DNA databases aren’t just good for solving old police cases. Turns out they might also be helpful in getting people to clean up after their pets.
The southern French town of Béziers is implementing a DNA database and “genetic passport” system to crack down on dog owners who don’t clean up their dog’s poop from the streets. In the two-year experiment, all residents who own dogs will be required to get their dogs genetically tested and will be issued a genetic passport. Those who don’t have one will be fined €38 ($42.72).
Officials will collect any dog excrement found on the streets and test it, sharing the results with local law enforcement. The police will compare the details to national pet registers to track down the dog’s owner, who will be fined up to €122. “We did a count and we pick up more than 1,000 messes a month, sometimes a lot more, just in the town centre. It just cannot go on,” said Béziers Mayor Robert Ménard, who championed the program. “There will be a certain lenience for those who are not from Béziers. If they pick up their dog dirt, we won’t bother them. We’re not xenophobes. Foreigners aren’t the problem, it’s the locals who are not cleaning up.”
