Assisi Award for Outstanding Contribution to Animal Welfare
Catherine Smith: Strong history of
service to animal welfare recognised
A former member of the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee, Catherine Smith, who served from the establishment of the committee in 1984 until 1995, was awarded an inaugural Assisi Award at the New Zealand Companion Animal Council Conference in Queenstown last September.
Catherine is a former President and Animal Welfare Coordinator of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, as well as a member of what was then the Veterinary Surgeons' Board. She has a strong history of service to animal welfare, having been instrumental in the establishment of the Animal Welfare Chapter of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists and the Animals in Schools Education Trust (AISET), and in ensuring the focus of the veterinary profession on animal welfare and the management of cruelty to animals.
Catherine's contributions to both animal welfare and the community have previously been acknowledged with the award of a New Zealand Royal Honour for Community Service, and a New Zealand Science and Technology medal from The Royal Society of New Zealand.
Other New Zealand recipients of the Assisi Award were bird rescuer Pam Howlett, and Anne Batley Burton, described by Bob Kerridge (Chairman of the Companion Animal Council) as "a modern day Saint Francis". Overseas recipients were Australian veterinarian Hugh Wirth, long associated with both RSPCA Australia and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA); Jill Robinson, inspirational founder of the Animals Asia Foundation; and Peter Davies, Director-General of WSPA.
- Virginia Williams BVSC, MACVSc, Dip Prof Ethics, vwilliams@xtra.co.nz, phone 021 216 5920.
- www.nzcac.org.nz
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Page last updated: 30 April 2008