Top-paid animal nonprofit CEOs renew scrutiny over charity pay

Animal welfare nonprofits are again facing scrutiny over executive pay after The Canine Review published its year-end list of the 10 highest-paid chief executives in the sector, based on the most recent publicly available IRS Form 990 filings. The report says San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s former CEO, Paul A. Baribault, led the list at $2.06 million in total compensation for fiscal 2024, followed by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation CEO Jeffrey Trandahl at $1.42 million, WWF-US CEO Carter Roberts at $1.29 million, ASPCA CEO Matt Bershadker at $1.20 million, and American Humane’s Robin Ganzert at $702,919. The article also notes that Baribault stepped down in March 2025, and that the San Diego Zoo’s filing disclosed first-class or private-jet travel for executives. (thecaninereview.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this story lands in a familiar tension point: public trust. Large animal charities often position themselves as frontline partners in sheltering, disaster response, access to care, advocacy, and veterinary workforce support. When executive compensation climbs into seven figures, it can shape how pet parents, donors, and clinic teams view the broader animal welfare ecosystem, even when those salaries represent a small share of total spending. Sector-wide data from Candid show nonprofit executive pay varies widely by mission area, geography, and organizational size, underscoring that compensation debates are as much about governance and transparency as they are about raw dollar amounts. (candid.org)

What to watch: Expect renewed attention on how major animal nonprofits justify compensation decisions in upcoming Form 990 filings, annual reports, and donor communications. (aspca.org)