Veterinarians’ perspectives on animal welfare, legal enforcement, and forensic readiness in companion animal cruelty investigations in Thailand: A cross-sectional qualitative study

Vet World Vol.19 February-2026 Article - 20

Research Article

Veterinary World, 19(2): 725-744

https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2026.725-744

Athip Lorsirigool¹, Yuttana Sudjaroen², Narong Kulnides¹, Natapol Pumipuntu^3,4, Atthaporn Roongsitthichai⁵, Supawadee Piratae^3,4, Manakant Intrakamhaeng^6,7, Surangkanang Chaiyasak^6,8, and Kanokpon Saenkaew⁹

1. Department of Forensic Science, Graduate School, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Dusit District, 10300, Bangkok, Thailand.

2. Faculty of Science and Technology, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Dusit District, 10300, Bangkok, Thailand.

3. One Health Research Unit, Mahasarakham University, 44000, Maha Sarakham, Thailand.

4. Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Mahasarakham University, 44000, Maha Sarakham, Thailand. .

5. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pathology and Medical Genetics, Vancouver Island Health Authority, British Columbia, Canada.

6. Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Mahasarakham University, 44000, Maha Sarakham, Thailand.

7. Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Mahasarakham University, 44000, Maha Sarakham, Thailand. .

8. Veterinary Infectious Diseases Research Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Mahasarakham University, 44000, Maha Sarakham, Thailand. .

9. Faculty of Forensic Science, Royal Police Cadet Academy, 73110, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

Background and Aim: Animal cruelty is a persistent concern for animal welfare and society worldwide. In Thailand, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Animal Welfare Act B.E. 2557 (2014) provides a legal framework to address animal abuse; however, effective enforcement remains constrained by limitations in investigative procedures and the limited integration of veterinary forensic science. Veterinarians from the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) play a central role in responding to cruelty reports, conducting inspections, and supporting legal processes. This study aimed to explore the attitudes of DLD veterinarians toward companion animal welfare, the effectiveness of existing animal welfare legislation, and the current and potential role of forensic science in animal cruelty investigations in Thailand.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted between August 2024 and December 2024. Eighteen veterinarians with DLD from six geographic regions of Thailand were recruited using stratified purposive sampling. Data were collected via a validated, open-ended online questionnaire that addressed animal welfare challenges, legal enforcement, investigative procedures, and forensic applications. Qualitative content analysis was performed using the NVivo software, with double-blind coding to enhance analytical rigor. The codes were organized into categories and overarching themes following inductive thematic analysis.

Results: Multiple interrelated drivers of companion animal cruelty were identified by veterinarians. The major welfare-related themes included a lack of owner responsibility and preparedness, insufficient knowledge and ethical awareness regarding animal care, socioeconomic constraints, deficiencies in stray animal management systems, weaknesses in law enforcement, and cultural attitudes that undermine animal welfare. While most respondents perceived the existing animal cruelty law as partially effective in reducing abuse, they highlighted critical gaps, including ambiguous legal definitions, inconsistent enforcement, and limited public awareness. The absence of standardized veterinary forensic protocols, limited forensic training, and restricted inspection authority were the primary factors driving investigative challenges. Respondents strongly supported the integration of forensic science, emphasizing its potential to improve evidentiary reliability, strengthen legal credibility, and enhance investigative outcomes, while also identifying the need for structured training programs and interagency collaboration.

Conclusion: Companion animal cruelty in Thailand is driven by multifactorial welfare, legal, and societal challenges. Although current legislation provides a foundation for protection, the absence of standardized forensic practices limits investigative effectiveness. Strengthening veterinary forensic capacity through harmonized protocols, targeted training, and coordinated enforcement could substantially enhance animal welfare protection and support consistent application of animal cruelty legislation within a One Welfare framework.

Keywords: animal cruelty, animal welfare law, forensic veterinary science, qualitative analysis, Thailand, veterinarian attitudes, veterinary forensics, welfare enforcement.

How to cite this article: Lorsirigool A, Sudjaroen Y, Kulnides N, Pumipuntu N, Roongsitthichai A, Piratae S, Intrakamhaeng M, Chaiyasak S, Saenkaew K. Veterinarians’ perspectives on animal welfare, legal enforcement, and forensic readiness in companion animal cruelty investigations in Thailand: A cross-sectional qualitative study. Vet World. 2026;19(2):725–744.

Received: 11-10-2025 Accepted: 30-12-2025 Published online: 26-02-2026

Corresponding author: Athip Lorsirigool E-mail: ariswa@apps.ipb.ac.id

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2026.725-744

Copyright: Lorsirigool, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.