The pioneering project – Canine DNA Recovery Project (CDnaRP) – will be headed by Dr Nick Dawnay at Liverpool John Moores University and supported by Dave Martin, group head of animal welfare at IVC Evidensia have developed Early Evidence Kits thatassist in the collection of offending dog DNA from attacked livestock.
Following a successful proof of concept in Wales, the research team is trialling the kits in ten regions of England and Wales, with support from IVC Evidensia farm practices in those regions to identify best practice for the collection and analysis of canine DNA.
Dog attacks on livestock result in the severe injury and death of thousands of farm animals each year. Hannah Binns, National Farmers’ Union Mutual Rural Affairs Specialist, said: “Alarmingly, UK farm animals worth an estimated £2.4 million were severely injured and killed by dog attacks last year. Not only do these attacks cause unnecessary suffering to livestock but can traumatise farmers and their families as they deal with the aftermath.”
While livestock attacks are on the increase, obtaining suitable forensic samples from the scene is difficult as attacks often occur in remote locations. According to Dr Dawnay at Liverpool John Moores University, “Our rural crime police can’t always attend scenes in a timely manner so quite often no forensic sample is collected from the injured or deceased livestock”. The timing of sample collection is important as the “DNA of an offending dog will not last long on an animal exposed to the elements or on a dead carcass that has been disturbed or moved.”
This led Dr Dawnay to develop Early Evidence Kits so that, in the event of a livestock attack, a forensic sample can be collected at the crime scene by police, vets and farmers. These easy-to-use kits will enable canine DNA to be collected in minutes at the scene of the attack, with samples then handed to the police.
After a successful proof of concept trial in Wales, the project has entered its second phase. Over the next twelve months, these kits will be distributed to police forces and farmers across ten regions in England and Wales and IVC Evidensia farm practices in those regions are supporting. This stage aims to refine best practices for collecting forensic samples from livestock attack scenes.
David Martin, Group Head of Animal Welfare at IVC Evidensia, is part of the CDnaRP steering committee, advising on veterinary issues and supporting the trial of the kits among veterinary groups.
Martin highlights the project’s potential to provide farmers with a more definitive pathway for dealing with devastating livestock attacks: “This project marks an exciting step forward in collecting and analysing canine DNA from livestock. It offers police and farmers a means to hold irresponsible dog owners culpable for the damage and losses caused by their pets.”
“As a profession we can support this research by ensuring samples are taken from as many cases within the relevant force areas as possible so that the team at John Moores gets sufficient material to be able to complete this project as soon as possible. All IVC Evidensia farm practices in the participating regions are being encouraged to use the kits and we want to ensure all farm practices in those regions know about this important project.”
It is hoped new legislation for England and Wales will be brought in to give police officers the power to take a DNA sample from a suspected dog to compare to canine DNA left at an attack scene. Dave Allen, North Wales Police and NPCC Livestock Offence Working Group Secretary said: “These kits are an exciting development and can be utilised for an issue that causes major concern to our UK rural communities”.
The CDnaRP team are calling on veterinary practices to be aware of the kits, and farmers who live in one of the ten designated regions to participate in the project’s development by using the Early Evidence Kits to collect samples from livestock attacked. The participating regions include:
- North Wales
- Dyfed Powys
- Gwent
- Cheshire
- Cumbria
- North Yorkshire
- Northumbria
- Kent
- Dorset
- Devon and Cornwall
These efforts will help identify best practice methods for the collection and analysis of canine DNA and determine the necessary training for kit users.
Early Evidence Kits are currently being distributed. You can find out more about the Canine DNA Recovery project here.
