Veterinary Forensics (MULT220)

Course overview

More and more, our society is mindful of the connection between people and animals including the connection between animal abuse and interpersonal violence. Because of this, it is imperative that all veterinarians and support staff be able to identify potential animal abuse and know the laws related to their roles in reporting animal abuse. But to report abuse, one must first be able to identify it and document it correctly. Additionally, it may be necessary to collect evidence in a manner that does not compromise the case. This course strives to teach each participant what the Link is, what laws may pertain to animal abuse, how to identify signs consistent with animal abuse, and how to document those signs including writing a report. The focus will be on individual small animals but will also include large-scale cases and briefly touch on large animals and exotics. Finally, there will be a brief discussion of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic and its relation to animal abuse.