provided 2025 budget information, it indicated that the budget:
- Did not identify total projected program service expenses broken down by major program category (public outreach and education, international grassroots campaigns, cruelty-free merchandise, and research, investigations, and rescue).
- Did not identify total projected fundraising expenses.
- Did not identify total projected administrative expenses.
Standard 18 (Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy)
Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.
PETA does not meet this Standard because the privacy policy on its website, https://peta.org/, does not indicate:
- What specific security measures are in place to protect personal information that is collected.
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information from the organization and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard(s) for Charity Accountability: 13, 15
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals meets the remaining 15 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Stated Purpose:
"to protect animal rights."
Year, State Incorporated:
1980, VA
Also Known As:
PETA
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) states that it operates under the principle that animals are not for humans to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. The organization focuses on four areas of animal use: in laboratories, in the food industry, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry. PETA also works on a variety of other animal issues, such as the killing of rodents, birds, and other animals considered pests and cruelty to domesticated animals. Some ($7,289,928 or 11%) of PETA's program activities are carried out in conjunction with fundraising appeals.
For the year ended July 31, 2024, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals's program expenses were:
International grassroots campaigns: $16,046,751
Public outreach and education: $23,301,275
Research, investigations, and rescue: $24,221,616
Cruelty-free merchandise: $531,845
Total Program Expenses: $64,101,487
Chief Executive
Ingrid Newkirk, President
Compensation*
$38,014
Chair of the Board
Michael Rodman
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Retired, Nonprofit Professional
Board Size
3
Paid Staff Size
258
*2023 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Note: Jeffrey Kerr, Chief Legal Officer at PETA Foundation, was the highest paid employee in 2023, receiving $197,861 from the related organization, PETA Foundation.
Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Direct mail appeals, Radio, Special events, Telemarketing, Print advertisements
PETA incurred joint costs of $11,407,259 for informational materials and activities that included fundraising materials. Of those costs $7,289,928 was allocated to program expenses, $4,012,995 was allocated to fundraising expenses, and $104,336 was allocated to administrative expenses.
Fundraising costs were 16% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $80,255,687, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)
This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
The following information is based on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals's audited financial statements for the year ended July 31, 2024.
Source of Funds
| Contributions and donations | $44,549,055 |
| In-kind contributions | $5,971,390 |
| Legacies and bequests | $29,051,610 |
| Special events | $683,632 |
| Service income | $1,388,147 |
| Investment gain, net | $3,968,597 |
| Merchandise sales | $151,272 |
| Total Income | $85,763,703 |
Programs: 83% Fundraising: 16% Administrative: 1%
| Total Income | $85,763,703 |
| Total expenses: | $77,627,620 |
| Program expenses | $64,101,487 |
| Fundraising expenses | $12,567,061 |
| Administrative expenses | $959,072 |
| Other expenses | $0 |
| Income in Excess of Expenses | $8,136,083 |
| Beginning Net Assets | $28,958,531 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets | $0 |
| Ending Net Assets | $37,094,614 |
| Total Liabilities | $15,601,831 |
| Total Assets | $52,696,445 |
Note: According to the organization's audited financial statements for the year ended July 31, 2024, PETA received in-kind gifts totaling $5,971,390 in the form of advertising ($4,459,657), professional services ($1,117,808), legal services ($226,117), goods ($146,484), and rent ($21,324).
An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.
This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.
RELATED CONTENT
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Meets Standards
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Standards Not Met
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Did Not Disclose
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Review in Progress
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Unable to Verify
Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance