Forensic Advisory Service

FORENSIC ADVISORY SERVICE
Animal and animal-related incidents

We offer a specialised forensic service to veterinary surgeons, biologists, and others who are involved in court cases, insurance claims or malpractice suits relating to animals (vertebrates and invertebrates) or their derivatives.

This service aims to meet the demands of an increasingly litigious society in which legal action concerning the health, welfare or conservation of animals is commonplace and where insurance claims and allegations of malpractice assume increasing importance. We are also interested in incidents where both human and animals are involved, including alleged abuse of children and pets.

Our services comprise

Consultancies on the above
Clinical examination of live animals, with supporting laboratory tests
Post-mortem examination of dead animals, with supporting laboratory tests, all carried out with the supervision of an RCVS Specialist in Pathology. Click here for information regarding post-mortem examination service for avian specimens.
Joint sessions with medical practitioners and others concerned with human health and safety and welfare
Examination and laboratory investigation of samples and site visits

As a veterinary surgeon and a lawyer, we co-ordinate this service, but, in view of the multidisciplinary nature of forensic science, we involve other colleagues and institutions in certain of the investigations eg toxicology, entomology and DNA technology. We also have close links with the medical and dental professions. Some of our work is carried out in conjunction with universities and private laboratories in different parts of the UK. We travel as necessary.