Rich Avanzino

Widely viewed as the father of the no-kill movement, Rich Avanzino has had a major influence on companion animal welfare over his 34 years in the industry.

As president of Maddie's Fund, Rich directs the $300 million family foundation in three major areas: building community collaborations to create successful models of lifesaving; funding veterinary colleges to create shelter medicine programs; and implementing a national strategy to promote accountability and transparency in animal shelter operations. Maddie's Fund has awarded $106M in grants since 1999. It's the largest pet foundation in the U.S. dedicated to saving dog and cat lives.

Prior to joining Maddie's Fund, Rich was President of the San Francisco SPCA (1976 -1999). He led San Francisco to become the first City and County in the nation to offer an adoption guarantee for every healthy shelter dog and cat, and brought euthanasia rates down to the lowest of any urban center in the nation. He also created adoption, animal behavior, feral cat, and spay/neuter programs that have become models for the nation.