Italian city plans DNA testing to expose owners who don't clean up after pets -NY Times

I thought everyone would get a kick out of this.



In an effort to clean up the streets of Naples, Italy, the city has launched a campaign to employ DNA testing to identify owners who don't clean up after their pets. The city is home to an estimated 80,000 dogs, and residents say the mess left behind when owners don't clean up after them has become a major problem. The city will test found evidence and compare it to a dog DNA database, fining owners as much as $685 for neglecting to clean up their pet's waste. Blood samples from only 200 dogs have been submitted to the DNA bank, but one official says knowledge of the plan appears to be compelling owners to clean up after their animals.

Here is a link to the article:  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/world/europe/a-forensic-approach-to-a-sidewalk-nuisance.html?_r=1

I can't understand why this has not become the norm in the UK.... Obviously you need to be able to link the DNA to the owners dog....

Great link Lisa C.  Thank you.

However being Italy the guilty dog owners will challenge the DNA evidence on the grounds of contamination and then, to avoid the €500 fine, skedaddle off to the safety of Seattle (nice alliteration?)!      

Well this is Naples, so its a complete waste of time.  Ive never met a NEapolitan who has a paid a traffic or parking fine, so why would they pay for their dogs.  The city is bankrupt - seems like a hoax to me.  Could understand it in Bergamo where they are all anally retentive.... but in Naples finding the dog poo amongst the munezz' isnt easy!

whilst i think only Naples could come up with such a Byzantine unsustianable idea to contrast the issue of dog mess in the streets i have to say that the worst i have ever seen was in....wait for it...Brussels! absolutely horrific and that was in the "good" parts So never say never!

I don't know about recently but Paris used to be horrendous too.  

i like the idea, but how expensive is DNA testing? Seems ridiculous to have to go to these lengths