Death Row Dog Rescue, Inc and its various other names they do business as, has been under fire for not operating legally on top of the all the other allegations.
Some animal lovers seem to fluff off this fact, saying the red tape doesn't matter.
BUT... unfortunately it does.
The 'red tape' is in place as a source of verification for donators. to protect them, and let them know where their donations are going.
Lets Look at Death Row Dog Rescue :
Death Row Dog Rescue, Inc.
3310 NW 21st AVE
Oakland Park, FL 33309
data current as of 11/28/11
1/29/2010 - Diana Peters filed Death Row Dog Rescue Inc as a domestic non profit corporation with the Florida Dept of State (location 5410 NW 41st ST Davie, FL 33314)
9/23/11 Admin. Dissolved for Annual Report
.On 11/17/2011 Reinstated
but so far there still is no FEI/EIN # listed ???? you can get an EIN # immediately if you apply online or over the phone, and it is FREE ? you need an EIN if you are operating a Corporation. Why has over a year passed and there is still no # ?
How to apply for an EIN - IRS.gov
If you search sunbiz you will learn
ALL corporations in Florida
doing business under any other names MUST file the name with them as a
Ficticious Name . If you look over Diana Peters websites, facebook page, when she posts on craigslist, and on her adoption and volunteer documents she
dba's (doing business as) many different names. NONE of which are located on the dept of states site under a ficticious name search.
On January 1, 1992, the Florida Solicitation of Contributions Act went into effect. This law regulates solicitation of public contributions and requires full disclosure of certain information from persons soliciting contributions in Florida.
If you search under Business Complaints Lookup you will find Death Row Dog Rescue listed.
If you search under the Gift Givers Guide Death Row Dog Rescue Inc is NOT listed.
the Gift Givers’ Guide is a resource that provides the financial information reported to us from charitable organizations. The information in the Gift Givers’ Guide is provided as a public service. The charities listed are currently registered with the Department
So... Facts are Facts : Diana Peters IS illegally soliciting donations as she is not registered with the Florida Dept of Agriculture. You can even call the dept, or do an online chat . She is NOT registered with them.
She claims to be a 501c3 Non Profit Organization. it is clearly shown on her facebook page, and website http://www.saveadeathrowdog.org/ (to accept donations in Florida they do not need to be a 501c3 - so why represent yourself as one?) Search IRS - Search Charities and Non Profits and you will not find Death Row Dog Rescue Inc.
Death Row Dog Rescue is also breaking many city, county, and state ordinances. She lives in a 2 bedroom residential rental home that is not zoned for a rescue, She is not licensed to operate a business there, there is no tax certificate, the city allows 3 dogs in a residence . For a woman who says she ran a business for 40+ years in antique reproductions, why does she not know what it takes in Florida to operate? It is all easily googled ?
Death Row Dog Rescue Inc also is not registered in other states that it solicits in either.
many may not know that a growing number of state regulators around the nation have concluded that a non-profit that requests donations online is "soliciting" donations in any state whose residents actually access the site. The states have taken this position whether the charity is soliciting funds via its own Web site or on one of the growing number of "commercial donation" sites (such as www.igive.comor www.givetocharity.com), where donors can contribute online to charities that are registered with the site. This means that non-profits that solicit over the internet may be required to comply with the charitable registration and reporting requirements of as many as 39 states. (URS), a standardized registration form now accepted by 33 states including New Jersey. The URS is one part of the Standardized Reporting Project, a larger NAAG/NASCO effort to streamline and standardize compliance under the various state solicitation laws. The URS is useful for organizations that solicit funds in multiple states, whether online or via other means (such as direct mail). However, the URS alone provides only limited relief to the burdens of multi-state filing. Even if a charity uses the URS it must still pay the necessary filing fees of each state in which it is required to register, and these costs can add up quickly. It is also important to note that the URS is a registration document only. It cannot be used to satisfy annual financial reporting obligations of a given state. Efforts are underway to develop standardized financial reporting forms, as well as registration and annual report forms for independent paid fund raisers and fund raising counsel.
Diana Peters of Death Row Dog Rescue, Inc has on several occassions admitted to living off of donations. She states she has no job - no other funds. She pays her electric, water, rent, cable, internet, food, wine, cigarettes, gas, etc with donations she solicits for dogs care.
This is illegal and immoral. Now, if she was a proper 501c3 she could receive a paycheck (and pay taxes like the rest of us) and with her paycheck pay for her personal needs. this would all be broken down in operating costs, and she would show documents where the money was going to. (like other charities and non profits do)
In conclusion all that I can say is that a lot is not right with this rescue, a lot of legal registrations/documents are not to be found and people should do their homework.
Forming a Nonprofit Corporation in Florida
eg1. Choose a business name and check for availability
2. Recruit and/or appoint directors
3. Incorporate your Nonprofit Organization
4. Get your Employer Identification Number shows a status of applied for
5. Register with state offices
a. Division of Consumer Services
- If you intend to solicit contributions from Florida public, you must register with the Division of Consumer Services annually.
b. Department of Revenue
6. Apply for tax exemptions
All business entities are taxed in a variety of different ways. Once you've incorporated as a nonprofit corporation, you can start applying for tax exemptions.
a. Federal
- The IRS lists a series of questions to help you determine whether your organization is eligible for federal tax exemption.
b. State
c. Local
Florida Dept of Revenue - Registering a Non-Profit in Florida
Q. How long does it take to get a Local Business Tax Receipt?
A. Local Business Tax ReceiptS are issued within a few minutes, upon presentation of the application and any pertinent documentation that may be required, such as proof of State Licensing, if required, if the nature of your business is regulated by State or Local certification.
Q. Is the County Local Business Tax Receipt, all that I need?
A. No. Depending on the type of business or profession, and the location of your business, you may need State, Professional and City Licenses.
Q. Why do I need a county Local Business Tax Receipt and a city Occupational License?
A. The County Local Business Tax Receipt is a tax for the privilege of doing business in Broward County.
The City License is regulatory and because the business is under the city's jurisdiction, it is subject to the city's ordinances and zoning requirements.
Q. I am using a fictitious name (D/B/A). How do I register it with the State Of Florida?
Q. When do I need a Broward County Local Business Tax Receipt?
A. Any person doing business in Broward County needs a Broward County Local Business Tax Receipt. Businesses will also need to obtain a city license from the municipality that the business is located in. The Local Business Tax Receipts a tax imposed for the privilege of doing business in Broward County. Any person who provides merchandise, entertainment, or services to the public, even if only a one-person company or home-based business, must obtain a Local Business Tax Receipt to operate.
Q. Which one do I get first- The City License or The County Local Business Tax Receipt?
A. It is recommended that you check with the City before obtaining the County Local Business Tax Receipt, especially if the business is home-based. The City may deny your application due to zoning or inspection requirements. In this case, if you obtained your County Local Business Tax Receipt before applying for the City License, the County Local Business Tax Receipt is non-refundable.
