2024 AVA Awards Meritorious Award winner: Dr Moss Siddle

Dr Moss Siddle prefers to take proactive steps, rather than sit back and watch change happen around him.

That’s why he has dedicated over 30 years to the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA), where he’s contributed, advocated, and rallied for change and growth within the profession.

He assumed several roles throughout his tenure, such as a Victorian Division Executive Committee Member, AVA Workforce Sustainability Working Group Member, Vets Choice Technical Reference Group Member, AVA Policy Advisory Council Member and Chair of the Veterinary Business Group (VBG).

^{Dr Siddle attending VBG Conference}

“By being involved, you get to have a say in how the AVA operates, get feedback from members, give guidance and actually enact things to help our members,” he said.

“That’s the main reason why I commit time to these groups.

“I want the best out of the profession, and I want it to be constantly moving. It’s also great that you meet other people who are as passionate as you about the industry.”

Dr Siddle played an instrumental role in amalgamating AVAPM into the current Veterinary Business Group, worked hard to continue online education and connection during the COVID-19 pandemic, advocated for Veterinarians' inclusion in the Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List and contributed significantly to the development of Vets Choice Pet Insurance.

^{Dr Siddle helping out with AVA Victorian Bushire Aid 2020}

After so many years involved in the AVA, leveraging his leadership and strategic thinking, Dr Siddle was the chair of the VBG during the pandemic and finished his term on the executive committee of the Veterinary Business Group in May 2024 but remains a member of the VBG and the AVA.

It was through his involvement with the AVA, that he was able to identify a gap in the market and fill it through veterinary triage service, VetCheck 24/7 and Medechat.

“I was invited to be on a panel at the AVA conference in Brisbane, to speak about the part time workforce.

“There was a focus on parents who might have had a career break or have been raising a family, and wanting to come back into part time work, or new vets who are not wanting to work full time right at the start of their career.

“I developed these businesses to try and take the pressure off vets. This is a way practices can maintain after hours service without having the pressure of all these calls coming in, especially when 70% of them don’t need to be dealt with at the time.”

His longstanding passion to better the profession was recognised earlier this year at the AVA Awards, when he was the joint recipient of the Meritorious Service Award alongside Dr Hadley Willsallen. The award is testament to special or long-term service to the AVA, its Divisions, Branches and Special Interest Groups (SIGs).

“It’s very humbling, and a bit of a surprise but it’s an honour to receive it.”

Dr Siddle believes it’s extremely important to recognise those within the profession who are working hard to improve and grow the veterinary profession.

“Most of the people who are winning the awards are fairly altruistic, they don’t do what they do to win awards, they do it to serve and help the profession,” he said.

“It is important to give recognition to those people because they are giving all the time, and don’t expect anything in return. It means a lot to be appreciated by the AVA and get recognition from colleagues in the industry that their time and effort, is appreciated and worthwhile.”

Nominations for the 2025 AVA Awards are opening soon.