Harold William Bennetts CBE (18 July 1898 – 28 August 1970) was an Australian veterinary surgeon known for his ground-breaking research into diseases and pathogens of livestock, especially the toxic effects of some native Australian plants.
[2] In 1925 Bennetts took up a position as veterinary pathologist for the Western Australian Department of Agriculture.
While based at Avondale Agricultural Research Station he achieved worldwide recognition for his work identifying Bacillus ovitoxicus.
[5] In 1957 he received the Australian Veterinary Association Gilruth Prize and his DVSc in 1931.
[6] In conjunction with Charles Gardner, his work on the toxic effects on livestock of some Western Australian plants resulted in the highly regarded book The Toxic Plants of Western Australia being published in 1956.