The Barking and Dagenham London council have decided to start DNA testing dog poop in order to track down lazy owners who do not pick up after their dogs.
The new rules would enforce cheek swabs for dogs living in the borough, which would register their DNA into a database compiled by a company called PooPrints UK.
If dog poop should be found on the ground, they can test it to find the owner of the dog with almost 100 percent accuracy. Said owner would then be fined up to £80 for the indiscretion.
Local councilor, Darren Rodwell, asserts: “Dog mess not only spoils our streets – it’s also a health hazard and especially to young children. It’s why we are using this innovative approach in making a cleaner, healthier and better Barking and Dagenham”.
The council is hoping the scheme will save on future costs, as cleaning up dog faeces costs them up to £2.3 million per year. It will also hopefully make people more aware of the problem and responsible for cleaning up after their dogs.
