One vet has said gender balance is a real problem in the vet industry. Photo / 123rf
One vet has said gender balance is a real problem in the vet industry. Photo / 123rf
Another vet has weighed into the debate about female veterinarians saying women don't want to own their own practices because they "don't want responsibility and the hassle".
It was announced last night that Massey University's chancellor Chris Kelly would step down from the role after he said a female vet was worth only "two-fifths" of a full-time veterinarian because she had to take time out for marriage and family.
His comments, published last week, have been criticised as sexist, outdated and insulting.
Owner of Wellington's Wadestown Vet, Mike Scully, said the gender balance is a problem in the vet industry.
He knows multiple clinics struggling to find staff. He said he knew of four that have been bought by Australian corporates because no vets want to take them over.
He thinks this is in part because women are less interested in running their own practice.
"Women aren't interested in practices. They don't want responsibility and the hassle. They just want to come to work and go again.
Chancellor of Massey University Chris Kelly who resigned after he said a female vet was worth only "two-fifths"of a full-time veterinarian. Photo / Mark Mitchell
"I'm not saying women can't do the job, they can. And they do the job really well."
"If you're a female and you have babies you don't want to calve a cow at 3am. It's nothing about ability."
He said when he went through his vet course it was around 85 per cent men and around 15 per cent female.
Chris Kelly apologised via Twitter after he told Rural News: "Today it's dominated by women.
"That's fine, but the problem is one woman graduate is equivalent to two-fifths of a full-time equivalent vet throughout her life because she gets married and has a family, which is normal.
"So, although we're graduating a lot of vets, we're getting a high fall-out rate later on."
Yesterday, he said his departure followed media coverage of his comments.
"Having had time to carefully consider the views of many staff, students and stakeholders, I believe that it is in the interests of the university that I step aside," he said.
