Animal Cruelty Considerations for the Veterinary Professional

This abstract will cover 3 conference topics by this author, the role of the veterinarian in handling animal abuse, recognizing hoarding and recognizing and documenting animal abuse.

The role of the veterinarian in handling animal abuse

The leading veterinary professional associations (VMAs) in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Norway, Australia and other countries have taken a clear ethical position on the issue of how veterinarians should handle animal abuse. The following position statements have been issued by various organizations and can be found on their respective websites.