Veterinarians develop experience over time that can help them accurately identify intentional injuries. The link between domestic violence and animal cruelty is strong, and legislatures can enact mandatory reporting requirements to police because they believe it may help prevent future injuries to animal victims, identify dangerous citizens and protect families from further violence.
All states allow vets to report suspected animal abuse to police, which is called permissive reporting. In twenty states, veterinarians are required to report injuries to police for animals that they suspect were caused by intentional abuse, also known as mandatory reporting. Washington is a permissive report jurisdiction, and the state offers immunity to the person reporting the alleged abuse in case there is a mistake in the cause of the injury. (RCW 16.52.330).
Reporting suspected harm caused by abuse should come with identity protection for the vet, and immunity if the suspicion of violence is unfounded. Many veterinarians consider quitting their profession due to the level of intentional harm they see to their patients, and reporting requirements may make that job horror more bearable. However, veterinarians and vet techs may feel a reporting requirement violates client confidentiality. They may be uncertain whether a specific injury is due to violence. Animal health practitioners may distrust the confidentiality or anonymity of the state databases associated with these reports. Finally, animal cruelty is a legal, not a medical, determination.