Long before women were widely accepted in medical professions, Aleen Cust broke barriers and became the first woman to be officially recognized as a veterinary surgeon in Britain.
Her journey to that title wasn’t easy. Only men were known to be veterinary surgeons, and her parents did not approve of her dreams. For decades, she faced discrimination, but refused to give up. And her efforts paid off.
Aleen Cust was born in 1868 in County Tipperary, Ireland. She was the fourth child born to a well-off family. When her father died in 1878, the family moved to England.
From a young age, Aleen loved animals and was determined to become a veterinarian. In 1895, she enrolled at the New Veterinary College in Edinburgh, changing her name to Custance to avoid disgracing her family.
She was the first female student at the school and excelled in all her studies. However, when it was time to sit for her first professional examination and earn a certificate from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, she was denied because she was not a male student.
Aleen was not deterred by this and continued to work in the veterinary field. She got a job as an assistant to Dr. William Byrne, a vet in Roscommon, Ireland.
She gained hands-on experience treating farm animals and cemented her reputation in the community. By the time Byrne died in 1910, Aleen had already established her own practice nearby.
Although she was practicing as a veterinary surgeon, she was not officially recognized as one due to her gender. Her big break came during World War I.
She volunteered to serve with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RCVS) in France in 1915. She helped care for the thousands of horses that were used in the war effort, proving her competence and dedication more than ever.
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In 1917, she was appointed to a position in the veterinary hospital laboratories. From 1915 to 1918, she was in France serving with Queen Mary’s Auxiliary Army Corps.
At the end of World War I, politicians passed an act that gave women over the age of 30 the right to vote. The following year, in 1919, a law was passed, stating that people cannot be disqualified from entering professions based on gender or marriage status.
The RCVS could no longer deny her membership. Finally, in 1922, Aleen received her diploma and was formally recognized as a veterinary surgeon after decades of hard work and persistence.
She was the first woman in Britain to hold the title of veterinary surgeon. Soon after, she retired and spent her later years surrounded by horses, dogs, and poultry.
As her health declined, she went to Jamaica in 1936 to spend the winter in a warmer climate. In 1937, she passed away from a heart attack, just eight days before her 69th birthday.
Today, Aleen Cust is celebrated for blazing a trail that is now followed by generations of women in veterinary medicine.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
