Forensic Investigation of Animal Cruelty

[Guest guest]

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 2007:

 

 

Forensic Investigation of Animal Cruelty:

A Guide for Veterinary & Law Enforcement Professionals

by Leslie Sinclair, DVM, Melinda Merck, DVM,

& Randall Lockwood, Ph.D.

Humane Society Press (c/o Humane Society of the U.S., 2100 L St.,

NW, Washington, DC 20037), 2006. 262 pages, paperback. $59.95.

 

 

Cruelty investigators and shelter veterinarians who take

their jobs seriously will read Forensic Investigation of Animal

Cruelty cover to cover, then wear it to tatters re-reading and

referencing it. The $59.95 price tag is steep for a paperback book,

but the information within it can save the cover cost many times over

in resolving even one cruelty case, by saving investigative time,

helping investigators to avoid false alarms and dead ends, bringing

more perpetrators to justice, and winning more convictions on

stronger charges.

Though fluently written, Forensic Investigation of Animal

Cruelty will not be easy reading for non-professionals. Chapters

headings include Thermal Injuries, Blunt Force Trauma, Sharp Force

Injuries, Projectile Injuries, Asphixia, Drowning, Poisoning,

Neglect, Animal Hoarding, Animal Sexual Assault, Occult &

Ritualistic Abuse, and Dogfighting & Cockfighting. Each chapter

includes detailed discussion of what to expect, what to look for,

and how to handle the evidence. Several chapters also review the

sociology and demographics of typical offenders.

The discussion of Occult & Ritualistic Abuse offers an

especially valuable description of the differences among the

practices of the various animal-using religions. The authors rebut

the common notion that " witches " and " Satanists " who participate in

organized rituals are inclined to harm animals, noting that the

number of verified cases is practically nil. Ritualistic animal

killing is far more often the work of isolated individuals whom the

authors call " self-styled Satanists, " and teenagers, whom the

authors call " youth subculture Satanists. "

Natural predator and scavenger behavior often results in

false alarms about alleged ritualistic killings, as ANIMAL PEOPLE

pointed out in November 1998 and September 2003. Forensic

Investigation of Animal Cruelty provides similar analysis, and adds

particulars about " cattle mutilation " cases, which typically result

from observers failing to recognize how coyotes, crows, and magpies

go about dismembering a cattle carcass. Forensic Investigation of

Animal Cruelty does not quite cover everything useful to know about

predator and scavenger behavior when investigating alleged cruelty,

especially in cases involving hawks, owls, and eagles--but that

material is accessible in the ANIMAL PEOPLE articles, and what the

book includes is far more than has previously been included in humane

investigation training materials.

--Merritt Clifton

 

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]