Animal Cruelty Crime Scene Investigation

Question 1

ON MIDTERM

What are the fundamental crime scene goals?

Answer 1

1. Observation
2. Search
3. Locate
4. Collect
5. Preserve
6. Document
7. Analysis
8. Assessment

Question 2

When writing a search warrant, what is the FIRST thing you need?

Answer 2

Probable cause!!!

Question 3

What is the born/unborn law?

Answer 3

Relates to pregnant animals; as soon as the offspring are born, they can go right back to their owner if you don’t specify “born/unborn”

Question 4

What are Exigent Circumstances?

Answer 4

Immediate action needed to protect health and safety of the animal

Example: breaking a car window to rescue an animal in a hot car

Question 5

Photography should be taken in:

Answer 5

-Overall
-Distant
-Mid-range
-Close up
-With AND without scale

Question 6

ON MIDTERM

Explain the Wave Approach (large scale only!)

Answer 6

1st wave: (UNALTERED STATE)
-assessment of critical injuries
-overall entry photos and video taken

2nd wave: (DOCUMENT)
-documentation taken: photographs of live animals from all directions
-video and sketch everything
-location and animal ID taken
-deceased animals documented
-environmental conditions recorded

3rd wave: (COLLECTION)
-evidence collection and packaging
-document conditions before altered (where food/water bowls are)
-take photos prior to transporting
-take “mug shot” photos
-photos of injuries and unique marks

4th wave: (REMOVAL)
-post removal documentation
-forensic processing
-additional documentation: (is the food and water fresh, nutritious, can they reach food and water bowls?)
-are there an excess amount of feces and urine?

5th wave: (FINAL SEARCH)
-overall exit photographs and video
-final walkthrough of scene
-clear scene
-release scene
-TAKE AN ONGOING VIDEO of animals after rescue to capture behavior (excitement, relief, etc.)

Question 7

Why is it important to capture any escape attempts made by the animal?

Answer 7

To determine whether an escape effort was made (point to signs of distress in the animal)
examples: scratch marks, biting, holes in the area they were confined

Question 8

It is also important to capture what in video?

Answer 8

Any self inflicted wounds from stress, boredom, etc.

Examples:
-Hair loss in a particular area that is reachable for the animal to rip off
-Flesh wounds from excessive biting in a particular area m

Question 9

What are examples of crimes of comission? (committing an act intentionally)

Answer 9

-Physical abuse
-Emotional abuse

Question 10

What are examples of crimes of omission? (failure to ACT)

Answer 10

-Physical neglect
-Emotional neglect

Question 11

MIDTERM QUESTION

Why is videography key?

Answer 11

-Makes/breaks animal cases
-Can provide evidence to animals howling, barking, moaning, etc. which are signs they are in constant duress, pain, etc.
-Initial response to food and water
-Abnormal behavior (fear, threatened)
-Can capture what lead up to the death of an animal through a neighbor’s ring camera for example
-Provide evidence of a perpetrator abusing an animal over a period of time

Question 12

What are the 5 cases of neglect?

Answer 12

1. Neglect
2. Dog Fighting
3. Puppy Mills
4. Bestiality
5. Hoarding