animal forensics

Animal forensics

Veterinarians play a key role in recognizing and addressing animal

abuse

Until recently, national awareness of the seriousness of animal abuse

has been abysmal. This has been reflected by the relatively scant

legal protections for animals as well as the often comical punishments

for convicted felons of animal abuse where a finger slap has been all

the law could muster.

Veterinary training in forensics and animal abuse has been equally

meager and is due to many factors. Among the most salient reasons for

this historically low emphasis in detecting animal cruelty and

pursuing investigative animal forensics include two important factors.

First, society as a whole is only just now coming to grips with the

serious link between animal cruelty and domestic violence. The

veterinary and legal communities have been hampered by the relatively

light punishments against perpetrators as well as the fear of

potential legal retribution by accused abusers against medical

examiners.

This is changing as animal cruelty laws now carry a felony sentence in

41 states and many of them- but not all- includes immunity clauses

that protect veterinarians from civil and criminal liability when

reporting animal abuse. Indeed, this will become increasingly

important as veterinarians are now being required to report suspicions

of animal abuse to the proper authorities.

Second, veterinarians form client bonds essentially from a "feel good"

point of view, where the human/animal bond is held in a positive light

that anybody can partake of. It is not hard to understand then that

suspicion of abuse is typically rather low on the differential list of

many veterinarians. This makes it more difficult to correlate signs of

abuse to the owners, especially when dealing with varying levels of

possible neglect.

In general, veterinary doctors are mostly focused on preserving

health, and therefore when faced with possible abuse Dr Melinda Merck

, one of the few veterinary forensics specialists in the world, notes

that "it requires thinking outside the box...Anytime you have injuries

that don't match the history, then you have to think cruelty...

Forensic investigation for cruelty is just expanding your

possibilities to some horrific possibilities'." This is indeed a tough

scenario for the veterinarian to swallow as it adds a "policing"

quality to the sacred veterinary/client relationship and wears very

uncomfortably for many veterinarians.

The times are quickly changing though, and as society becomes aware of

the human/animal link in abuse patterns and violence, veterinarians

are expanding their roles and involvement in the science of forensics.

The special training that is required to recognize the signs of active

animal abuse and post mortem forensic abuse is now becoming a

burgeoning specialty in veterinary medicine. Skilled professionals

such as Dr Merck are sharing their profound skills and experience in

animal forensic medicine to the veterinary medical community as demand

for forensic information continues to expand.

Dr Merck and others are developing the beginnings of standardized

forensic procedures for animals that parallels that of humans. This

will facilitate the recognition of what constitutes abuse of domestic

animals and promises to guide the veterinary profession through what

can often be very emotionally stressful and confusing experiences.

The ultimate goal is to better protect the defenseless, be they

children, the aged, or- in this case- the animals, from some of the

sadder and more sadistic elements of our society.