Top-paid animal nonprofit CEOs reignite pay transparency debate

A new year-end analysis from The Canine Review ranks the 10 highest-paid CEOs at U.S. animal nonprofits using the organizations’ most recent publicly available IRS Form 990 filings. The list is led by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s former CEO, Paul A. Baribault, at $2,056,676 in total compensation for fiscal 2024, followed by National Fish & Wildlife Foundation CEO Jeffrey Trandahl at $1,418,915, WWF-US CEO Carter Roberts at $1,290,569, and ASPCA President and CEO Matthew E. Bershadker at $1,203,267. The report also notes that San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance disclosed first-class and/or private jet travel for executives in 2024, and says Baribault stepped down in March 2025. (thecaninereview.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the story is less about headline salaries than about governance, transparency, and public trust across the animal welfare sector. Executive compensation at nonprofits is legal if boards can show it is “reasonable and not excessive,” typically using independent comparability data and documented board review. That matters because large national animal charities influence shelter medicine, access-to-care programs, disaster response, policy advocacy, and the referral ecosystem that clinics and animal health partners interact with every day. At the same time, high pay packages can sharpen donor scrutiny, especially when pet parents assume donations flow primarily to direct animal care. (councilofnonprofits.org)

What to watch: Expect continued scrutiny of how major animal nonprofits explain executive pay, perks, and program-spending priorities in upcoming Form 990 filings and donor communications. (councilofnonprofits.org)