The weekly newsletter for Fed2 by ibgames

EARTHDATE: September 21, 2008

Official News page 8


REAL LIFE NEWS: DOGGY-DO DNA DATABASE

by Hazed

A city in Israel which has a problem with dog mess left on its footpaths has come up with a very high-tech solution: DNA analysis.

The city of Petah Tikva, which is a suburb of Tel Aviv, will set up a six-month trial program to build a DNA database of local dogs, so they can match improperly dropped droppings with the doggy droppers. Dog owners are being asked to take their pets to a municipal vet, where a DNA sample can be collected.

As an incentive, those who scoop up the poop and leave it in specially marked bins will be eligible for rewards such as dog toys and pet food coupons - whereas those who leave the leavings on the street may get fined.

I can see a number of problems with this. Anybody who can't be bothered to pick their dog's mess up off the pavement is probably not going to bother to go and get the DNA sample taken, and the project will be voluntary, at least at first. Even the incentive of prizes for correctly disposed of poop is only going to attract those who are responsible dog owners in the first place.

And... just who is the poor schlub who will be given the job of going through the bins to do DNA tests on the poop in order to hand out the prizes? That won't be much fun!


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