DNA testing lets communities clean up the problem of dog mess

Regular Springwise readers may have noticed a recent flurry of ideas aiming to create local communities of pet owners, using social media to share tips and advice and schemes to reduce pet care costs. Now Tennessee-based PooPrints have launched a dog DNA testing program to empower communities to keep shared spaces clean, by naming and shaming those who don’t scoop after their pet’s poop. According to PooPrints, owned by animal DNA testing lab BioPet Vet Lab, 40% of dog mess in the US doesn’t get picked up by the dog owner, and with dog ownership on the rise, so are the health and environmental problems caused by dog waste. The PooPrints program is aimed at property management companies who are sent DNA kits to distribute to dog-owning residents. Swabs are taken, sent back to the lab and a profile created for every dog in the building or complex. Sample collection kits are also provided to send “pet pollution” to the lab for the offending dogs to be identified. The program is designed to encourage more owners to clear up after their pets while also generating revenue from penalties charged to those who don’t. PooPrint also offer franchise opportunities, providing entrepreneurs with a business model, advertising material and the freedom to grow and add ancillary products to the scheme. It may sound like a messy business, but with the pet industry worth USD 50 billion in the U.S. alone, it’s certainly not to be sniffed at. Perhaps you know of a neighborhood that needs cleaning up? Spotted by: Sandy Awari