Animal Cruelty Investigations. Группа авторов

Animal Cruelty Investigations - Группа авторов


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when necessary, humane euthanasia” [2]. In each instance of examining an animal, a crime scene, or other evidence, the guidance provided to the veterinarian by the veterinarian's oath and the relevant law provide clarity to direct the actions of the veterinarian.

Photo depicts medications for animals.

      Source: Oregon Humane Society.

      In the practice of veterinary forensics, there are several aspects of confidentiality to consider. During an ongoing investigation, the information gathered inclusive of all statements, reports, photos, videos, or other evidence is to be protected and only shared with individuals who are working directly with you on a case. This includes scribes, technicians, laboratory staff, photographers, and even shelter or rescue operations staff. When authoring reports and engaging with others who assist you, make note of these individuals' contributions and involvement by documenting this in the report.

      When caring for live evidence in Protective Custody or stored evidence, maintain strict chain of custody practices with the appropriate record of individual involvement. Be proactive and inform others who are assisting you that investigations are confidential. Be clear about the boundaries of discussing the findings, posting on social media, or talking with uninvolved staff or other parties.

      Clear direction regarding communication helps to maintain confidentiality and reduce the potential for dissemination of inaccurate information. Record th details of who was involved in communications and what directions they were given in your notes for the case.

      In the event medical records from another agency or veterinary practice are needed, use a standard format for requesting records, and include these records in their original format with the final report, preferably as an attachment. Individual states have laws pertaining to veterinary record confidentiality. Record requests may be made without client permission, depending upon the state [4]. The licensing board in each state or country is a good resource for current laws or rules regarding records requests.

      Animal cruelty investigations are of high interest to the public and the media. Veterinarians serving on a case must avoid talking with the media, until the case is adjudicated. If sharing information with the public is necessary, use a secondary resource, such as someone from the public relations department or from practice management to talk with the media. These individuals must have basic media communications skills and understand the boundaries regarding what can be discussed when an investigation and case is ongoing. Law enforcement and prosecutors are an excellent resource if you are not sure what the boundaries are in terms of discussing a case and need help determining who should talk to the media and what, if any, information may be released. In some cases, talking with the media about the status of a case or alerting the public about needing leads and a reward may be helpful. Know how and when to provide this information to the media ahead of time so a mistake is not made under pressure and in the middle of an active news story. See Chapter 14 for additional information about media relations.

      In most cases, it is impossible for a veterinarian to remain completely anonymous when reporting or assisting with an investigation. While these situations may be emotionally charged and challenging, advocacy for the animal(s) involved, consideration of other aspects of human involvement such as child welfare or elder abuse, and the veterinarian's obligation to confront the findings fairly and accurately based on their knowledge are required.

      Case example:

      News release to media:

      $2000.00 reward offered for information leading to arrest of persons responsible for an animal abandoned in Washington Park Forest. A two‐year‐old terrier cross was found abandoned in a crate in a public area on Saturday. If you have information about this case, please contact Sheriff Jones at 503‐555‐1122.


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