Canine DNA recovery project aims to tackle livestock worrying issue
19th March 2025
Derbyshire Rural Crime Team is a part of a pioneering project that analyses canine DNA from livestock and can be used following dog attacks.
The team, led by Dr Nick Dawnay at Liverpool John Moores University and supported by Dave Martin of Animal Welfare at IVC Evidensia, has developed Early Evidence Kits that assist in the collection of offending dog DNA from attacked livestock.
Following a successful proof of concept in Wales, the research team is trialling the kits in ten regions of England and Wales, with support from IVC Evidensia farm practices in those regions to identify best practice for the collection and analysis of canine DNA.
Dog attacks on livestock result in the severe injury and death of thousands of farm animals each year.
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Easy and quick solution
While livestock attacks are on the increase, obtaining suitable forensic samples from the scene is difficult, as the incidents often occur in remote locations.
Dr Dawnay said: “Our rural crime police can’t always attend scenes in a timely manner, so quite often no forensic sample is collected from the injured or deceased livestock”.
The timing of sample collection is important, as the “DNA of an offending dog will not last long on an animal exposed to the elements or on a dead carcass that has been disturbed or moved.”
This led Dr Dawnay to develop Early Evidence Kits so that, in the event of a livestock attack, a forensic sample can be collected at the crime scene by police, vets and farmers.
These easy-to-use kits will enable canine DNA to be collected in minutes at the scene of the attack, with samples then handed to the police.
Derbyshire Rural Crime Team said that this project marks an “exciting step forward” in collecting and analysing canine DNA from livestock.
It offers future potential for police and farmers to hold irresponsible dog owners culpable for the damage and losses caused by their pets.
“If you are a farmer or livestock owner who has had your sheep attacked, please report it, even if the dog is no longer in the area,” they added.
Support for farmers and police
Mr Martin, group head of Animal Welfare at IVC Evidensia, highlighted the project’s potential to provide farmers with a more definitive pathway for dealing with devastating livestock attacks: “This project marks an exciting step forward in collecting and analysing canine DNA from livestock.
“It offers police and farmers a means to hold irresponsible dog owners culpable for the damage and losses caused by their pets.”
“As a profession, we can support this research by ensuring samples are taken from as many cases within the relevant force areas as possible so that the team at John Moores gets sufficient material to be able to complete this project as soon as possible.
“All IVC Evidensia farm practices in the participating regions are being encouraged to use the kits, and we want to ensure all farm practices in those regions know about this important project.”
The participating regions include:
• North Wales
• Dyfed Powys
• Gwent
• Cheshire
• Cumbria
• North Yorkshire
• Northumbria
• Kent
• Dorset
• Devon and Cornwall
Read more livestock news.
