Yes, it is true you can test for DNA in dog feces. I discovered this while having a conversation with a relative of mine who recently moved to my area. They mentioned that they had to submit a DNA sample from their dog as part of their lease requirement. I was surprised by this information so I decided to research it. The question I had was why would they want to do that? Well, it seems to be a demand for it because there is a company associated with the UC Davis Veterinary Medicine school that is offering this service.
The main purpose of this service is catch irresponsible pet owners who don’t clean up after their dogs after walks. This is mainly a concern among apartment company managers and homeowner owner’s association who strive to keep the residential areas they manage clean. Many are now requiring potential tenants or residents to provide a sample of their dog’s DNA . These samples are placed in a database which can be matched against any particular dog’s feces.
About the Company
The company is the veterinary genetic laboratory called DogPileID that actually uses forensics in their criminal laboratory to develop a DNA profile for dogs whose fecal samples have been submitted.
How it works
When requested the company will send a starter kit that contains swabs and fecal kits. Cheeks swabs are collected from each dog for a DNA sample and these are sent to the laboratory to create a DNA database. If the management company finds feces that are not picked up, all they have to do is to send it to this company. The DNA database created from previously submitted cheek samples are used to match against any feces. A DNA match confirms if an owner is guilty of not cleaning up after their dog. This may result in a fine or penalty for those who are involved.
So what do you think about this service? Is it something you think is beneficial if you are living in a homeowner association community or apartment? Has anyone had to agree to this to have a pet? Is that something would be okay with if you were moving into an apartment or would you think this is a violation of privacy? Please feel free to sound off in the comments.