The most famous veterinarian on the small screen, Michel Klein, an apostle of animal protection, died on Saturday, October 19, at the age of 103, in Rueil-Malmaison (Hauts-de-Seine), according to Agence France – Press (AFP) with his wife, Marie-Christine Klein.
Born in 1921 in northwestern Romania, and sent to France by his parents to study during the 1930s, this former resistance fighter was one of the first to open a veterinary practice in Paris in the 1950s.
He became a media figure in the 1960s, thanks to television programs raising awareness about animal rights, such as I am looking for a teacher, animals of the world, 30 million friends and, for ten years, Earth, beware of dangercolumn he presented on TF1 with presenter Dorothée.
“He did a lot for animals”
Close to Brigitte Bardot, he is the author of the book The beasts that made me man and was long-time vice president of the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA). He co-founded the National Council for Animal Protection and was at the origin, with the support of Jacques Chirac, of the creation of the Guide Dog School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Paris.
“Michel will always be in my heart. 103 years old is a magnificent age. He was surprised himself… His departure is a huge shock. He did a lot for animals and animal protection. He knew everything about everything. He wore his heart on his sleeve. We have made magnificent broadcasts for years”Dorothée reacted to AFP.
Producer Jean-Luc Azoulay, founder and director of AB Productions, which produces Dorothée’s shows, praised X “an extraordinary man, a great gentleman”expressing his “great sadness” and sending his thoughts to his wife and family.
