Richard Angelo, senior manager of national embed programming

Richard Angelo Jr., Esq. is a senior manager of national embed programming at Best Friends Animal Society. With the embed program, Richard manages strategic relationships with shelter leadership and supports expert Best Friends team members who work alongside staff in shelters to lead systematic and sustainable lifesaving changes  

Prior to joining the embed program team, Richard began working with Best Friends in 2015 as a legislative attorney with Best Friends’ Advocacy team promoting state and local legislation that would humanely and directly reduce the killing of cats and dogs in shelters across the country. In that role, he also worked closely with Best Friends’ community cat programs teams, the embed program and the national support team in order to support those programs. Richard has spoken extensively on community cat legal issues, dangerous dog laws, and animal control matters at numerous national, regional, and local events across the country.  

He is a licensed attorney in Michigan and has been a member of the Animal Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan since 2001. Richard served in a leadership role of that section from 2009 to 2019. He is also a member of the National Animal Care and Control Association. He has also been a board member of the Michigan Pet Alliance since 2021. Richard resides in Goodrich, Michigan, with his wife, three dogs, and four cats.