Officials looking into potential bestiality case
Vet says dog had ‘injuries consistent with sexual trauma;’ RISPCA involved
WOONSOCKET — Cruelty prevention officials are awaiting the results of DNA tests as they investigate a case of possible bestiality that caused injuries to a dog that appear to be the result of sexual trauma.
The investigation by the Rhode Island Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals began several days ago after the East Providence-based agency was contacted by the Ocean State Veterinary Hospital, according to Dr. Ernest J. Finocchio, RISPCA director.
A veterinarian at the hospital told RISPCA he had examined a 4-year-old Corgi-Labrador mix, owned by a woman in Woonsocket, that showed “genital injuries consistent with sexual trauma,” Finocchio said.
After receiving the information, Finocchio said, RISPCA questioned four individuals, including the woman who owns the dog. The others were the woman’s boyfriend, another woman who is friendly with the owner of the dog, and another man. While the first three individuals live in the city, the latter man is from New York and had returned there by the time the investigation commenced.
During the course of the investigation, Finocchio said, both of the men blamed each other for causing the dog’s injuries. While the dog-owner’s boyfriend voluntarily provided a sample of his DNA from a cheek swab, RISPCA investigators obtained a warrant from a court in Rhode Island to compel the New York resident to provide one, which he did on Thursday.
“We’ve contacted the police in New York, we wanted to get a sample of his DNA,” said Finocchio. “He turned himself in and we were told he submitted a DNA sample.”
Because no one has been charged with a crime, Finocchio declined to identify the individuals involved in the probe. He said it could take up to a month for the DNA tests to be completed. He said a DNA swab was also taken from the dog.
Though it’s routine for police to consider DNA evidence in crimes involving humans, it’s rare to hear of animal protection agencies using it for similar purposes. But Finocchio said it’s not all that uncommon. In fact, he said, a few days after looking into cause of the Corgi-Labrador’s injuries, RISPCA took DNA samples for another case of possible animal bestiality involving a dog in Lincoln. Those results, too, are pending.
Finocchio said it’s possible that the Corgi-Labrador’s injuries were not the result of bestiality and that no criminal charges would result from the probe. He said that if materials sampled from the dog are negative for either of the male suspects’ DNA and the two continue blaming each other for hurting the animal, it’s likely the probe will stall.
“If there’s no match in DNA, this is basically a ‘he said she said’ and we won’t be able to go much further,” said Finocchio.