Gregory Castle, Co-Founder and CEO Emeritus

Gregory Castle is a co-founder of Best Friends Animal Society and currently CEO emeritus. Born and raised in England, Gregory is a graduate of Cambridge University with a master’s degree in philosophy and psychology. After his studies Gregory began a short stint in filmmaking before linking up with many of the individuals who would become the fellow co-founders of Best Friends Animal Society.

Even before founding Best Friends Animal Society, animals were always an important part of the equation for the co-founders. The group campaigned against animal testing and began to seek out a home in the red rock canyons of southern Utah, where they could care for abandoned and abused animals. Gregory was one of the first on site in Angel Canyon to set up what would become the largest animal sanctuary in the nation and the flagship of the no-kill movement. Without formal training in construction and armed only with a few how-to books, Gregory was initially responsible for doing all of the electrical and plumbing work.

Gregory is a recognized leader in animal welfare and a voice of reason and reconciliation among grassroots rescue groups, animal shelters and national animal organizations. Gregory is responsible for the creation what became No-Kill Utah — a coalition of animal welfare and rescue organizations, animal control officers, veterinarians, schools and animal lovers collaborating to deliver aggressive spay/neuter, adoption and public awareness programs for the state’s homeless pets. Gregory’s efforts have fundamentally changed the state of animal welfare in all of Utah, which is currently on a trajectory to become a no-kill state.

Gregory lives in Kanab with his wife, Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society and his family of pets.

Prioritizing the dream. We had that dream, an ideal that was so important that it lived deep with us. Making it a priority to bring the dream to reality, instead of burying it within like most people do, is a principle that has guided us all along.