Veterinary Expert Opinions on Conflicts Involving Dogs and Cats in Poland

Veterinary experts witnesses issue opinions contributing to improved detectability of crimes in which cats and dogs are victims. The aim of this study was to analyse veterinary expert opinions on conflict situations concerning cats and dogs in regard to the types of entities which commissioned such opinions, the structure of entities liable to criminal proceedings, the reasons for which criminal proceedings were initiated and the experts’ conclusions. Proceedings were initiated by law enforcement bodies mainly because of violations of the animal protection act; law enforcement bodies accounted for the majority of the entities commissioning such opinions. Smaller numbers of opinions were commissioned by individuals and single opinions were commissioned by an underwriter for professional liability, civil courts, insurance agencies and animal welfare associations. Criminal proceedings were usually initiated against individuals and veterinary surgeons. Cruelty to dogs and cats were found to be the main cause of conflict situations. Veterinary malpractice or a fraud in sale/purchase transactions were identified as the cause in a smaller percentage of cases. The autopsies of cats and dogs performed for such opinions showed that the deaths had been caused mainly by physical injuries and cardiopulmonary insufficiency. The division of the investigated period into two decades demonstrated that in 2006-2015, as compared with the data recorded in the previous decade, there was a statistically significant increase in the number of animal deaths due to hitting/beating and shooting and a decrease in fatal cases resulting from cardio-respiratory failure, poisoning and infectious diseases