March   2003   VOLUME 56: Number 3 Veterinary Ireland Journal Page CONTENTS Peer review articles are available in full as  Acrobat PDF files You will need to download the Acrobat reader    which can be got free at this web site

EDITORIAL   

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Care of animals, welfare of community

The content of this issue provides several reminders of the ethical underpinning of the practise of veterinary medicine. Here we pause to dwell upon two of the items: Shevaun Gallwey's inspiring account of her activities on Koh PhaNgan, an island in the Gulf of Thailand, and the news report on the seminar on animal abuse and human violence. There is a common thread between the two reports, in that they both focus attention on the professional obligations of veterinarians to not only care for animals, but also to contribute to the welfare of the community in which they work. 

In the first instance, it is with some pride that we bring to your attention the fact that Shevaun, who graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at University College Dublin in 1994, is ministering to the health of the dog and cat populations of a remote island that had never previously reaped the benefit of veterinary services and, at the same time, is vigorously pursuing her goal to relieve the island community from the threat of rabies.

In the second instance, the approach pointed to future developments within the profession closer to home. The seminars on abuse were intended to raise the awareness in Ireland of the links between animal abuse and violent behaviour towards children, spouses, elders and other vulnerable members of society. The linkage is well recognised in North America; so much so that both the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association have issued formal position statements on the issue. In essence, both Associations recognise that veterinarians are likely to encounter suspected animal victims of abuse and they state that, in situations that cannot be resolved through education, it is the responsibility of the veterinarian to report the observed signs to the appropriate authority.

On the other hand, veterinarians in Ireland and in Britain may have less knowledge of the subject; they may not receive training in the recognition of the presenting signs; and they may be unsure of their legal responsibilities and their ethical obligations in relation to reporting their suspicions. All the indications from North America lead one to believe that the recent seminars are timely indeed. Research on the other side of the Atlantic has shown that cruelty to animals is an extremely important indicator for disordered human conduct and that it is an indicator that is seen at a much earlier age than the other major indicators, such as fire-setting and theft.

History is replete with examples of homicidal brutes who first demonstrated their savage aggression on animals. For instance, in youth, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer had impaled dogs’ heads, frogs and cats on sticks, and Albert DeSalvo, the “Boston Strangler”, had trapped dogs and cats in orange crates and shot arrows through the boxes. At a less macabre level, there is compelling evidence that "dysfunctional family violence" is often expressed as violence against animals: pets can become part of the cycle of family violence. One relatively small study in the U.S. revealed that over 80% of households in the sample had been investigated for both animal cruelty and child abuse. 

There will undoubtedly be occasions when the veterinarian will have adequate reason to suspect that the presenting signs are due to deliberate abuse and will feel compelled to take steps to protect the animal victim and, perhaps, to report what may well be sentinel signs of domestic violence. Therein lie several quandaries. In such circumstances: what are the ethical responsibilities of the veterinarian? What are the legal obligations? Can the Gardaí maintain the confidentiality of the identity of the complainant veterinarian? And in the event of a genuine error of judgement, would the complainant enjoy the defence of qualified privilege to any potential defamation action? Each time a suspect case is encountered these uncomfortable questions should be addressed in consultation with all the members of the veterinary practice; it is not the occasion for a solo run by one member of the team.

It is accepted that the recognition of animal abuse is not always a simple matter: maltreatment (whether of companion animals or farm animals) ranges from passive neglect to malevolent cruelty. Neglect may be unintentional due to ignorance, be a temporary lapse by an otherwise responsible carer, or be deliberate and persistent. In many instances the route of first resort should be an attempt at resolution though informative advice. In the more extreme cases, when there is outright abuse of an animal, the onus will be on the veterinarian to make an ethical decision that is consonant with the oath taken at graduation. This will entail alerting other professionals to the evidence of the suspected abuse, thus initiating the interagency co-operation that is one of the single most important factors in stopping the cycle of abuse .

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