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How does a forensic vet gather evidence in an animal cruelty case?

What is it like to testify at an animal cruelty hearing?

What tools do you use to do your job?

Because of TV shows like CSI and Law and Order, real-life jurors expect forensic science to back up all the evidence presented to them—and animal cruelty cases are no exception. These days, jurors don’t just want any old evidence—they want forensic evidence.

“It’s because of ‘the CSI effect,’” says ASPCA Forensic Veterinarian, Dr. Melinda Merck, who literally wrote the book on using science in investigating animal cruelty. Merck, who often testifies as a forensic veterinary expert for animal cruelty cases around the country—including animal hoarding, dog fighting and animal torture—has also recently authored the textbook Veterinary Forensics: Animal Cruelty Investigations.

She'll join us for a live online chat in our brand-new ASPCA Online Community today, Friday, October 26, from noon to 2:00 P.M. EST, to answer your toughest questions on veterinary forensics.

Animal CSI

These days, jurors don’t just want any old evidence. They want to see forensic evidence, like they do on TV. It’s because of “the CSI effect,” said ASPCA Forensic Veterinarian, Dr. Melinda Merck. Because of TV shows like CSI and Law and Order, real-life jurors expect forensic science to be presented to them. And animal cruelty cases are no exception.

Delaware Online spoke to Dr. Merck and reported:

DNA also can aid fight investigations by determining dog ownership, Dr. Merck said. "Many used in dog-fighting are stolen," but can be traced.

Animal forensic investigators also can get DNA from urine—rare for humans—because dogs and cats shed more cells into the discharge than people, she said. But bruises are hard to find in cats and dogs. "They don't have a lot of blood supply, so they don't bruise as easily," she said, so deeper tissue must be examined.

Fur can hide damage found by tests, she said, showing an X-ray of a
cat's broken bones with a bullet still lodged and shadows of bone-regrowth, indicating an old injury.

By documenting fine details, including pet remains' temperature, air and flesh temperature, weather conditions, recent rain, time and temperature in transport and later refrigeration, Merck said she has been able to fix cruelty victims' time of death to as little as two hours.

Fascinating, huh? We over here in the lowly editorial department marvel at these fascinating scientific discoveries that rescue animals in so many ways. (But hey, someone’s gotta write about them—or how would the world know?—so we’re still cool.)

P.S. You’ll have a chance to participate in a live online chat with Dr. Merck on October 26 and ask her all about her amazing career in animal forensics. Stay tuned to http://www.aspca.org/ for details.