A dog thought to have killed a puppy belonging to his owner's neighbor has received a second lease (leash?) on life. Thanks to DNA lab testing, Jeb was cleared by a Michigan court after his DNA was compared with the DNA found on the deceased dog's fatal wounds. This case underscores the value and importance of DNA lab testing and speaks to the benefits such testing provides — benefits outside of the traditional crime scene and paternity test usages that typically employ DNA results.

A Companion & A Helper

Jeb isn't just a family pet, he's a service animal that provides constant support to his owner, Kenneth Job, who has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Kenneth and his wife Penny knew Jeb would never hurt another creature, let alone kill a small puppy. Jeb helps Kenneth stand up and walk, so the Jobs knew they needed to do something to save their beloved pooch.

The Incident

In August 2016, the Job's neighbor, Kenneth Sawa, found his Pomeranian, Vlad, dead, and Jeb was hovering over the tiny dog's body. Sawa assumed Jeb was the killer, and the case ended up in court. The circumstantial evidence seemed insurmountable, and Judge Michael Hulewicz handed down the only verdict possible under Michigan state law. "I have no choice except to follow out the state law that the animal would be destroyed," he said, according to the New York Post. "I don’t like to do this. I don’t like it at all."

Jeb's Exoneration

Given the crucial role Jeb plays in the lives of the Jobs, Kenneth and Penny set out to prove their dog's innocence. They had samples taken of both his DNA and the DNA found on Vlad's wounds. In October of 2016, after Jeb had been held by animal control for two months, the Maple Center for Forensic Medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine revealed the results. Jeb couldn’t have been the dog who killed Vlad, and the devoted service canine was soon home with his loving owners.

US Compliance Consortium performs all manner of DNA lab testing and drug testing. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, they have been serving business and personal clients for more than 20 years. Call (602) 765-2200, visit them online, or message them on Google+ to learn more about their testing services or to begin the testing process.