Gregory Castle, Chief Executive Officer
Gregory Castle, one of the founders of Best Friends Animal Society, was named chief executive officer on January 29, 2010. Throughout much of the last 25 years, Gregory has been one of the key leaders in animal welfare, as well as a voice of reason and reconciliation among the grassroots rescue groups, animal shelters and the national animal organizations.
Prior to being named to his current position, Mr. Castle had served as interim chief executive officer. Since the founding of Best Friends Animal Society in 1984, he has traveled the country, and occasionally abroad, consulting with organizations and individuals on animal welfare issues such as reducing euthanasia rates, resolving feral cat issues, developing coalitions and working with governments to help the animals.
In 2000, Castle created No More Homeless Pets in Utah, an organization that led a statewide coalition of animal welfare and rescue organizations, animal control officers, veterinarians, and animal lovers. Through aggressive spay/neuter, adoption, and public awareness programs, the coalition contributed to a large decrease in the number of animals euthanized in Utah each year.
He also initiated Utah's Week for the Animals, now in its 16th year. The week includes educational and public awareness programs, special discount spay/neuter services, pet adoption fairs, and public service awards. Supported by the Utah governor's office, Utah's Week for the Animals has become a model for cooperative efforts in the humane community throughout the country.
Born in England, Mr. Castle is a graduate of Cambridge University with a master's degree in philosophy and psychology. His background includes extrnsive administrative and accounting work for nonprofit human services and church organizations. He is also an avid physicial fitness enthusiast, having completed the Boston Marathon three times, most recently in 2009.
