A Case of Dog Bite Identification Using Trace DNA Recovered from Clothing Without Apparent Bite Marks

Dog bite incidents represent a significant public health concern, and DNA analysis, in addition to morphological comparison, has been recognized as a useful tool for identifying the offending dog. STR typing has been established as a reliable method for individual identification in dogs, with many successful applications reported. However, most previous studies have analyzed samples showing visible traces such as blood or saliva, and there have been no documented cases in which the offending dog was identified from clothing without apparent evidence. In the present study, STR analysis was performed on trace DNA extracted from the clothing of a victim who sustained a minor dog bite injury. The STR profile obtained from the sample completely matched that of one of the three suspected dogs, a Weimaraner, at all 19 loci examined. No visible saliva or blood contamination was observed on the clothing. This case demonstrates that even trace DNA from clothing without visible markings can yield a complete STR profile when appropriate sampling and analytical methods are applied. The findings highlight the potential of canine DNA forensics to contribute to animal-related investigations and underscore the importance of accumulating allele frequency data and standardizing analytical procedures for future applications.