Veterinary Forensics: Animal Cruelty Investigations

Veterinary Forensics: Animal Cruelty Investigations......Page 1
Veterinary Forensics: Animal Cruelty Investigations......Page 3
Dedication......Page 5
Table of Contents......Page 6
List of Contributors......Page 11
Foreword......Page 12
Preface......Page 14
Acknowledgments......Page 15
Defining Animal Cruelt y......Page 16
Reporting......Page 17
Factors that inhibit reporting......Page 18
Veterinary records......Page 19
Handling suspected abuse cases and developing an SOP......Page 21
Confidentiality......Page 22
Rules of evidence and laws regarding expert witnesses......Page 23
Consulting expert......Page 24
Non-Criminal Cases......Page 25
Subpoenas......Page 26
Preparing for court......Page 27
Qualifying the expert witness......Page 28
Cross-examination and attacking the expert......Page 29
Compensati on for the Veterinarian......Page 30
References......Page 31
Introduction......Page 32
The Veterinarian ’s Role and Handling of Animals at the Crime Scene......Page 33
Environment: Weather Data......Page 34
Photography and Videography......Page 35
Evidence Recognition and Documentati on......Page 36
Evidence Collection and Pac kaging......Page 38
Exclusionar y Biological Testing......Page 39
Detection of hidden blood evidence......Page 40
Bloodstain pattern recognition, documentation, and analysis......Page 41
Medium-velocity blood spatter......Page 42
Bloodstain documentation......Page 43
Search techniques......Page 44
Bioturbation: plant and animal......Page 45
Odors of decomposition......Page 46
References......Page 49
Burial site mapping......Page 47
Excavation of the grave......Page 48
General Considerati ons......Page 51
Overview......Page 52
Abused animals in the veterinary practice setting......Page 53
Hearsay......Page 54
Chain of Custody......Page 55
Photography and Videography......Page 56
External Examinati on......Page 57
Clinical pathology......Page 60
Overview......Page 61
External exam......Page 62
Necropsy technique......Page 63
Necropsy examination of food animals and horses......Page 67
Routine necropsy procedure for avian species......Page 68
Aging injuries......Page 69
Ocular analysis......Page 71
Pseudotrauma......Page 72
Sharp force injury......Page 73
Fire victims......Page 74
Taphonomic effects on bone......Page 75
The Forensic Report......Page 76
Medical history......Page 77
Entomology findings......Page 78
Manner of death......Page 79
References......Page 80
Incident command system ICS......Page 83
Crime scene processing......Page 84
Animal mapping and identification system......Page 85
Animal id, animal removal, and transport teams......Page 86
Critical triage team......Page 87
Forensic exam team......Page 88
Team composition......Page 89
Excavation and animal examinations......Page 90
Trace evidence on the animal......Page 91
Collection and analysis of trace evidence......Page 92
Overiew......Page 93
Collection of evidence......Page 94
Examination of the animal......Page 95
Teeth and bone......Page 96
Animal Death / Injury in Human Suspicious Death /Injury Cases......Page 97
Overview......Page 98
Symptoms......Page 99
Overview......Page 100
Physical manifestations......Page 101
Distress......Page 102
Emotional neglect......Page 103
The responsibilities of veterinarians in assessing animal pain......Page 104
Do animals “feel? pain?......Page 105
Physical hurt or discomfort caused by injury or disease......Page 106
What can forensic scientists and veterinarians learn about pain from the biomedical research community?......Page 107
References......Page 109
Overview......Page 111
Overview......Page 112
Postmortem finding of contusions......Page 113
Patterned bruising......Page 114
Types of abrasions......Page 115
Aging abrasions......Page 116
Ligature Injuries......Page 117
Avulsion Injuries......Page 118
Forces and determining directionality......Page 119
Motor Vehicle Accident MVA Injuries......Page 120
Fall Injuries......Page 121
Grooming-Associated Injuries......Page 122
Overview......Page 123
Examination of head trauma victims......Page 125
Impact injuries......Page 127
Acceleration/deceleration injuries......Page 129
Spinal injuries......Page 131
Chest injuries......Page 132
Abdominal injuries......Page 133
References......Page 134
General Considerati ons......Page 136
Knife wounds......Page 137
Stab wounds from other weapons......Page 139
Incised Wounds......Page 141
Chop Wounds......Page 142
Community considerations......Page 143
Examination of the Animal Victim......Page 145
Voodoo......Page 147
Santeria and Palo Mayombe......Page 148
References......Page 149
Recognition and Collection of Evidence......Page 151
Burn degrees......Page 152
General findings......Page 153
Microwave ovens......Page 154
Scalding burns......Page 155
General findings......Page 156
General findings......Page 157
 Overview......Page 158
Deceased victims......Page 159
Smoke toxicity......Page 160
References......Page 162
Handguns......Page 163
Ammunition......Page 164
Firing of a weapon......Page 165
Wound Ballistics......Page 166
General characteristics......Page 167
Caliber determination......Page 169
General characteristics......Page 170
.22 Caliber rimfire weapon gunshot wounds......Page 172
Centerfire rifle gunshot wounds......Page 173
Shotgun gunshot wounds......Page 174
Captive-bolt gun gunshot wounds......Page 176
Collection of gunshot residue......Page 177
Determining trajectory......Page 178
Documentation of examination findings......Page 179
References......Page 180
General Findings in Asphyxia......Page 181
Smothering......Page 182
Confined spaces/entrapment/vitiated atmosphere......Page 183
General findings......Page 184
Ligature strangulation garroting......Page 185
General findings......Page 186
Judicial hanging......Page 187
Manual strangulation throttling......Page 188
Overview......Page 190
Effect of submersion on deceased victims......Page 191
Gross and microscopic examination findings......Page 192
Overview......Page 193
Diatom testing......Page 194
References......Page 195
 Incidence......Page 197
Clinical findings......Page 198
Environmental and physical evidence......Page 199
Sample collection and submission......Page 200
Introduction......Page 202
Clinical signs and clinical laboratory findings......Page 203
Sources......Page 204
Mechanism of action......Page 205
Diagnostics......Page 206
Clinical signs and clinical laboratory findings......Page 207
Diagnostics......Page 208
Clinical signs and clinical laboratory findings......Page 209
Clinical signs and clinical laboratory findings......Page 210
Diagnostics......Page 211
Mechanism of action......Page 212
Diagnostics......Page 213
Sources......Page 214
Sources......Page 215
References......Page 216
Introduction......Page 218
Environment Examinati on......Page 219
Malnutrition: Improper Feeding......Page 220
 Overview......Page 221
Process of starvation and the physical effects......Page 222
Abandonment issues......Page 224
Eating non-nutritive substances......Page 226
Starvation effects on laboratory test results......Page 227
Bone marrow fat analysis......Page 228
Gross and microscopic findings in live and deceased animals......Page 229
Overview......Page 230
Crime scene findings......Page 231
Exam findings......Page 232
Puppy Mills......Page 233
Overview......Page 234
Gross and microscopic findings......Page 236
Overview......Page 237
Exam findings......Page 238
Gross and microscopic findings......Page 240
References......Page 241
Overview......Page 244
Considerati ons for Crime Scene Investigati on......Page 245
General Examinati on Findings......Page 246
Examinati on Procedures......Page 247
Zoonotic Disease......Page 249
Evaluation and Differentiati on of Human and Canine Sperm and Semen......Page 250
References......Page 251
The Fighting Dog......Page 253
The Fight and The Dog Fighting Pit......Page 255
Training and Fighting Paraphernalia......Page 256
General considerations......Page 257
Dog fighting injuries and scar charts......Page 258
 Overview......Page 260
The fighting gamecock......Page 261
Other Types of Animal Fighting......Page 262
References......Page 263
Livor Mortis......Page 264
Rigor Mortis......Page 267
Algor Mortis......Page 268
Overview......Page 269
Sequence of Decomposition Changes......Page 270
Determining the Postmortem Submersion Interval PMSI......Page 272
Flow Cytometry and DNA Degradation......Page 274
Overview......Page 275
Gastrointestinal Evaluation......Page 277
References......Page 278
Introduction......Page 281
Initial fly colonization and development......Page 282
Insect succession......Page 283
Cutane ous Myiasis: The Insect Colonizati on of Live Animals......Page 284
Poisoning......Page 286
Collection of Insect Evidence......Page 287
Larvae or maggots......Page 288
Pupae and pupal cases......Page 289
Adult blow flies......Page 290
Handling......Page 291
References......Page 292
Assessing Pain and Suffering......Page 295
Investigati on of Cruelt y......Page 296
Concentrates......Page 297
Body Condition Scoring......Page 298
Hoof Care......Page 299
Hoof care in horses......Page 300
Hoof care in small ruminants......Page 301
Dental Care......Page 302
Shelter......Page 304
Accidental and Non-Accidental Injuries......Page 305
References......Page 306
Avian Abuse Defined......Page 307
Intentional Abuse......Page 308
Unintentional Abuse......Page 309
Veterinary Abuse......Page 310
Poultry Cruelty......Page 311
Evaluation of housing and husbandry......Page 312
Euthanasia and humane slaughter......Page 314
General Exam Findings in Pet Bird and Poultr y Cruelt y......Page 315
References......Page 317

Appendix 1  Colorado Veterinary MedicalAssociation Protocol for MandatoryReporting of Animal Crueltyand Animal Fighting......Page 319
Cruelty Law and Definitions......Page 320
Sample Protocol for the Veterinary Professional......Page 321
Areas on the Magnet......Page 323
Additional Contacts......Page 325
Updates......Page 326
Appendix 3 Evidence Log/Chain of Custody Form......Page 327
Appendix 4
 Photo Log......Page 329
Scene Documentation: Mapping, Photography
......Page 330
Entomology Collection......Page 331
Appendix 6 Clandestine Burial Crime Scene Checklist......Page 332
Appendix 7 Veterinarian Crime Scene Checklist......Page 334
Environment description:......Page 335
Environment description:......Page 336
Appendix 10 Live Exam Form
......Page 337
Appendix 11 Necropsy Exam Form
......Page 338
Appendix 12 
Fixed Tissue List for Histopathology......Page 341
References......Page 342
References......Page 343
Comments:
......Page 344
Reference......Page 345
 Comments:
......Page 346
Reference......Page 347
Comments:......Page 348
Comments:
......Page 349
Appendix 19 
Cat and Dog Skeletal Inventory Form......Page 350
Appendix 20 Live Exam Report Template......Page 352
Appendix 21 
Necropsy Report Template......Page 353
Examinations......Page 356
Medical Supplies and Equipment Considerations......Page 359
Appendix 23 Large Scale Medical Supply List......Page 360
Appendix 24 
Large Scale Live Animal Exam Form......Page 364
Appendix 25  Rapid Bird 
Exam Form......Page 366
Appendix 26 Botany Field Report
......Page 367
Appendix 27  Dog Bite Investigation Worksheet......Page 368
Common Medical 
Problems......Page 374
Other......Page 375
Appendix 29  Tuft’s Animal Care and Condition Scale for Dogs......Page 376
Appendix 30  Tufts Animal Care and Condition Scale for the Environment......Page 378
Appendix 31 
Dogfighting Terminology......Page 380
Cajun Rules......Page 382
Appendix 33 
Dogfighting Scar and Injury Chart......Page 384
Appendix 34 Cockfight
ing Scar and Injury Chart......Page 385
Medical Supplies......Page 386
Certain Stimulants Examples......Page 387
Appendix 36 
Entomology Form for Animal Cases......Page 388
Equipment......Page 391
General Information......Page 392
Large Animal......Page 393
Organizations......Page 394
Index......Page 395