Veterinary Medicine - February 2008 - (Page 72) The Veterinary Medicine Interview Dr. Melinda D. Merck This high-profile forensic veterinarian investigates animal cruelty cases, which no one wants to see. But she says she finds the work satisfying because “I am giving the animal a voice.” Dr. Merck in front of the ASPCA’s new Mobile Animal CSI Unit, which will allow her to investigate crime scenes and provide urgent care, including surgery, on site. Melinda D. Merck, DVM, is the senior director of veterinary forensics for the ASPCA and a consultant for the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office in Atlanta. In addition to conducting veterinary forensic examinations in Georgia, she helps train veterinary and law enforcement professionals on using veterinary medicine in investigating and prosecuting animal cruelty cases. She is the author of Veterinary Forensics: Animal Cruelty Investigations and the coauthor of Forensic Investigation of Animal Cruelty: A Guide for Veterinarians and Law Enforcement. What is the most exciting change you’ve seen in veterinary medicine? The developing interest in veterinary forensics. It requires the veterinary community to accept that we have a responsibility to speak for the animals when they are possible victims of abuse. What would you advise a new graduate? Remember what you were taught in veterinary school! If you do a thorough exam and use deductive reasoning, you can invariably figure out your case. Common sense is a must. What was the best professional advice you ever received? My equine rotation resident stressed that you must always anticipate everything that could happen and plan accordingly. This way of thinking has served to make me a better doctor and to handle emergencies and crises much more easily. What would you have liked to do if you hadn’t become a veterinarian? A prosecutor! Are you a cat person or a dog person? I am an all-animal person. I haven’t met an animal yet that I did not like. My lifestyle supports both cats and dogs. 72 February 2008 VETERINARY MEDICINE Photo by Greg Kindred
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