UF Veterinary Forensic Sciences Program

When most people pass a cat on the side of the road, they may never know what happened.

Dr. Adam Stern is working to change that.

Through UF’s Veterinary Forensic Sciences Laboratory and the A Cat Has No Name program, Dr. Stern and his team are helping identify causes of death in free-roaming cats, document patterns and bring veterinary forensic science into cases that may otherwise go unanswered.

His work is a reminder that even the smallest lives matter.

Read more about the research below.🐾

https://ufhealth.org/news/2026/uf-research-thwarts-crimes-against-cats

Select UF veterinary students are currently participating in our hands-on Veterinary Forensic Sciences Clinical Rotation, where they are learning how to properly recognize, document, and investigate cases of animal cruelty and other crimes against animals. This skills-intensive clinical experience emphasizes evidence collection, forensic photography and documentation, animal assessments, forensic pathology, forensic DNA analysis, and an introduction to a wide variety of other forensic science disciplines used during these investigations.

One of those disciplines is Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), where students were introduced to how publicly available information from online sources can be used to develop investigative leads, establish connections between individuals, locations, and events, and provide valuable context to support the investigations.

By integrating veterinary medicine with forensic science, these future veterinarians are developing the skills needed to advance animal welfare and support the pursuit of justice.

Wish them luck today because today is their mock crime scene! A search warrant, hundreds of possible pieces of evidence, 4 hours to get the work done, and so much more!

# VetForensics

On Veterinary Appreciation Day, we’re recognizing the veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and animal care staff whose work can help identify injury, document evidence and support investigations involving animals.

In this field, care and science often meet in difficult moments. So today, we’re grateful for the professionals who bring compassion and careful attention to this important work. 🐾

Thank you for the work you do to help animals be seen, heard and protected.