Specific Patterns of Canine Scavenging in Indoor Settings

Thomas Colard ^[2] ; Yann Delannoy ^[2] ; Stephan Naji ^[1] ; Didier Gosset ^[2] ; Kristen Hartnett ^[3] ; Anne Bécart ^[2]
1. [1] University of Bordeaux
  
  University of Bordeaux
  
  Arrondissement de Bordeaux, Francia
2. [2] University of Lille Lille France Anthropology Department Forensic Taphonomy Unit Lille France
3. [3] Office of Chief Medical Examiner New York NY
Mostrar afiliaciones +
Localización: Journal of forensic sciences, ISSN-e 1556-4029, ISSN 0022-1198, Vol. 60, Nº. 2, 2015, págs. 495-500
Idioma: inglés
Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)

Resumen
- Postmortem animal mutilations due to domestic dogs in isolated domestic deaths are taphonomic modifications regularly observed by forensic pathologists. They are rarely described in the literature; however, even though they present specific patterns. Through 41 cases, 10 at the forensic institute in Lille (France) and 31 at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (USA), plus 22 cases from the literature, specific locations and patterns of postmortem scavenging lesions are proposed. These lesions are mainly distributed in three locations: the face, especially the nose and the mouth (73.1%), the neck (43.1%), and the arm (shoulder/upper limb [29.2%], hand [26.8%]). We discuss the time span between death and scavenging, the consequences on identification, and comparison with outdoor settings. Outdoor scavenging lesions are mainly located on the trunk and limbs usually sparing the head, which strongly differs from indoor distribution and imply different animal motivations.