A new forensic research project run by Liverpool John Moores University is working with police, vets and farmers to improve the collection of offending dog DNA from attacked livestock. This research, led by Dr Nick Dawnay, forms part of the wider Canine DNA Recovery Project (CDnaRP) that aims to develop, promote and apply best practice methods for the collection and analysis of canine DNA from attacked livestock and wildlife.
As part of the project, early evidence kits will be distributed to ten police forces across England and Wales this summer. These kits, designed for use by officers, vets, and farmers, allow for the quick collection of DNA at the scene of an attack.
Dog attacks are an increasing concern for farmers as it's worryingly becoming the norm. Dog attacks on livestock result in severe injury and death of farm animals each year and are estimated to have cost British farmers £2.4 million in 2023 according to latest figures.
Obtaining suitable forensic samples from the scene of a dog attack on sheep is difficult, and as there's no guarantee that a rural crime team can arrive at the scene in a timely manner, this led to the development of these new kits that would allow canine DNA to be collected at the scene of the attack by the farmer and then handed to the police.
New legislation for England and Wales is currently making its way through Parliament which would give police officers the power to obtain DNA sample from a suspected dog and to compare it with the canine DNA left at an attack scene. These kits are a very exciting development and hopefully, with enough uptake to complete the sufficient research, will be able to help in such proceedings subject to validation and acceptance by the UK Criminal Justice System.