Oral communication in XV Congreso de Investigación de Estudiantes de Grado en Ciencias de la Salud. XIX Congreso de Ciencias Veterinarias y Biomédicas

April 21^st, 2023

Rabanal-Soto A. and Aradilla-Macias N.

Since the Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Service was created, we have focused on discovering possible cases of animal abuse that have been referred to the VISAVET centre from different administrative bodies using the autopsy technique. In 2020 our service (Rebollada et al., 2020) published a study on 100 cases of suspected animal abuse in dogs and cats in the Community of Madrid between 2014-2019. In this study 41 cases with suspected animal violence in cats were evaluated, where 26 cases (63.41%) were identified whose cause of death was natural, where infectious
problems predominated (n= 23 -56.09%) and 14 cases (34.15%) of death due to animal abuse of which 9 (21.95%) died from forced blunt trauma and 3 (7.32%) from injuries due to firearms. The publication of this article raised public awareness, which led to an increased reporting of cases in the field of companion animals, especially in the feline species due to the presence of cat colonies. Thus, in the period from 2020-2023 we have monitored the evolution of mistreatment in the feline species in the Community of Madrid where we have collected 29 cases. During this time 15 animals died unnaturally, 5 of them (17.24%) due to firearms, 4 (13.79%) due to blunt trauma and 6 (20.68%) due to poisoning; the remaining 14 (48.28) due to natural causes. If we contrast both studies, it becomes clear that in our initial study of 6 years there were 14 cases of mistreatment and in the last 3 years there have been 15, doubling the
incidence of cases of feline mistreatment. This could be due to society`s awareness and the relationship between animal mistreatment and interpersonal violence

	Servicio de Patología y Veterinaria Forense (SAP). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM).