Jackson Free Press

What do you do when you neighbor's dog keeps making "deposits" in your yard, but the owner won't take responsibility for it? How about a DNA test?

Canine DNA is now being used to identify the culprits who fail to clean up after their pets, an offense that Deborah Violette, for one, is committed to eradicating at the apartment complex she manages.

Everyone who owns a dog in her complex, Timberwood Commons in Lebanon, N.H., must submit a sample of its DNA, taken by rubbing a cotton swab around inside the animal's mouth.

The swab is sent to BioPet Vet Lab, a Knoxville, Tenn., company that enters it into a worldwide database. If Ms. Violette finds an unscooped pile, she can take a sample, mail it to Knoxville and use a DNA match to identify the offending owner.

Called PooPrints, the system costs $29.99 for the swabbing kit, $10 for a vial to hold the samples and $50 to analyze them, which usually takes a week or two. The company says that about two dozen apartment complexes around the country have signed up for the service.

I guess you could call this "CSI: K9." I don't know if I would go this far personally, but I guess it would make sense at an apartment complex since having a lot of owners fail to clean up after their dogs could lead to a major steaming-pile-of-you-know-what problem. Thoughts?

Previous Comments

ID

164028

Comment

I understand and have cameras all around my house trying to catch the dog or cat doing its business in my yard. When I do I will react castle style. Dogs and cats ought to know better and if the owners won't teach them manners I will.

Author

Walt

Date

2011-07-08T16:57:10-06:00

ID

164030

Comment

Walt, I might regret asking this, but I'll do it anyway: What is your definition of "teach them manners"? LOL

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2011-07-09T08:04:26-06:00