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Although egregious animal cruelty is easy to spot, there are more subtle forms of abuse that can be difficult to define—especially in those species you rarely, if ever, work with.
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Although reporting cases of animal abuse, cruelty, and neglect has always been a moral obligation in the veterinary community, a newly enacted Ohio law has made it mandatory.
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Since spring of 2021, Ohio veterinarians are mandatory reporters of animal abuse, but making that determination isn't as easy as it sounds.
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Animal cruelty: It's something no veterinarian wants to see but inevitably will at some point. That's why it's so important to learn how to handle a suspected case of abuse before it shows up at your clinic.
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Forensic veterinary medicine has become an important part of today's criminal justice system—in large part thanks to Dr. Melinda Merck's efforts in the field.