Theoretical justification and praxeological significance of the stages of expert research of a living animal

The relevance of this study is determined by the need to develop the theoretical foundations of forensic veterinary medicine as a science and educational discipline, namely, to justify, test and put into practice the methods, means, and methodology of expert research of specific objects. The purpose of this study was to argue the meaning and outline the functions of each of the stages of expert examination of live animals in forensic veterinary examination. The methodological framework of this study included a systematic approach determined by the specific features of the subject under study and associated with the use of general scientific and special scientific methods, including analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, analogy, formal-logical, comparative-legal, system-structural methods, modelling, observation, description, analysis of the practice of forensic veterinary examination, special methods, the functions of which are performed by methods of intravital clinical forensic veterinary diagnostics of animals. Based on the conducted research and generalization of the practice of forensic veterinary examination of live animals, it is argued in the work that this process consists of four stages: preparatory, analytical, comparative and synthesis stage. The separation of certain stages was substantiated, due to the diverse nature of the tasks that the forensic expert solves, the application of algorithms and methods of forensic examination of animals of different complexity, and the involvement of various technical techniques and equipment at each particular stage. The study proved that the sequence of applying the stages of the forensic veterinary examination of a live animal contributes to the correct assessment of the detected signs of injury or health disorder of the animal based on their comprehensive assessment, is designed to solve intermediate expert tasks, trace the process of conducting the examination and evaluate the obtained results for the justified establishment of a forensic veterinary diagnosis and formation of an expert’s opinion. It was proved that the rules (methodical recommendations) of the forensic veterinary determination of the degree of severity of damage caused to the animal’s health, the method of forensic veterinary examination of animals to establish their mutilation, and the method of forensic veterinary examination of animal corpses are the basis of the conducted research. The theoretical substantiation of the stages of the expert examination of a live animal and the coverage of their praxeological significance will be positively reflected in the conduct of a forensic veterinary examination and compilation of the results of forensic veterinary examinations.