Latest news with #BestFriendsAnimalSociety
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘Special moment:' Utah trooper jumps in to help after baby born in car on highway
SALT LAKE CITY () — A mother went into labor on I-15 in Salt Lake City earlier today, giving birth to a baby boy while en route to the hospital. Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Angel Teran was in the right place, at the right time to step in and help. 'When you become a state trooper or a police officer, you are thinking about helping the community and making sure they're okay — but on the worst moments, you never expect to help people in a happy moment, like the birth of a child,' he said. Trooper Angel Teran said that on Thursday, he was heading northbound on I-15, around 2700 South, to respond to a call. Suddenly, he said he saw a big red pickup truck behind him. The driver was motioning at Teran and trying to wave him down. Co-founder and former CEO of Best Friends Animal Society passes away 'At first, I was thinking, 'Why is he driving like that?' He was swerving …. flashing his lights at me. But when I saw his face, I understood something was wrong,' he said. Teran and the driver pulled over, and when he got out of his vehicle, the driver kept pointing at a woman passenger in the truck. 'He's just yelling at me like, 'Hey, there's a baby,' Teran said. 'I'm like, 'Where is the baby?'… And I just look down at this brand-new baby, just coming out,' he said. Teran said the first thing he saw was the back of the baby's head, and the mother asked him to make sure it was okay. 'There was a baby boy. When I saw the baby, of course, it was still connected to mom. A lot of blood and fluids. But I mean, I was happy to see and make sure he was breathing and I was able to check his heart,' he said. He put a blanket around the baby, and soon after, another trooper who is an EMT and a medical team that Teran contacted arrived. The mother and the baby were checked on and reported to be doing well and were then taken to a nearby hospital. Another stroke of luck — Teran said the driver and the mom only spoke Spanish, which he is fluent in. 'I believe a higher power probably put us in a good spot at the right moment,' he said. 'Joyful, kind person': Family of victim in deadly St. George crash speaks after 92-year-old woman dies The driver was a family friend of the mother and told Teran this was an experience he thought he would never have. 'I told him, 'Same,'' Teran said. 'I think we started laughing. He just didn't know what to do. His tears started coming out and I'm like, 'I'm probably going to tear out with you, too,' he said. Later in the day, Teran went to visit the mother and baby in the hospital, saying that seeing they were both okay was a relief. 'They said thank you and I shook hands with them … Being with the Hispanic community, it's a warm welcome to be able to help them out, too,' he said. ' … If I can just smile at somebody and help them out with their day, it's probably all I'm asking for — and just helping somebody today with their baby at the moment … it's a special gift, not a lot of people get to do it. It's a pretty special moment.' Discover a World of Color Happiness! at Disneyland's 70th celebration Intermountain offers in-office hand procedures for convenience and lower cost 'Special moment:' Utah trooper jumps in to help after baby born in car on highway Backed into your garage door? A+ Garage Doors fixes it fast Utah vs Scammers – The anti-scam crusade you need to know about Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Co-founder and former CEO of Best Friends Animal Society passes away
KANAB, Utah () — One of the co-founders of Best Friends Animal Society, headquartered and founded in Kanab, Utah, passed away last weekend. He is remembered for his compassion for animals and diligent work while building up the sanctuary. Gregory Castle was one of 26 co-founders and the former CEO of Best Friends Animal Society. The sanctuary was established in Kanab, Utah, in 1984. He passed away on Saturday, May 17, 2025, from natural causes at the age of 83. According to Best Friends' website, 'In 1984, group of friends with about 200 rescued dogs and cats, a few bunnies and birds, and a couple of burros landed in a remote canyon in Utah's high desert and took the first steps on the path of what would become the nationwide no-kill movement for homeless pets.' 'Bone' Appétit: Here are the Salt Lake County restaurants with dog-friendly patios in 2025 Castle was one of these friends and worked diligently to turn the remote area of Angel Canyon in Kanab into a sanctuary for animals of all kinds. According to Best Friends, Castle installed the original water lines and electricity at the sanctuary — which spans more than 3000 acres — using only DIY books. 'Gregory embodied the ethics of compassion and service. He devoted his entire adult life to helping animals and to making the world a better place. Losing Gregory is devastating, but his legacy of kindness and his commitment to the animals will live on through the work of Best Friends Animal Society,' Francis Battista, Best Friends board president and another co-founder, is quoted in a release. While he spent the last 41 years of his life in Utah, Castle was actually born and raised in England. His father was a civil engineer for the British army during World War II. Castle graduated from Cambridge University in 1942 with degrees in philosophy and psychology. 'Shy, but inquisitive': Hogle Zoo welcomes new sand cat named 'Cleo' His wife founded No More Homeless Pets Utah with Castle in 2000. This eventually turned into the nonprofit No-Kill Utah. Best Friends describes it as a 'statewide coalition of animal welfare organizations, veterinarians and animal lovers collaborating to deliver low-cost spay/neuter services, proactive shelter adoptions and public awareness campaigns to put Utah on the path to no-kill.' He is survived by his wife Julie; his daughter Carragh Maloney; his granddaughter Zoe Glover, his brother Christopher Castle; sisters Jan Castle and Susan Duys, cats Ellie and Maggie, and dogs Sunny and Marley. His legacy will live on through a large and dedicated national community of animal lovers working to save the lives of homeless pets. He will be deeply missed. Best Friends Animal Society on the passing of Gregory Castle Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Best Friends Animal Society Announces the Passing of Beloved Co-Founder and Former CEO Gregory Castle
Visionary leader helped to pioneer the no-kill movement and dedicated his life to saving animals Imagery: KANAB, Utah, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- It is with profound sadness that Best Friends Animal Society announces the loss of co-founder and former CEO, Gregory Castle, who passed away suddenly on Saturday, May 17, 2025, from natural causes. Gregory, along with 26 co-founders established Best Friends in 1984 when they broke ground for Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, now the country's largest no-kill animal sanctuary and headquarters for the national animal welfare organization. As CEO from 2009 to 2018, he helped grow Best Friends into the leading national organization working to save dogs and cats in U.S. shelters and to make the entire country no-kill. Best Friends board president and co-founder Francis Battista said: 'Gregory embodied the ethics of compassion and service. He devoted his entire adult life to helping animals and to making the world a better place. Losing Gregory is devastating, but his legacy of kindness and his commitment to the animals will live on through the work of Best Friends Animal Society.' Born in Cranbrook, England, in 1942, Gregory graduated from Cambridge University with a master's in philosophy and psychology, and a passion for filmmaking. While at Cambridge he was a member of the venerable Cambridge Footlights, one of Britain's oldest student sketch comedy troupes that produced some of the biggest names in British film and theater. He spent his childhood in Folkestone, England, a coastal access point during World War II that endured numerous bombings and air raids and served as a major landing spot for the Dunkirk evacuation. His father, Norman Castle, was a civil engineer for the British army who remained in Folkestone during the war while the rest of the town was evacuated. Gregory's mother was among those who relocated to safety and Gregory was subsequently born in a country house in Cranbrook. His father was later awarded with one of Britain's highest honors, an Order of the British Empire, for his heroic work in Folkestone during the war. Gregory spent the last 41 years in Utah, serving in a variety of roles at Best Friends. In the early days of the Sanctuary, Gregory installed the original water lines and electricity across 3,000 acres of high desert land, guided only by a set of DIY books. In 2000, along with his wife Julie, he started No More Homeless Pets in Utah, which evolved into No-Kill Utah (NKUT), a statewide coalition of animal welfare organizations, veterinarians and animal lovers collaborating to deliver low cost spay/neuter services, proactive shelter adoptions and public awareness campaigns to put Utah on the path to no-kill. The coalition became a model for cooperative efforts in the humane community throughout the country. Gregory played the bagpipes, flew airplanes and was an avid runner who completed 17 marathons over a 20-year period, including three Boston Marathons. At 73 years of age, he became the oldest person at the time to ever have completed the grueling seven-day Grand to Grand Ultra, which takes runners across 170 miles of Utah's back country. Gregory was 83 years old. He is survived by his wife Julie; his daughter Carragh Maloney; his granddaughter Zoe Glover, his brother Christopher Castle; sisters Jan Castle and Susan Duys, cats Ellie and Maggie, and dogs Sunny and Marley. His legacy will live on through a large and dedicated national community of animal lovers working to save the lives of homeless pets. He will be deeply missed. About Best Friends Animal Society Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and cats in America's shelters and making the entire country no-kill. Founded in 1984, Best Friends runs lifesaving facilities and programs nationwide in partnership with more than 5,000 shelters and rescue organizations. From our headquarters in Kanab, Utah, we also operate the nation's largest no-kill animal sanctuary — a destination that brings our mission to life for thousands of visitors each year. We maintain the most comprehensive animal sheltering data in the country and make it accessible to the public — empowering communities with critical insights into the needs of their local shelters and how they can help. We believe every dog and cat deserves a home. And we believe that, by working together, we can Save Them All®. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Best Friends Animal Society
Forbes
16-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Attention, Walmart Shoppers: Bring Home A Free Dog Or Cat Tomorrow
Walmart shoppers will have the chance to meet adoptable dogs and cats tomorrow at seven store locations — and bring them home for free. The nationwide Bring Happy Home pet adoption event takes place from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. local time on Saturday, May 17 at Walmart stores in Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida; North Bergen, New Jersey; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Phoenix, Arizona; and Salt Lake City, Utah. Over 150 cats and dogs from Best Friends Animal Society and partner shelters will have pet adoption fees covered by Walmart and Blue Buffalo, according to Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society, an animal welfare nonprofit working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America's shelters. 'Walmart is really into community values, and pets are part of the family,' she said. 'Being able to engage their employee base in something that is so fun and positive and brings so much joy to their customers I think is just a really big win for all of us.' Every available dog or cat will have been fully vetted for any health issues and be spayed or neutered, current on vaccinations and ready to go home with a goodie bag filled with toys and treats, she noted. She's inspired by the resilience of the dogs and cats available for adoption. For instance, a Belgian Malinois mix named Nicky landed in a Los Angeles shelter with a broken jaw. The team at Best Friends LA got him the veterinary care he needed, and now he's ready for adoption. 'We took Nicky in, we gave him love, we gave him medical attention, and today he's full of life and energy and is a spunky little dog who enjoys other dogs and runs around in playgroups,' Castle said. 'He's a really sweet, very beautiful dog. Hopefully he's going to find a home this weekend.' There are cool cats available for adoption, too. In a rural area outside of Houston, an animal control officer was surprised when a calico cat named Millie 'came running out of nowhere to greet him,' according to Castle. 'The animal control officer could see that Millie's eye was having problems and called us,' she said. 'She had an eye ulcer, which is sometimes not so reasonable for a small rural shelter to deal with. We treated her eye ulcer and she's probably always going to have a little bit of cloudy vision, but she's a great kitty.' The Bring Happy Home locations for the May 17 pet adoption event are at the following Walmart stores: If you miss tomorrow's Bring Happy Home event, you can still find pet adoption fees waived at Best Friends locations across the U.S. throughout May in honor of National Pet Month. Adoption fees will be covered by Blue Buffalo and Walmart. Castle said over 90% of U.S. animal shelters are within 20 miles of a Walmart store, so she hopes the Bring Happy Home promotion helps spread awareness that terrific dogs and cats are available at shelters across the country. She's constantly impressed by what many of them have overcome. 'One of the coolest parts of my job is to see all of these dogs and cats. They want to live — they're survivors,' she said. 'It's unbelievable the amount of trauma and pain that these animals can go through and the resiliency to bounce back and forgive and forget and find that true love again in their lives and be part of a loving family. It's really, really special, and it's something that we as humans, I think, could really learn from.' An estimated 7 million Americans will bring home a pet in the next year, Castle said, and she hopes many will choose to adopt animals from shelters instead of buying them from a breeder or pet store. 'Of those 7 million, if just 6 percent more decided to adopt rather than buy, then the problem would be solved,' she said. 'Consider adopting a pet because you're saving a life and you're not just doing that, but you're helping a shelter whose staff does not want to kill animals for a living. It's a profound impact and a domino effect. We are nearing the tipping point of ending killing in America's shelters for good.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill banning sale pets on sidewalks, parking lots signed into law
ATLANTA (WSAV) — A bill making it illegal to sell dogs, cats and rabbits on roadsides, parks and parking lots was signed into law on Friday. Governor Brian Kemp has officially signed House Bill 331 into law. Advocates have called the bill a victory for efforts to combat backyard breeding, puppy mills and illicit pet sales. Dogs, cats and domestic rabbits can't be sold, exchanged or advertised for commercial purposes on any roadside, public right of way, parkway, median, public or commercial parking lot or sidewalk, park, recreation area, fair, transient or seasonal flea market or similar transient market or outdoor location, the bill said. 'Puppy mills frequently sell on roadsides and parking lots to prevent the public from seeing the oftentimes cruel and dire conditions these pets are bred in,' said Senior Director of Advocacy and Network Partners, Best Friends Animal Society Laura Donahue. 'I'm extremely grateful to Governor Kemp for taking a stand for Georgia's pets.' Individuals who violate the law could face fines up to $100 for the first offense, $250 for the second and $500 for the third and subsequent offenses. Corporations would face a fine up to $1,000, between 200-500 hours of community service or both. Additionally, each animal sold would represent a separate offense. 'I backed the roadside sales element because every Georgians' pet deserves a safe and loving home,' a sponsor of the bill, Rep. Beth Camp (R) said. 'By ending roadside and parking lot sales, we're protecting our neighbors, our families, and our community's most vulnerable animals.' Read the full bill here: Georgia-2025-HB331-EnrolledDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
