Austrian politician wants to ID dog droppings

DNA would help catch people who don't clean up after their pups

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updated 2:35 p.m. ET May 23, 2005

VIENNA - An Austrian politician has a novel idea for cracking down on people who don’t clean up after their dogs.

A council member in Vienna proposes a DNA registry for dogs, so their droppings can be tested. People who fail to clean up their dogs’ droppings would be fined and charged for the DNA analysis.

Vienna’s sidewalks are littered with dog droppings, and campaigns to get dog owners to clean up have made little headway. Dog owners already can be fined if they don’t pick up after their dogs, but tickets are rarely issued because the pet has to be caught in the act.

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The proposal isn’t likely to get very far. The governing Social Democrats have dismissed the idea, saying it would create a “police state.”