The latest news for our Farley Foundation Friends:
2025 was a busy and productive year for The Farley Foundation.
Our principal mission continues to be saving at-risk adoptable animals held in public shelters from needless destruction and finding them suitable homes, although our methodology has changed during our 12 years of operation. We endeavor to save their lives because we believe there is no moral alternative to their unnecessary killing. We also hope that adopters of these animals will enjoy the similar experiences that we have had with our own many rescue animals and enjoy their unconditional love and companionship.
Above, Scully, rescued recently by Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation in Waynesville, NC and sponsored by The Farley Foundation (“TFF”) to help with her ongoing veterinary expenses related to bladder disease. She’s currently doing well in foster care.
Among other activities, TFF identifies, evaluates and supports smaller animal rescue groups by providing financial, administrative and legal assistance.
TFF will also help selected individuals adopt or re-home animals.
Also, shown below are several animals rescued by organizations directly supported by TFF. Please contact the respective group (information also shown below) if you are interested in obtaining additional information and/or wish to consider adoption. Thankfully, some have found forever homes.
There Are a Number of Reasons to Adopt a Shelter Animal
Although there is no central data reporting system for public animal shelters in the United States and many states do not even require any reporting at all, the ASPCA estimates nationally that over 7 million of these companion animals enter public shelters each year. Approximately 55% are dogs, 44% are cats with the remainder being other animals.
The ASPCA also estimates that nearly 3 million of these animals are killed annually in shelters.
A small percentage of this number (generally estimated to be approximately 10-15%) are actually euthanized, that is, their lives were ended out mercy due to irreparable injury, incurable illness or severe behavioral issues.
The remainder, at least 2.5 million, are simply killed primarily due to lack of shelter space and the absence of the necessary skills to quickly and effectively find them suitable homes.
Only 27 states have banned the troubling practice of using gas chambers to kill these animals and without any form of prior sedation.
Only 5 states are responsible for nearly half of the animals that are killed nationally: California, Texas, Florida, Georgia and our home state of North Carolina which also has the unfortunate distinction of leading the United States statistically on a per capita basis.
We ask that you provide support to your favorite local animal rescue group by making a financial contribution, volunteering or fostering. At the very least, please raise awareness of this issue with your family and friends but even more importantly: please challenge your local and State government officials to adopt a no-kill policy.
Please Help Support These Special Organizations
TFF maintains its unwavering support of THE NO KILL ADVOCACY CENTER and their advocacy for the no-kill philosophy while assisting animal rescue groups nationwide to change local animal welfare laws through community mobilization and litigation.
It is our intention that in 2026 TFF will seek to lobby (subject to Internal Revenue Service Rules for 501(c)(3) rules and limitations) selected governments for positive change in their animal welfare policies.
TFF continues to financially support the work of SARGE’S ANIMAL RESCUE FOUNDATION a highly effective rescue group located in Waynesville, North Carolina, with our particular emphasis routinely being on their special needs animals. Sarge’s saves most of its adoptable animals from the Haywood County Animal Center, freeing up much needed space and causing this public shelter to be one of only a handful in North Carolina deemed no-kill.
In 2025, TFF established a close relationship with the founders of MOORE ANIMAL ALLIANCE a new, highly progressive rescue group located in Moore County, North Carolina (TFF’s former domicile and where many of our Farley Friends reside). We have helped them secure their 501(c)(3) status and provide other ongoing financial, administrative and legal assistance. We wholeheartedly endorse their like-minded efforts in Moore County to effectuate long overdue, positive animal welfare changes. TFF will continue to support and assist them in all respects.
The Many Other Groups, Large and Small, Supported by The Farley Foundation in 2025
Mountain Pet Rescue, Asheville, North Carolina, mountainpetrescueavl.org
Animal Haven of Asheville, Asheville, North Carolina, animalhavenofasheville.org
Caring Hearts for Canines, Southern Pines, North Carolina, caringheartsforcanines.com
Destination Rescue, Houston, Texas, destinationrescuedogs.org
Feline Urgent Rescue of Western NC, Waynesville, North Carolina, furofwnc.org
Miami-Dade County Animal Services, Miami, Florida, miamidade.gov/animals
Haywood County Animal Shelter, Waynesville, North Carolina, haywoodcountync.gov/animalservices
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, New York, NY, aspca.org
Pets for Vets, Wilmington, North Carolina, petsforvets.com
Animal Advocates of Moore County aamcnc.org
Chihuahua Rescue & Transport-Southeastern Region chihuahua-rescue.com
New Tax Deductions for 2026 Cash Donations
Starting in 2026 (for tax returns to be filed in 2027) even if you take the standard deduction, you are now permitted an “above the line” deduction ($1,000 single, $2,000 married/jointly) thereby granting you an additional benefit of up to $2,000 over and above the standard deduction amount. This applies only to cash donations made to 501(c)(3) public charities. The previous law did not allow for this benefit and will certainly help small public charities such as TFF that were negatively impacted by the increases made to the standard deduction amount beginning in 2017.
Please ask your tax professional or go to www.irs.gov. for further details.
SEE SOMETHING. SAY SOMETHING.
We continue to ask that you remain vigilant keeping your “eyes open” for animal neglect or abuse issues in your area and report them to the appropriate law enforcement agency or animal services department. This may be done anonymously and, after all, we are the animals’ only voice.
A Few Success Stories
Oreo, rescued by Caring Hearts for Canines and adopted by friends of TFF in Ohio.
Paul, an elderly lab, surrendered to Miami-Dade Animal Services, currently in foster care and available for adoption.
Gambit, rescued by Sarges Animal Rescue Foundation after being found wandering the roads of Haywood County, NC and adopted by her foster parents.
Duke, f/k/a Neji, barely escaped being destroyed at the last minute and rescued by Destination Rescue in Houston, TX and in foster care.
Sharky, f/k/a Simba and found as a stray, Rescued by Destination Rescue in Houston, TX and in foster care.
6, 7, and 8 – Three of the many beautiful dogs rescued by Moore Animal Alliance in Aberdeen, NC, currently in foster care and available for adoption.
Nikki, rescued from another group where she had resided for five years, fostered by Chihuahua Rescue & Transport and adopted by her foster parents.
10 – Lou, Rescued by Animal Advocates of Moore County, NC. After exploratory surgery he is now in foster care and available for adoption.
A continuing thank you to Caroline and Mike Ivey of Loyel Media in Charlotte, NC who have been indispensable in supporting our media platforms, among other things.
Thank you all for your support
We appreciate any amount you may be able to donate to your favorite
local animal rescue group or to TFF to support our continuing efforts
and those of animal rescue groups we personally evaluate and assist.
Please visit our website: www.FarleyFoundationNC.com to donate online or simply mail your donation to:
The Farley Foundation, P.O. Box 1437, Clyde, NC 28721.
The Farley Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 animal rescue organization founded by John and Betsy Ficarro of Pinehurst, NC. It is named in memory of their first shelter dog Farley, a certified therapy dog who was rescued as a puppy from a North Carolina county shelter by Cindy Bristow founder of Solutions for Animals (a Hoke County NC animal rescue non-profit) minutes before being euthanized and subsequently adopted by the Ficarros.