In cases of animal abuse, veterinarians and veterinary nurses are often the first people to pick up on the alarm bells coming from their patients. Suspicious injuries, unprovoked aggression, overly anxious or submissive behavior, and other signs are frequently taken to law enforcement by concerned veterinary professionals.
What happens during or after the reporting of animal cruelty differs from state to state, and even from county to county. Some states require veterinary professionals to report animal abuse when they suspect it, while others, such as Michigan, only go as far as to offer legal protection for professionals who report suspected cases. Then, the reporting process may differ based on where the professional intends to file the report. In short, the instructions to report suspected animal abuse may lead in the same direction but can look different depending on the circumstances.
Elizaveta Walter, a veterinary nursing Class of 2022 graduate from the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, wants to help veterinary professionals more effectively rescue abused animals by standardizing the reporting process.
“A goal of mine is to create standard operating procedures for how vet clinics in Michigan can appropriately handle suspected animal abuse cases in order to help law enforcement in the most efficient and effective way,” she says.“Standard operating procedures are critical in both veterinary medicine and forensic science in order to maintain quality and prevent mistakes. Ensuring our SOPs are up to date, relevant, and efficient can maximize the information we share between agencies.”
Many organizations, both within government and in the private sphere, offer resources to the public and veterinary medical professionals who wish to report animal abuse cases. In addition to sharing this existing information, Walter aims to someday assess feedback from members of the public about their experience reporting animal cruelty within Michigan.
“There’s always room to be more organized and prepared for when these crimes take place,” she says. “Eventually, I hope I can help strengthen our system with my knowledge in both fields.”
Walter, who finished her clinical rotations at the MSU Veterinary Medical Center this summer, took an educational path highly specific to her goals. This year, she attained her bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Nursing with a focus in criminal justice. Criminal investigation runs in Walter’s family; her father is a former state prosecutor in Michigan. “I was always very interested in the work he did to help in the fight against crime,” she explains. “As I began my journey in the veterinary field, I quickly was drawn to the correlation between veterinary medicine and criminal justice.”
Like many veterinary professionals, Walter has been passionate about animal welfare from a young age. Enrolling in the Veterinary Nursing Program was a key step in her journey to advocate for animals. “Education is key to ensuring the proper care for any animal, and veterinary nurses are known as the ‘animals advocates,’ so I believe I’m able to help the most animals in this career field,” she says.
Today, as a recent graduate, Walter is launching her professional career at MSU’s Radiation Oncology Service, where she worked as a student. In September 2022, she began working as a veterinary nurse in the department.
“I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art machines and incredible oncology doctors and nurses,” she says.
And though she may have just graduated school, Walter does not expect to stop learning.
“My biggest motivation is learning,” she says. “I believe that education is key in successful animal-human relationships, and I can never know everything, so I am always looking for something new to learn.”
A goal of mine is to create standard operating procedures for how vet clinics in Michigan can appropriately handle suspected animal abuse cases in order to help law enforcement in the most efficient and effective way.
Walter teaches horseback riding to children. “I really enjoy passing on my own knowledge to future generations,” she says. Caring for her Quarter Horse, Ally, and her other animals helps Walter stay motivated and excited about her career as a veterinary nurse.
She shares her home with four guinea pigs (Bandit, Delilah, Ophelia, and Pistachio) and a Presa Canario named Dasha, who she adopted this past year after the mastiff was abandoned at the Veterinary Medical Center’s Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Service for eating part
of a towel.