Hugh John Wirth (9 September 1939 – 5 February 2018) was an Australian

veterinarian A veterinarian (vet) or veterinary surgeon is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, veterinarians also play a role in animal r ...

and

animal welfare Animal welfare is the quality of life and overall well-being of animals. Formal standards of animal welfare vary between contexts, but are debated mostly by animal welfare groups, legislators, and academics. Animal welfare science uses measures ...

advocate in Victoria,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. In March 2011 he celebrated 30 years as the resident vet on 774 ABC Melbourne.

Education and employment

Wirth attended

Xavier College Xavier College is a Roman Catholic, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, founded in 1872 by the Society of Jesus, with its main campus located in Kew, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Classes started in 1878. The ...

in Melbourne from 1949 to 1957. He graduated from the

University of Queensland The University of Queensland is a Public university, public research university located primarily in Brisbane, the capital city of the Australian state of Queensland. Founded in 1909 by the Queensland parliament, UQ is one of the six sandstone ...

with a degree in veterinary science.Australia Day,
Australia Day Ambassador Hugh Wirth
', Australia Day website, Accessed 18 September 2011 Wirth commenced work as an associate veterinary practitioner at

Drouin Drouin is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * André Drouin (c. 1947 – 2017), Canadian politician * Claude Drouin (born 1956), Canadian politician * Derek Drouin (born 1990), Canadian high jumper * Francis Drouin (born 1983), Ca ...

veterinary surgery, from 1964 to 1965. After this he was employed as associate veterinary practitioner, Balwyn Veterinary Surgery, from 1965 to 1966. Wirth took over the Balwyn practice in January 1967 after the veterinarian went into hospital for an eye operation and never returned to the practice to work. He was the principal in the practice from January 1967 to his retirement in August 2006.

Animal welfare advocacy

Wirth joined the

RSPCA The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is a charity operating in England and Wales which promotes animal welfare. The RSPCA is funded primarily by voluntary donations. Founded in 1824, it is the oldest and largest a ...

as a junior member in 1948, trained in

veterinary science Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in non-human animals. The scope of veterinary medicine is wide, covering all animal species, both ...

and practised as a

for 47 years, and became one of Australia's best known and outspoken animal welfare advocates. He had now been a council member for RSPCA Victoria from 1969, and President from 1972. He was the first non-European to hold the position as president of the

World Society for the Protection of Animals World Animal Protection, formerly The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), is an international non-profit animal welfare organization that has been in operation since 1981. The charity's mission is to create a better world for an ...

(now known as

World Animal Protection World Animal Protection, formerly The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), is an international non-profit animal welfare organization that has been in operation since 1981. The charity's mission is to create a better world for an ...

). On the live export trade Wirth was a staunch opponent arguing "that the animal is killed in an Australian abattoir. Subject to head-only stunning so that it meets the Koran's demands." Similarly, Wirth opposed

duck hunting Waterfowl hunting is the practice of hunting aquatic birds such as ducks, geese and other waterfowls or shorebirds for sport and meat. Waterfowl are hunted in crop fields where they feed, or in areas with bodies of water such as rivers, lakes ...

calling it cruel and unnecessary and no longer an acceptable cultural practice for Victorians. In March 2011 Wirth said that RSPCA Australia would investigate all reports of animal cruelty resulting from the Eden Park Kangaroo Cull and also said herding of kangaroos, which has been reported as part of the kangaroo cull, was in breach of a Victorian kangaroo management plan compiled by the DSE and approved by the RSPCA years ago.

Honours

Wirth was appointed a Member of the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

(AM) on 10 June 1985 "for service in the field of animal welfare particularly with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)". In 1988, Wirth was the first Australian to receive the George T. Angell Humanitarian Award from the

Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Animal Medical Center (MSPCA-Angell) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with its main headquarters on South Huntington Avenue in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Bo ...

(MSPCA). Wirth was named Victorian of the Year in 1997."Victoria Day Awards"
, Victoria Day website. Accessed 18 September 2011.

Published works

* * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wirth, Hugh 1939 births 2018 deaths Animal care and training writers Australian animal welfare workers Australian veterinarians Members of the Order of Australia People educated at Xavier College People with Parkinson's disease Radio personalities from Melbourne University of Queensland alumni