DNA Testing For Doggie Doo?
May 23, 2005 1:06 p.m. EST
Vienna, Austria (AHN) – Vienna district councilor Manfred Juraczka is proposing to test the droppings of dogs that leave their waste on sidewalks and streets.
He says requiring DNA testing for all dogs will help the city trace and punish irresponsible owners who allow their pets to litter public areas.
Juraczka says, "This method offers a multitude of unbeatable advantages."
Previous attempts to get dog owners to comply with Vienna’s dog law have been unsuccessful in cleaning up walkways littered with droppings from the city’s 50,000 registered dogs.
Right now, police can only ticket violators who are caught in the act, Juraczka believes his idea will solve that problem.
Juraczka's proposal would fine pet owners US$284 (euro225), plus the cost of the DNA test.
It costs the city US$3.80 (euro3) to US$6.30 (euro5) to pick up each animal’s droppings, but Vienna dog taxes only amount to about 15-cents/day (euro0.12). Juraczka calls it an "intolerable situation."
Oppoonents [sic] say the plan would create a “police state”. A similar idea was floated in Dresden, but no decision has been made on whether to adopt the proposal.
If Councilor Juraczka's proposal is adopted, it will be time for an update to this book:
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