746 21/28 December 2019 | VET RECORD

#STANDINGONHERSHOULDERS

Marking 100 years of women as vets

(from left) Alice Moore, Emily Craven, Katie Roberts and Mandisa Greene

IN a profession that now sees more women than men practising in the UK, it’s hard to imagine a time when there were no female vets. But this month marks 100 years since an Act of Parliament allowed women to practise as vets for the first time.

The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 did away with the legal barriers that stopped women entering the profession. It also permitted women to be awarded university degrees and, in turn, enabled Aleen Cust to become the first female vet recognised by the RCVS in 1922.

To celebrate the centenary of this groundbreaking legislation, the BVA is running a #StandingOnHerShoulders campaign, during which it will share stories of inspiring female vets of the past, present and future on its social media channels and website.

Here, we publish a shortened version of a blog in which four contemporary female vets describe their inspirations and what the milestone means to them. The full blog will appear online at www.bva.co.uk

Alice MooreAlice is a recent graduate, a small animal vet and a member of the BVA’s policy committee.

‘What a brilliant milestone to have achieved! I feel such a sense of awe and gratitude towards those brave female trailblazers who have come before me.

‘Growing up, I was in the fortunate position of being surrounded by many strong, inspirational women, and, while at vet school, I attended Newnham College – one of the last

remaining all-female colleges at Cambridge, which has an incredibly special community of women.

‘Looking back, I realise I was perfectly shielded from the lingering inequality that has pervaded society and established itself into the subconscious of men and women alike. What a different person I could have been had I not been afforded this “luxury”! How would I have fared in 1871, when the first few women took refuge at Newnham College?’

Emily CravenEmily is a dedicated farm animal vet and the first recipient of the BVA Young Vet of the Year Award.

‘In terms of a female inspiration, I would have to say Dorothy Brooke, a woman who was not afraid to put animal welfare above societal norms and fight for what she believed in – in her case saving old war horses, rather than being a dutiful wife sat at home receiving guests.

‘I, however, would like to thank all the women who have stood up and fought for equality both in the past and the present – in the world and the profession – and who have fought those battles, so I don’t have to. One hundred years is a milestone, and we can see how far we have come...I hope Aleen Cust would be proud of us!’

Katie RobertsKatie is the current president of the Association of Veterinary Students and a BVA council member.

‘It seems blasé to make the offhand comment that the change in law 100

years ago has changed the lives of thousands of women over the past century, but that’s exactly what it has done.

‘I count myself so lucky to be entering the profession at a time when there are so many strong women in positions of power. Amanda Boag and Mandisa Greene are the past and incoming presidents of the RCVS, and are both hugely influential individuals, who I have an enormous amount of respect for. And then there’s Daniella Dos Santos, current BVA president, who has spearheaded a diversity campaign. All three of these women have taught me so much. They’ve shown me how to be a leader.’

Mandisa GreeneMandisa is junior vice president of the RCVS and a small animal vet.

‘My vet career started on a cold evening in Edinburgh with a phone call suggesting I should be sitting down for this news. None of it came easy to me; my route and path through vet school were convoluted, but I was determined, and I felt the need to prove myself.

‘I am constantly being inspired by women – by the recent graduates who live their truth fearlessly and by the more experienced vets who share their wisdom freely. I look to women for guidance, support, motivation and inspiration. This marker of 100 years since women were given the choice to become practising vets fills me with hope that change is possible and that attitudes can shift. Even the journey of 100 years must begin with one first step.’ ●

One hundred years is a milestone... I hope Aleen Cust would be proud of us

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