Forensic lab offers DNA testing for dog attacks
By Christie Keith
July 13, 2007
Jeff Armstrong’s son Ryan was attacked by a dog when he was seven, and the father spent the next few years trying to track down the dog who did it. From CBS News:
That’s when experts then suggested comparing DNA on the jacket Ryan was wearing to saliva from two dogs in the area. Similar to the way forensics works in cases with humans, as depicted in such shows as CSI, they hoped the saliva would lead to the dog in the attack.
“Anything that can be done for human DNA could theoretically be done for animal DNA,” says Dr. Janice Sojka, who teaches animal forensics at Purdue University.
Sojka says DNA samples can be taken from animal hair or saliva or even items like chew toys. The sample could then be sent to a specialized veterinary genetics lab for analysis.
One woman used the test to determine which of two neighborhood dogs had killed her cat. As for the Armstrongs, the dog was identified and the owner was arrested.
Researchers say that the test costs between $500 and $1000, and can take up to three months. They also caution that you need either the owner’s permission or a court order to obtain DNA from an animal other than your own.
Full story here.
And in other news. . .
China suspends imports from major US meat processors after finding contamination.
BEIJING (AP) - China has suspended imports of chicken feet, pig ears and other animal products from seven U.S. companies _ including the world’s largest meat processor _ in an apparent attempt to turn the tables on American complaints about tainted products from China.
The meat was contaminated with salmonella, feed additives and veterinary drugs,
according to a list posted on the Web site of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine late Friday.
http://www.pr-inside.com/china.....172406.htm
Comment by Steve — July 14, 2007 @ 8:24 am
This could be a good tool if used right. In my area there are so many unsolved dog attacks and although we don’t like all the “big brother is watching you” tactics—another tool in the box might be useful.
Comment by Diana Guerrero — July 14, 2007 @ 10:42 am
Oh, Golly, our meat was contaminated. Isn’t that a surprise!
If I go to China, I think I will bring my own food.
Maybe the Olympic athletes from other countries that particpate should bring their food with them, unless their country’s food is tainted, also. Oh, the world wide supply of food has my mind boggled by the difficulty in knowing what is safe for me and my furbabies.
Comment by Evelyn — July 14, 2007 @ 10:44 am
So China doesn’t want the US chicken and pork contaminated with their Melamine Scrap? Imagine that!
Comment by Aunt Granny — July 14, 2007 @ 11:03 am
I have a solution: Let’s have Chinese buy and eat meat raised in China, and Americans buy and eat food raised in the US, and we can both just concentrate on solving our own problems!
Comment by The OTHER Pat — July 14, 2007 @ 11:11 am
I know a lot of pet parents have mentioned feeding human baby food, especially to their sick and recovering pets.
Am I just overly suspicious in connecting the dots on Gerber’s recall of packages of Organic Rice and Organic Oatmeal???
Reported On Wednesday — “A senior vice president of Gerber Scientific Inc., producer of equipment for sign-making and other industries, exercised options for 37,567 shares of common stock, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
In a Form 4 filed with the SEC Wednesday 11 July 2007, Bernard J. Demko reported he exercised the options Monday 9 July 2007, for $6.28 to $9.45 apiece and then sold the shares the same day for $10.72 to $10.97 apiece.
Insiders file Form 4s with the SEC to report transactions in their companies’ shares. Open market purchases and sales must be reported within two business days of the transaction.”
Then announced the recall yesterday — “Choking hazard has caused a Gerber baby food recall. FDA is aware and “concurs,” but no press release or any information as of this morning from Gerber or FDA on this baby food recall.
AP Reports that Gerber “recalled all packages of its organic rice and organic oatmeal cereals Friday because of potential clumping of the baby food, which can pose a choking hazard. … The company said a “limited quantity” of the cereals could contain lumps that do not dissolve in water or milk.”
Gerber recall was issued after the company said it has received “complaints of choking but no reports of injury.”
Gerber spokesman David Mortazavi said the company was recalling 306,760 packages of organic rice cereal and 167,724 packages of organic oatmeal cereal.”
No Where have I been able to find an ingredients list for these two Gerber cereals. I suspect Rice Protein Concentrate is on the list though. Anybody who has seen baby cereal knows how easily the tiny flakes dissolve. That it has lumps that won’t dissolve in milk or water is making my brain yell Melamine Scrap!
Has all this made me that crazy, or might there be something to my train of thought?
Comment by Aunt Granny — July 14, 2007 @ 11:16 am
Are they different Gerber’s, or divisions of the same company?
Comment by Aunt Granny — July 14, 2007 @ 11:26 am
Oops, looks like I jumped the gun in connecting the two companies! They don’t seem to be connected.
I am still very suspicious about the “lumps” that won’t dissolve though….
Comment by Aunt Granny — July 14, 2007 @ 11:31 am
Topic —-
Christie wrote: “They also caution that you need either the owner’s permission or a court order to obtain DNA from an animal other than your own.”
I was talking to a police officer friend about [what’s left of our] Fourth Amendment rights, and he said that while a homeowner, for example, can give verbal assent to a police search of his property, there are so many potential problems with verbal consent that the police prefer search warrants.
Also, if you need to obtain DNA samples for a diagnostic lab like OptiGen, there are basic guidelines: no food or drink for the dog beforehand, no access to toys or other pets, etc.
If I wanted to get a DNA sample from a neighbor’s dog, I suspect I’d A) get a court order first and B) read up on DNA collection in order to get a good sample. Here a link to OptiGen’s “Cheek Swab Sample Collection Instructions”:
http://www.optigen.com/opt9_cheekswb.html
Steve links to an AP report, “China suspends imports from major US meat processors after finding contamination”:
“The meat was contaminated with salmonella, feed additives and veterinary drugs […]”
Of course factory-farmed American meat is “contaminated with salmonella, feed additives and veterinary drugs.” Has been for decades. Isn’t that common knowledge?
Comment by Luisa — July 14, 2007 @ 2:23 pm