Latest news with #GregoryCastle
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
