TY - JOUR
T1 - Canine scavenging of human remains in an indoor setting
AU - Steadman, Dawnie Wolfe
AU - Worne, Heather
PY - 2007/11/15
Y1 - 2007/11/15
N2 - This case study documents the nearly complete consumption of adult human remains by two domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) inside a residence. While scavenging behavior has been observed for coyotes, wolves, hyenas and other canines in natural outdoor environments, little information is available concerning canine scavenging of human remains in an indoor setting. In this case, the dogs were confined with the body inside a residence for approximately 1 month. The impact of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on canine scavenging behavior and the postmortem interval are examined, such as clothing on the body, perimortem trauma, drug ingestion and the availability of alternative food sources. While cases of canine scavenging of their owners are scant in the literature, this phenomenon is probably not uncommon, particularly among the elderly and indigent who live alone with pets and are socially isolated.
AB - This case study documents the nearly complete consumption of adult human remains by two domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) inside a residence. While scavenging behavior has been observed for coyotes, wolves, hyenas and other canines in natural outdoor environments, little information is available concerning canine scavenging of human remains in an indoor setting. In this case, the dogs were confined with the body inside a residence for approximately 1 month. The impact of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on canine scavenging behavior and the postmortem interval are examined, such as clothing on the body, perimortem trauma, drug ingestion and the availability of alternative food sources. While cases of canine scavenging of their owners are scant in the literature, this phenomenon is probably not uncommon, particularly among the elderly and indigent who live alone with pets and are socially isolated.
KW - Anthropology
KW - Canine scavenging
KW - Postmortem interval
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34548680500&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34548680500&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2006.11.011
DO - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2006.11.011
M3 - Article
C2 - 17210237
AN - SCOPUS:34548680500
SN - 0379-0738
VL - 173
SP - 78
EP - 82
JO - Forensic Science International
JF - Forensic Science International
IS - 1
ER -