Right up there with spotting cockroaches in your apartment and dodging rats on subway platforms, stepping in dog poop is one of the most unpleasant experiences in NYC. (No offense to Fido.)
We’ve all been in the unfortunate situation, whether it happened while rushing to work or jogging in the park. With roughly 600,000 pups in NYC (and counting) it’s no surprise that we’ve encountered a different type of surprise on the sidewalk. (And that’s to say the least!)
Is there a way to avoid the mess? Could we head out for a jog without having to worry about the mess our canine companions leave behind? Possibly.
Can using DNA testing for dog poop eliminate sidewalk messes?
Different locations are attempting to curb the dogs — even if owners are not.
Regions like Catalunya, Spain, and cities such as Bolzano, Italy, Jerusalem, Israel, Gijon, Spain, and even London, England, have experimented with DNA testing dog waste in hopes to keep streets cleaner.
Just recently, Catalunya has implemented the practice to track down the pup, and in turn its owner, to slap them with a $500 fine for not cleaning up after their four-legged friend. Yowza!
A little closer to home, organizations such as PooPrints in Utah have experimented with this method, and Naples, Florida, has a dog DNA database for the same reason.
So how about NYC? While, sure, we’ve all seen the signs warning pet parents not to leave a mess behind, threatening fines in this manner hasn’t exactly worked. Streets are still messy and there’s no way to spot a culprit after the fact. It’s almost like the warnings don’t exist at all.
Should we try this method in NYC?
Do you think this is something that NYC should implement? And realistically, do you think a measure like this would make our city’s best dog-friendly neighborhoods a little bit cleaner?
We’re all for clean shoes and paws, but it certainly seems like quite the undertaking. Until NYC joins the ranks alongside Catalunya and neighboring cities, please be sure to clean up after your four-legged family member. Hey, we’re all walkin’ here!