The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has unveiled plans to become the first council in the UK to DNA test dog faeces in a bid to catch pet owners who fail to clean up after their pets. CLICK HERE for original story

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The local authority said owners caught in this way could face fines of up to £80. It added that its annual cleansing budget was £2.3m, which included the expense of clearing up dog faeces. Barking and Dagenham also employs a dedicated dog warden to deal with this and other issues.

Cllr Darren Rodwell, said: “We are the first council in the country to get really tough on dog mess and pet owners who do not act in a socially responsible way. The vast majority of dog owners in Barking and Dagenham are socially responsible but unfortunately a selfish few think it’s ok to not clean up after their pet.

“Dog mess not only spoils our streets – it’s also a health hazard and especially to young children. It’s why we are using this innovative approach in making a cleaner, healthier and better Barking and Dagenham.”

A forum is to be held that will explore current legislation and how to overcome obstacles, the council said.

It will also discuss how the council can encourage owners to have their dog’s DNA registered with PooPrints UK (the company involved that has a licence for testing in this way); and consider how this could work with the forthcoming requirement from April 2016 for all dogs to be microchipped.

Barking and Dagenham said a pilot would be held before the regime is rolled out across the borough in September 2016.

Streetkleen Managing Director, Gary Downie, said: “I believe the combination of DNA testing and enforcement could be the most effective means of ensuring owners are held accountable for their dog’s actions. In the US, we have experienced reductions in dog fouling by as much as 90% after introducing the programme.”