Gary is a highly experienced Accountant (CPA), with over 34 years of expertise in his field. For the last 15  years he has been a Senior Consultant working for a prominent IT consulting company, where he specialises in implementing financial software and developing complex financial models for large organisations. He has worked across most industries and is an expert in financial analysis, budgeting and planning, banking and leading large projects.

Outside of his professional life, Gary is deeply involved in animal welfare where he has been a foster carer for four years at the Cat Haven, helping cats that struggle in shelter environments. Listed as an expert on the Cat Haven foster carers page, Gary frequently offers his advice. Prior to this Gary volunteered at another rescue for over 10 years.

Gary’s passion for cats extends into his personal life as well. Alongside his wife, he co-founded a cat behaviour training business, which has now been successfully running for nine years. Together, they work to improve the lives of cats and promote responsible ownership. They also have their own cats with one Cat Haven foster fail.

My name is Heather Crawford, and I have worked with animals all my life in many different capacities. I have many years of experience in fieldwork, laboratory work, animal husbandry in captivity and animal population management. I have earned certificates in Veterinary Nursing, Wildlife rehabilitation, Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law, and Cat Behaviour. I also have a university degree in Zoology and Physiology, and an Honours degree in Conservation and Wildlife Biology. In addition to working at Murdoch University as the Animal Ethics Advisor for research and teaching, I run a private consultancy that helps cat owners with behaviour issues. Although I have worked in several countries with many different species, the humble domestic cat has always fascinated me, none more so than my stunning cat, Zimba (pictured) who has taught me so much about the nature of cats.

My association with the Cat Haven dates back to 2013, when I began studying for a PhD that examined different strategies for managing populations of unowned stray cats. Collaboration with the amazing team at Cat Haven, enabled me to publish several academic papers about the health and activities of stray and roaming pet cats. Importantly, I was also able to demonstrate that free cat adoption drives, that are promoted periodically by the Cat Haven, do not compromise the care that cats receive from adopters. Although my PhD is long since completed, my links with Cat Haven have continued, and I have worked with them as a consultant to develop educational presentations about cat behaviour and welfare, for staff, schools, local government councils and even parliament! It was perhaps inevitable then, that after more than 10 years of casual collaboration, I volunteered to join the Cat Haven Board in 2025. I have a keen interest in the health of stray cats, the topics of desexing and euthanasia, and the welfare of cats that spend long periods in shelters. I also wish to understand the fate of cats that are adopted and I will work closely with Cat Haven staff to improve outcomes for cats in these areas.

I believe that the Cat Haven is in a unique position to inform policy and development of legislation with the cat data they have collected for decades. I hope to help the Cat Haven use this wealth of information to garner government funding and promote their brand so that everyone in Australia knows about the amazing work they do.