Spain’s north-eastern city of Tarragona has threatened to use DNA analysis of dog droppings to track down owners who fail to clear up their pet’s mess.
The coastal Mediterranean city would work with a local university to create a DNA database of registered dogs that could be used to identify their owners, said Ivana Martinez, the city’s city councillor for public spaces, on news radio Cadena Ser.
Droppings found on the street or in parks could then be matched through the DNA database to a registered pet, and its owner issued with a fine, she said.
“Right now, unless the police are at the scene at the right moment it is very difficult to know who is breaching the rules,” Martinez said.
Pet owners will have to cover the cost of the DNA testing in addition to paying a fine.
Martinez said the city wanted the database to be up and running “as soon as possible” but did not provide a date.
Tarragona, a city of 135,000 people which is known for its wealth of Roman ruins, including a seaside amphitheatre, has more than 2,800 registered dogs, according to city hall.
