From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 2007:
SACRAMENTO–The animal disaster relief charity Noah’s Wish is
back in business, after six months of investigation and
restructuring mandated by California attorney general Jerry Brown.
“We have entered into an agreement that will permit Noah’s
Wish to continue serving the animal victims of disasters,” the
Noah’s Wish board of directors posted on July 27, 2007.
“Under the settlement agreement,” reported Associated Press
writer Laura Kurtzman, “the state will take control of the $4
million,” of about $8.4 million raised in appeals for help for the
animal victims of Hurricane Katrina, “that has not yet been spent.
It is supposed to be given to help the animal victims of Katrina,
which happened nearly two years ago, as well as to build a new
animal shelter in Slidell, Louisiana.”

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2007:
SACRAMENTO–“As of today, [founder] Terri Crisp is no longer
associated with Noah’s Wish, Inc. in any capacity,” the Noah’s Wish
web site announced on March 28, 2007. “We wish her well in her
future endeavors.”
Signed by the “Noah’s Wish Board of Directors,” the message
disclosing Crisp’s departure followed two days after a similarly
signed March 26 acknowledgement that “Noah’s Wish is in the midst of
an ongoing civil investigation by the California Attorney General’s
office concerning funds received by Noah’s Wish during Hurricane
Katrina.”
Noah’s Wish told the Chronicle of Philanthropy in November
2005 that it had received $6.5 million in donations after Katrina.
“Tax documents for Noah’s Wish obtained by the Sacramento
Business Journal reported revenue of $8.4 million, almost all of it
from contributions, between July 1, 2005, and Dec. 31, 2005,”
reported Business Journal staff writer Kelly Johnson on March 30,
2007.
“Some $4.8 million was in unrestricted assets,” Johnson
said, while $1.5 million was declared as “temporarily restricted
assets.”
Charitable donations are deemed legally “restricted” when the
donors in some manner expressly communicate, at the time of giving,
that the donations are meant exclusively to serve one particular
purpose. A vague statement such as “to help animals” does not
restrict a donation, but a statement stipulating “to help the New
Orleans animals” or “to help the Katrina animals” might be construed
as a binding restriction.

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2007:

Thirty-foot flames erupting at about 2:00 a.m. from a laundry
area razed the Jacksonville Humane Society on April 7, 2007,
killing 67 cats and 18 dogs, chief operating officer Danya
Parks-Freel told Matt Galnor of the Florida Times-Union.
Jacksonville Fire & Rescue spokesperson Tom Francis said a fire
captain suffered burns and other firefighters had to be pulled from
the wreckage after the roof collapsed as they tried to open cages and
carry animals to safety. Firefighters reportedly adopted many animals
on the spot. A separate veterinary clinic and runs for about 50
dogs were reportedly the only facilities that remained useable –but
executive director Leona Shed-dan had kept backup computer files off
site, enabling a rapid resumption of most activities. Owning 27
acres, the humane society hoped to rebuild and expand. The city of
Jacksonville has meanwhile planned to build a $9 million new animal
care and control center. Mayoral spokesperson Susie Wiles told
Galnor that the city would be interested in discussing a joint
project with the humane society, which has been no-kill since 2005.

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