THIS is TOO funny not to share;

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Property managers across the nation are turning to a CSI strategy to battle dog poo. They're using DNA technology to match which canine is responsible for leaving the piles so their owners can face fines.

Collecting evidence: Daniel Allen cleans up after his puggle in May.

By John Doman, (St. Paul) Pioneer Press, via AP

Just the idea of of using the technology people are used to seeing on the Crime Scene Investigation TV shows was enough to get residents at Legends at Taylor Lakes, an upscale Montgomery apartment community, to clean up their act.

"We sent out letters to residents about what we were going to do," said Joe Johnson , property manager. Legends has been using the service for about six weeks. "The problem of owners not cleaning up after their dogs just disappeared."

PooPrints, a division of BioVet Pet Lab, developed a process in which DNA samples can be collected from dogs. The samples then can be used to determine which dogs are leaving waste behind. The company, based in Knoxville. Tenn., markets the service to property management companies, apartment complexes, condos and homeowner's associations. The company now has clients in 28 states, Israel and Singapore , said Eric Mayer, director of business development. Mayer said PooPrints, the only company currently providing this service, is working on a patent for its technology.

Clients collect samples of waste and send them to the PooPrints lab. "We can perform an exact DNA matchup with the pets in our database," Mayer said. "The results won't come back as showing a beagle left the pile of waste. It will be the beagle in Apartment 3A left the waste."

How do they collect the dogs DNA? I think people should definitely clean up after their animals but this is getting a little ridiculous.

Sounds like the test just gives the dog's breed and it's up to the management to find the owner.

"The results won't come back as showing a beagle left the pile of waste. It will be the beagle in Apartment 3A left the waste."


I thought that sentence was poorly written.

I believe owning a pet comes with responsibilities. Not cleaning up after your pet is an infringement on the rights of others.

BUT.....

Most HOAs and commercial housing units have fees and monthly charges for pets, and most are nonrefundable fees.

If your going to stretch the rights of one side it should be a two-way street.

DNA samples can be collected from dogs. The samples then can be used to determine which dogs are leaving waste behind.
How to collect DNA in dogs, just like you do for humans.

Hold the dog’s head firmly against your body with one hand. With the other hand, place the swab into dog’s mouth against the inside surface of the cheek.

Firmly rotate the swab against inside of the dog’s cheek for about 10 seconds. Swab needs only to be damp, do not attempt to collect extra saliva; the objective is to collect loose CHEEK cells.

This has been around for a while. I would think they collect samples from all the pets in the complex and when they find something, send it in and it's tested against the samples they have on file.

Speaking as a dog lover who fostered dogs for over 12 years, I can tell you that if you are using a common area, whether it be a community park or my front yard, you better pick up your pets poop. I think it is rude to have other people leave their pet remains behind, and that goes for cats too, they are the worse as the eat wild pray if left to stalk outside and depending on what they ate, they carry disease and worms. Then it gets passed on.

"No bad pets, just bad owners."

Good. Technology often keeps people in check.

I have found even just staring at people helps. When people are being watched they are far more likely to do the right thing.

I have absolutely no problem with this, in fact I would rather something like this than a blanket increase in costs to all pet owners for the violation of the few.

That is true bushidobillyclub, I have platic bags in the car and by the front door, and I have ran out with one and handed it to the person with their dog, it makes them stop and think. Have not gotten chased yet...LOL

EEEEWWWWWW. I'm glad I live out in the country.
I open the gate and my dog goes to the neighbor's yard.