Ray Butcher, passionate animal welfare advocate and board member of ARC

GARC was very sad to hear the news that Ray Butcher had passed away in early February 2015. 

Ray was one of the directors of the Alliance for Rabies Control (ARC) and gained much from his expertise, experience and wisdom, which came at a particularly critical time during the early stages of the organisation. 

Ray was involved in a wide range of charitable activities. Through his work with the World Society for the Protection of Animals (now World Animal Protection), Ray was instrumental in efforts to control dog populations humanely, particularly in Eastern Europe and in Asia. 

He was a founding member of the Blue Dog Trust, an international programme to reduce the incidence of dog bites in children, was on the board of the International Companion Animal Management Coalition (ICAM) and past President of the  European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations.  He was a past Chair of the WSAVA Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee and also worked tirelessly as a veterinary surgeon in his practice at the Wylie Veterinary Centre, Upminster, UK.

It was clear through his commitment and involvement in many charities and causes that Ray cared about passionately about animal welfare.  Despite the many demands on his time, he was always ready to help ARC, providing expert advice on dog population management and dog bite prevention. Ray was the epitomy of a ‘good person’ –  a humanitarian who achieved the highest professional standards, while showing great kindness, generosity, humility and good humour. 

ARC will always be grateful to him for joining the fight against rabies.  There are millions of children and families who still live in the shadow of rabies – and the terrifying uncertainty that follows the bite of a rabid dog.  They will never know how hard Ray worked for them, and for the welfare of the dogs who are part of their lives – but his legacy will live on in every child protected against dog bites and every rabies case prevented.  

Our thoughts and sincere condolences go to Moira, his wife, and his many friends and colleagues around the world.