Finding justice for the voiceless: How a University of Guelph veterinarian is pioneering a growing field

Students at the Ontario Veterinary College are learning ways to investigate and identify animal abuse. CTV’s Krista Simpson explains why.

A veterinarian at the University of Guelph has become a pioneer in a field that taps into his medical knowledge to find justice for abused animals.

Shane Bateman credits a conference with opening his eyes to the link between animal abuse and human violence. At the time, he was no stranger to the emergency room, having previously helped animals in dire straits. But his work took on new meaning at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, where he designed a program in forensic veterinary science.

“Animal welfare is such a core value of most veterinarians. It’s part of why we come to the profession,” Bateman said.

When working in the field, veterinarians use their medical expertise to determine how an animal was harmed, when the injury occurred and whether it was intentional. They then present their findings to a judge and jury during court proceedings.

Through Bateman’s program, a small group of students are being offered a week-long rotation featuring mock scenarios populated with stuffed animals and cadavers.

On Tuesday, some students were immersed in a simulated crime scene. In the scenario, a farmer had called police after discovering his pig and cat were dead.

The roles of the pig and cat were played by stuffed animals. Once students had investigated the crime scene, they move on to a forensic autopsy of one of the animal victims.

“We’re hopefully going to be able to figure out what happened,” fourth year veterinary student Averi Brewster said.

Semi-retired veterinary pathologist Tony Van Dreumel observed the class and said it was good to see students using practical skills.

“It’s extremely important that these people are prepared on how to deal with these cases,” Van Dreumel said.

“I feel like with these skills, we’re going to have better client communication on dealing with, ‘Is this animal abuse?’ ‘Is this cruelty?’ ‘Is this neglect?’” Brewster said.

Students are also given lessons in animal welfare laws throughout the country. At the end of the program, they are asked to answer questions as expert witnesses.

Bateman also works with practicing veterinarians, teaching them the signs of animal abuse. This summer, he launched a continuing education series for equine vets who may encounter abuse in barns or stables.

Bateman added bringing animal abuse cases to light can help people also living in abusive situations.

“We know that when an animal has been injured in a home from these kids of family violence situations, that means the other people in that home are at a high risk of being injured themselves,” Bateman said. “A veterinarian acting on instincts and identifying this issue and bringing it to the appropriate authority’s attention means that we potentially have the opportunity to intervene in that family and save injury or potentially save someone’s life.”