According to a report by Cameron Mahler for CBC News, veterinary students at the University of Guelph are gaining new tools to identify when animals may be victims of cruelty or neglect. The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) has launched a specialized forensic training program designed to prepare soon-to-be veterinarians for situations that extend beyond traditional medical care.

Introduced this month as a week-long elective for fourth-year students, the program teaches how to apply veterinary knowledge—from anatomy and pathology to animal behaviour — to uncover potential signs of mistreatment.

OVC emergency and critical care professor Dr. Shane Bateman explained to CBC News that the forensic program trains veterinarians to apply their knowledge of anatomy, pathology, and animal behavior to detect signs of abuse or neglect.

“The estimate is around 90 per cent of veterinarians will likely have seen what they perceive to be a case of animal cruelty or neglect with their practice lifetimes. What’s strongly motivating me to bring this education into our curriculum is to change the outcome from the research that shows that veterinarians aren’t necessarily always that good at reporting their suspicions,” Bateman said.

Under Ontario law, suspected crimes against animals must be reported to Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS), which investigates cases and works alongside veterinarians when concerns arise.

All information in this article is sourced from CBC News.