Spanish Town Building Dog DNA Database to Fight Pavement Poop
Officials in Mislata are currently collecting excrement samples from owners and street cleaners
November 2, 2016
A municipality in Spain is building a dog DNA database with the hope of discouraging pet owners from leaving pet excrement on sidewalks.
Police in Mislata, a town in eastern Spain, are taking street cleaner-collected dog poop to a lab for analysis, according to reports. Officials are also asking dog owners to bring their dogs to a vet so that a blood sample can be obtained.
Those who don’t register their dog’s DNA by Dec. 31 will reportedly receive a €300 ($333) fine, while owners caught leaving their dog’s feces on sidewalks will be fined €200 ($222).
Meanwhile, in nearby Valencia, officials are tackling the poop problem in a different way, providing disposable cardboard tongs for dog owners. The hope in this case is that a more hygienic method of poop removal will improve results.
Read more about the canine clean-up effort here.