Veterinary Forensics

Question 1

Veterinary Forensics

Answer 1

• The application of a braod spectrum of sciences, including veterinary medicine to answer questions of interest to a court of law

Question 2

Forensics Veterinarian

Answer 2

• Identify, collect and assess evidence from anamails and their environment
• Use veterinary medical knwoledge to put together the pieces of the puzzle to try to answer questions asked by law enforcement and the courts in an unviased and objective manner
• Act as “teacher” to clearly convey the evidence which falls into realm of expertise, based in science and fact, to assist the judge and/or jury in understandin the evidence at hand

Question 3

Importance of Veterinary Forensics

Answer 3

• Veterinary forensic science can be used to:
  
  • Establish if a crime has or has not been committed which involves an animal
  • Solve the animal related crime
• Society demands the investigation of crimes against animals
• Link between human violence and animal cruelty

Question 4

Link between Abuse

Answer 4

• Animal abuse, cruelty and neglect often considered isolated incidents separate from other forms of family violence
• Animal abuse as a sentinel indicator
  
  • Tip of the iceberg
  • first sign of other family and community violence
• Abusers may kill, harm or threaten animals to exert dominance and power over victims
  
  • Animal abuse slences domestic violence and sexual abuse victims
• Senior citizens
  
  • At risk and not able to care for their animals adequately
  • Neglecting themselves to care for their pets
  • Exploited by those who take advantage of their attachment to th
  • eir pets
  • Keeping too many animals in inhumane hoarding conditions
• Children who are cruel to animals
  
  • Earliest stages of conduct disorder
  • Gang initiation ritual
  • Act of revenge
  • Peer pressure
  • Way for an abused child who feels powerless to exert control over his/her own victim and gain sense of power
  • Exposing children to animal cruelty may desensitize them against other forms of violence

Question 5

Human vs Animal Crime Scene Investigations

Answer 5

• Human
  
  • Multiple specialized forensic professionals
  • Usually involve one or few victims
  • local and state labs available to analyze evidence
  • Involves a singlespecies
• Animal
  
  • Typically no supporting specialists
  • May involve few or numerous victims
  • Work with vetreinary schools or private labs throughout the US to analyze evidence
  • Involves multiple species

Question 6

Veterinarian’s role in forensics

Answer 6

• Crime scene investigation
• Examination of live victims
• Examination of deceased victims
• Expert witness testimony

Question 7

Crime scene Investigation

Answer 7

• Vet’s role
  
  • Triage live victims
  • Assist law enforcement with evidence identification and examination
  • Assessment of the scene and its effects on the victims
• Ideal for vet to be on scene
  
  • will lose information otherwise
  • Do not go beyond what your skill level allows you to do

Question 8

Triage Live Victims

Answer 8

• Field Triage: initial walk through - look for critical animals
• Intake Triage: done while removing animals from the scene
  
  • Red, yellow, green, blue

Question 9

CSI and Evidence

Answer 9

• Failure to recognize the presence of evidence
  
  • Some items of evidence may be overlooked by law enforcement who are not familiar with theparticular case
  • Items may be overlooke because they may not be aware ofthe value of the items
• Failure to preserve animal or medical evidene
  
  • DVM may need to help in ensuring that some evidence is properly preserved

Question 10

Assessment of Scene

Answer 10

• Animal’s environment environment directly impacts physical exam findings
  
  • Can’t tie exam to environment if you don’t have information on the environment
    
    • Neglect is great example

Question 11

May Observe Conditions Such As:

Answer 11

• Dehydration: due to poor water quality
• Interdigital dermatitis: due to dirty and wet living conditions
• Bacterial conjunctivitis: due to dirty and wet living conditions, as feces can easily become integrated with the mud and can be splashed onto the dogs’ face and into their eyes
• Hypothermia: depending on ambient temperature, may be observed due to the inability to remain dry and in adequate shelter

Question 12

Forensic Examination of Live Victims

Answer 12

• Veterinary forensics medical examination: detailed exam done in order to methodically document physical findings and facilitate the collction of evidence from the patients’ body
  
  • Starts at the scene
  • Cannot fully interpret exam findings without crime scene infrmation

Question 13

Forensic Examinations of Decesed Victims

Answer 13

• Determined from a forensic necropsy:
  
  • Cause of death
  • Manner of death
  • Contributory causes
  • Mechanism of death
  • Estimate of potmortem interval

Question 14

Cause of death

Answer 14

Event that initiated the chain of events that led to the death

Question 15

Manner of Death

Answer 15

• Natural
• Accidental
• Non-accidental
• Euthanasia
• Undetermined

Question 16

Mechanism of Death

Answer 16

Physiolodical and/or biochemical process by which the death came about

Question 17

Postmortem Interval

Answer 17

Time since death

Question 18

Forensic Medical Exam of Live or Deceased Victims

Answer 18

• Medical examination should occur as soon as rational as some evidence may change over time
  
  • If animals are unable to be immediately examined, steps should be taken to ensure that critical information is not lost
• Veterinary medical examiner will determine an opinion of the evidence based on the facts of a case
  
  • Facts are based on crime scene findings, any history that may be available, medical exam findings, diagnostc or other forensic test results
  • Facts need to be proven on final report
    
    • Final report is more than just PE findings
• Responsibility to “prove” a case does not lie on the veterinarian alone
  
  • Case investigation is a multidisciplinary approach
  • Veterinary evidence is only part of the case
• Ultimately the judge or jury is thetrier of act
  
  • Veterinarian should simply present the facts of the case and their interpretation or conclusion drawn from such facts

Question 19

Expert Witness Testimony

Answer 19

• Veterinarians are typically qualified as an expert withness given ther education
  
  • An expert witnesses can render an opinion on the evidence that falls within thei area of expertise
• Veterinarian must ensure that the court understand the applicable evidence
  
  • But must be aware o their limitations and the gaps in veterinary forensic knowledge
  • There is a definit lack of scientific reseach in the area of vetrinary forensics
• Veterinarian must be impartial and only draw conclusions based on what the evidenc shows

Question 20

Veterinaian’s Role in Animal Abuse

Answer 20

• Veterinarians are advocates for anials in society and must speak out about abuse of these silent victims
  
  • Mandated reporting in some states including Kansas
• Veterinarians often fall into the trap of thinking that owners who care enough about their animals to provide vetrinary care are unlikely to abuse thei animals
  
  • A 2003 Ssurvey in Colorado by American Humane found that 2/3 of veterinarians who responsed had personally experienced a case of non-accidental injury

Question 21

Mandated Reporting

Answer 21

• Not madating repporting is a barrier to recognizing the seriousness of animal abuse
• “One health” approach
  
  • Healthcare professionals have a duty to protect animals, children, elders and battered women
• DVMs shoul be leaders for setting highest standards of animal welfare
  
  • DVMs are rational and natural advocates for animals in society
• By addressing animal abuse, may save human and animal life as well as reduce suffering
  
  • Violence is a public health matter

Question 22

Mandated Reporting - Kansas

Answer 22

• “Under administrative regulation K.A.R 70 - 8 - 1, veterinarians are required to report cruel or inhumane treatment of animals if she veterinarian has direct knowledge of such treatment”
• KAN. STAT. ANN 47 - 839 (2017). Confidentiality; exceptions; waiver
  
  • “the privilege provided by this section shall be waived under the following circumstances: (1) Reporting cruel or inhumane treatment of any animal to federarl, state or local governmental agencies”

Question 23

Reluctace to Reporting

Answer 23

• Lack of training
• Fear of litigation
  
  • Some states have laws that provide immunity from civil and criminal liablity for DVMs who report in good faith
  • Kentucky specifically prohibits DVMs from violating the confidential relationship between the DVM and the client which includes voluntary reporting of suspected cruelty
• Fear of adverse economical impact
• Client confidentiality

Question 24

Defining Animal Maltreatment

Answer 24

• Common terms relating to Animal Maltreatment:
  
  • Abuse
  • Cruelty
  • Neglect
• Need to utilize consistent terminology and develop standard definitions with regards to animal maltreatment
  
  • Animals maltreatment is defined by the law - varies from state to state

Question 25

Animal Abuse

Answer 25

• Abuse - term used in the child welfare field to describe maltreatment that occurs regardless of perpetrator’s intentionality
• A more current defintion of animal abuse modeled after the child welfare field is: “a willful failure to provide care and harmfl behaviors that result in maltreatment regardless of the intent, motivation or mental condition of the perpetrator”

Question 26

Animal Cruelty

Answer 26

• Statues commonly include tems such as pain, suffering and distress
  
  • Cruelty has been defined as “socially unacceptable behvior that intentionally causes pain, suffering or distress and/or death of an animal”
  • Cruelty implies malicious intent
• Cruelty often results from intentional acts or acts of commission

Question 27

Neglect

Answer 27

• Failure to provide basic care required for an animal to thrive such as:
  
  • Food
  • Water
  • Shelter
  • Space
  • Exercise
  • Veterinary care
• Neglect often results from failure to acts or acts of omission

Question 28

Defining Maltreatment

Answer 28

• Abuse is typically synonymous with maltreatment
• Abuse can be classified as cruelty of neglect given legal definitions of these terms
• Neglect can rise to level of cruelty given legal definitions
  
  • Dependent on how cruelty and neglect are defined under law
• Animals abuse is a legal not a medical definition

Question 29

Classifications of Animal Abuse

Answer 29

• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Neglect and abandonment
• Orgnized abuse
• Ritual abuse

Question 30

Animal Abuse

Answer 30

• Compromises an animal’s health and causes a deviation from a state of comfort
• Animal’s state can be described:
  
  • ​Comfort: state of equilibrium in which an animal is in good health and accustomed to its environment
  • Discomfort: minimal change in an animal’s comfort, as a result of exposure to stressors
  • Distress: state in which an animal cannot escape from, or adapt to, due to external or internal stressors that result in negative effects on well being
  • Pain
• Distress, pain and suffering are evidence of abuse
  
  • Must be able to describe the animal’s condition

Question 31

Potential Stressors

Answer 31

• Causes of physiological stress:
  
  • Injury, surgery, disease, starvation, dehydration
• Causes of psychological stress:
  
  • Fear, anxiety, boredom, loneliness, separation
• Causes o environmental stress:
  
  • Restraint, noise, odors, other species, people

Question 32

Pain and Suffering

Answer 32

• Difficult to define
• Pain: “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actul or potential tissue damage”
  
  • ​Relates to the way the unpleasant or aversive sensation is experienced by the individual
  • Not all pain is equal. Varies in:
    
    • Character: stinging, throbbing, aching, buring
    • Location: skin, joints, viscera, muscle
    • Duration: momentary to persistent
    • Intesity: minimal to excruciating

Question 33

Assessing pain

Answer 33

• How to assess pain:
  
  • Assessment and knowledge of observable common behaviors
  • Animal’s appearance and mobility
  • Animal’s behavior and response to handling
  • Hands-off assessment of animal’s behavior
  • Animal’s response to analgesics
• Species differences
  
  • Prey species
  • Some breeds are more stoic

Question 34

Anthropomorphism

Answer 34

• Anthropomorphism
  
  • Naturally inclined to project personal experiences and feelings onto animals due to their inability to verbally describe how they feel
  • Animals feel and anticipate pain similarly to people
  • Unless contrary is established, consider incidences that causes pain or distress in people to cause pain and distress in animals

Question 35

Suffering

Answer 35

• Unpleasant state of mind that disrupts the quality of life
• Mental state associated with unpleasant experiences such as pain, malaise, distress, injury and emotional dumbness (Ex: extreme boredom)
• Suffering can develop from a wide range of causes
  
  • Heat, cold, lack of food, lack of water, confinement, space restriction, lack of socail companions, lack of stimulation, injury and disease

Question 36

How to recognized suffering

Answer 36

• One author suggests looking for evidence that the animal is trying to or would take steps to change the situation, either by escape orto gain access to something they want or need
  
  • Need to observe behavior on scene and after removal
• Another approach would be to observe behaviors associated with specific forms of suffering form practical experience

Question 37

Suffering

Answer 37

• Examples of emotional and mental states that can lead to suffering when they become severe or protacted:
  
  • Fear, Irritation, Starvation, Sickness, Pain, Distress, Nausea, Loneliness,Frustration, Fatigue, Thirst, Anxiety, Phobia, Boredom Depression, Sadness, Bitterness, Anguish, Paranoia, Despair, Torment, Longing
• Useful to refer to the “Five Freedoms”
  
  • ​Principles are relevant and appropriate measures of physical and mental well-being for any animal species
• These Freedoms can be utilized to help further define the level of abuse to an animal
  
  • First 3 of the 5 freedoms address physical wellbeing, while the last 2 freedoms address the animal’s mental well-being

Question 38

Five Freedoms: What to look for

Answer 38

• Fresh, potable water readily accessible at all times
• Fresh food appropriate for species offered at least daily (or as dictated by species)
• Comfortable place free of waste
• Area for elimination is well-maintained
• Animal should be able to stand, lie down, and turn around comfortable
• Beware of stereotypies (Ex: bar-biting, pacing, excessive grooming)
• Note if animals appear fearful
• Look for signs of proper veterinary care (Ex: vet records, etc)

Question 39

Determining non-accidental injury

Answer 39

• Begins with and index of suspicion when the exam findings are not supported by the presenting history
  
  • Important to have al of the available crime scene and investigation information prior to examining a suspected victim of animal cruelty
• Certain types of injuries and conditoins raise suspicion of abuse
  
  • Repetitive injuries
  • Otehr patient in household experineced similar injuries, unexplained death or disappearance

Question 40

Non-accidental injury Study

Answer 40

• Study that looked at age, sex, breed factors in reported cases of non-accidental injuries
  
  • Abuse found in higher # of dogs (63%) and cats (71%) less than 2 years of age when compared to the general population
    
    • Younger animals are harder to manage, possibly more aggravating to owner, more likely to incite aggressive acts
  • Juvenile animals more likely to explore new environments and become victims of neighbors
  • Male dogs were abused in a higher proportion than female dogs
  • No statistical sex significance in cats

Question 41

Feline Cruelty

Answer 41

• More severe and more likely to result in death than canine cruelty
  
  • Most frequent target in all forms of abuse
  • Predominant victim in cases of burning, bone fractures, being trown from a height
  • Cats are overrepresented in cases of torture, beating, throwing, mutilation, suffoction, and drowning
• Likely to be significantly underreported
  
  • Societal attitudes towards cats?
  • Human-cat relationship
    
    • Cat owners may not pursue looking for thei missing cat, relying that it will come home eventually or found a new home
  • Most common behavior of injured or fearful cat is to hide as opposed to seeking human interaction, even with fatal wounds
    
    • Contributes to lack of detection of injured or deceased cats that have been victims of abuse

Question 42

Future of Veterinary Forensics

Answer 42

• Large need for research in the area of veterinary forensc sciences
• Current educational opportunities
  
  • Univeristy of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine:
    
    • Online Graduate Cetrificate in Veterinary Forensic Sciences
    • Online Master of Science in Veterinary Forensic Sciences
  • International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association