December 11, 2009 (Port Washington, NY) - Did you know that North Shore Animal League America saves the lives of approximately 20,000 innocent dogs, cats, puppies and kittens each year. This humane achievement is made possible largely through the generosity of animal-loving supporters who donate cash gifts, stocks, and their no-longer needed cars, boats, trucks and recreational vehicles, or who participate in matching gift programs. Generous individuals who donate to the charity can prosper, realizing the benefit of a tax advantage for the calendar year when a gift is made in a timely fashion. The Animal League America, the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization, counts on its donors to support its life-saving mission to rescue, nurture and adopt homeless pets.

It is simple to make a contribution to the Animal League. To make an online donation, visit the website at www.AnimalLeague.org and click on the “Donate” button on the homepage. It will lead to specific instructions regarding the type of gift you wish to offer. For instance, if you want to donate a vehicle or boat, you will be advised to call 1-800-752-6462. Or, to donate stock or a mutual fund, you can also visit the donation page directly at http://www.animalleague.org/donate/donate_stock.html

If you are planning an end-of-year donation by mailing a check, making an online donation or transferring stock or other securities, the Animal League offers some general guidelines to help you make sure that your year-end contributions are made timely so they are deductible for 2009.

Generally, a contribution is deductible at the time of its unconditional delivery from the donor to the charity. Below are some guidelines that show how this date is determined for the most common types of gifts.

• If you are mailing a cash donation payable by check, this is the mailing date, as indicated by the postmark, as long as the check is dated as of the end of the year. That means if the envelope is postmarked and the check is dated by December 31, 2009 the gift is credited to 2009 even if it is physically received in January 2010 by the charity.
• If you are making an online donation by a debit or credit card, the contribution is deductible in the year you make the charge, as evidenced by the date that the transaction is posted to your credit card account. While this is often the same day as the day you make the gift online, it can happen a few days later, so you need to be careful to leave enough time for the transaction to be processed.
• If you are concerned that a gift being sent via mail or made online will not be received in time to use as a deduction on your tax return, you can deliver it in person to the office of the charity by December 31, 2009.
• For those who donate stocks or securities at the year’s end, the most common way to donate these securities would be through electronic transfers from the donor’s broker to the recipient charity’s brokerage account. In the case of electronic transfers the gift becomes effective the date the funds are actually reflected on the charity's account, not the date the donor authorized the transaction. Electronic transfer can be greatly affected by volume, so as the calendar moves closer to December 31 it may take several days to transfer a gift from one account to another. Be sure to allow sufficient time to make a gift of stock or securities. It is recommended that you advise the charity of the incoming gift of stock, so they will be able to identify you as the donor and advise you that the gift has been received.

For specific information on the tax benefits of donating cash, stocks or securities and other gifts, consult your tax advisor and for further information on making a gift to North Shore Animal League America contact Sue Draddy in Development, 516-883-4630 or sued@AnimalLeague.org or visit www.AnimalLeague.org.

North Shore Animal League America, the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization,is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c) of the IRS Code.