Ruff justice: Doggie DNA tests to nail those who poop but don’t scoop

Dog and cat owners are steaming after being asked to submit their pets to DNA testing in a clampdown on fouling. The residents of Florida apartments received the request from their homeowners association which was growing alarmed at the amount of poop going unscooped around the building. DNA testing will mean the owners who fail to clear up after their animals can be traced and punished. But the pet owners, who were told they would have to pay for the test, registration fee and any clean-up charges, say it is an invasion of privacy.

It feels invasive, over-reaching, and was enacted by a board who last month tried to outlaw smoking on your own private deck.

One incensed pet owner

Officials at the Harbor Landing condominium in Destin say it’s a voluntary process and intended to help keep the property clean. They wrote to residents telling them: “Over the past three weeks there has been a significant increase in the amount of pet waste that has appeared throughout the property, including inside the elevators.“ But the poop snooping has gone down badly with pet owners. “The majority of the board members do not live here. They visit randomly, as this is a second home for them,” one resident said. “As owners, they can vote and make rules, but this DNA tracking of the pets at the pet owner’s expense seems and feels over the top.”

We just can’t catch the people that are not picking up behind their dogs, so the board chose to go with DNA testing.

Maintenance supervisor Mike Russell

Odd News