Experts at King's College London and the Royal Veterinary College have developed the UK's first database of canine DNA, aiming to provide crucial intelligence for police investigations. This initiative seeks to better utilise dog hair, saliva, and other canine material often found at crime scenes but not fully investigated.
The database focuses on short tandem repeats (STRs) in DNA, a technique similar to human forensic analysis. This method can create a virtually unique profile for a dog, and some STR patterns are more common in specific breeds.
Currently, the database includes 80 different breeds. For the 10 most common breeds, such as labradors and cocker spaniels, samples were collected from at least 50 dogs of each breed. This allows forensic analysis of canine DNA from a crime scene to either confirm or rule out a particular dog's involvement or identify the breed of an unknown dog.
Professor Denise Syndercombe Court, a forensics expert leading the work at King's College London, stated that identifying canine material could be powerful in solving human cases, such as kidnappings, where other evidence is scarce. The team plans to expand the database to include breeds banned in the UK, such as pitbull terriers and American XL bullies.
The research has already provided insights for police, including a case where forensic analysis of dog DNA on a T-shirt helped determine the cause of a man's injuries. In another instance, dog DNA analysis excluded suspected dogs from a sheep attack and indicated the likely breed responsible.