A province in northern Italy has said dog owners will need to submit a sample of their pet’s DNA to crack down on the rising issue of dog poo left on the streets.
Government officials in Bolzano and surrounding towns in the Dolomites region are setting up a database where the samples will be registered for the almost 40,000 dogs in the area. Around 10,000 have already been registered so far.
The new measures have been put in place to deal with complaints received over dog owners not picking up their dog’s faeces.
Once the database is up and running, street cleaners and health officials will be able to collect any abandoned dog poop and trace it back to the owners, who will face a fine anywhere between 50 to 500 euros (£42 -£430).
Any owners refusing to comply will face fines over 292 to 1,048 euros (£250-£900).
Veterinary department director Paolo Zambotto told Reuters: “Bolzano receives a few hundred complaints a year from citizens about improper management of public land. More than half are for dogs.
"Law enforcement could only catch three or four of them because they have to go there and set up some kind of stakeout.”
DNA registration will become compulsory from around late March. Owners are now expected to pay more than £65 for blood tests for their dogs, in municipal dog shelters or vet clinics.
Mr Zambotto did not give an estimate of the costs needed to run the project, but payments from the fines are expected to cover the administration expenses.
He added that other cities in Italy have been in touch to replicate the system across the country.
Tourists and non-residents are exempted from the regulation. A similar scheme was introduced in east London in 2016 to track down irresponsible dog owners using an animal DNA testing program.
In 2022, London council Hammersmith and Fulham, proposed a rule, which would require dog walkers to show a bag or scoop if asked by an official or risk facing a £100 fine.
