City Uses DNA Tests to Help Dog Owners Behave

In an Israeli city, officials are collecting DNA samples from all area dogs, and using their database to track down who’s been good or bad.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on September 17 2008

It’s happened to everyone once or twice - you’re walking along, enjoying the beautiful day, when suddenly, you step into a pile of something not-so-pleasant: a gift from your neighbor’s dog.

Lazy dog owners who don’t pick up after their pets are a problem all over the world, and the city of Petah Tikva, Israel, is no exception. Their solution, however, is definitely unique: city officials are collecting DNA samples from all area dogs, and using their database to track down who’s been good or bad. Owners who place their pets’ droppings in specially marked bins can win coupons and dog toys, while those who leave the dog doo lying on the street will face municipal fines.

The program may also help veterinarians identify which dogs are susceptible to diseases, and identify stray dogs. The ultimate goal, though, is cleaning up the city. Most people “reacted positively to the program and are cooperating because they want their neighborhood to be clean,” the city’s chief veterinarian, Tika Bar-On, told Reuters.

If the program takes off in other cities, we may finally be able to walk outside without checking the ground with every step. Sounds like a doggone good plan to us.

Filed under: Animals and Pets, General Interest, Weird,

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