By DNA capture: South Tyrol’s fight against dog excrement

Once you don’t pay attention while walking and again your shoe is in the dog poop. That should change in South Tyrol – and so all dogs registered there must now take a DNA test.

Today it’s also Dolly’s turn. The rough-haired dachshund dog stands on the green examination table in the Salden animal clinic and lets veterinarian Karin Vonmetz push a swab into her mouth without crying too much. A few moments, the swab is rotated a few times and then everything is done. Dolly’s DNA is now also going to Bolzano in the database against unwanted dog poop.

A law has been in force in South Tyrol since the beginning of the year, with which the northern Italian province declares war on dog feces that are not cleared away. “The law stipulates that a DNA test must be submitted for all dogs,” says Provincial Councilor Anton Schuler from the South Tyrolean People’s Party. The genetic data of all 40,000 dogs registered in South Tyrol would then be stored in the database for four-legged friends.

This means that in the future it will be possible to determine in South Tyrol which pile on the sidewalk comes from which dog. The authorities could ask the owners to pay.

The law is intended to act as a deterrent

“The deterrent effect will be enormous,” hopes Schuler, who is considered the inventor of the law. Because everyone knows: “If he leaves his dog’s pile lying around or takes it with him in a bag and throws it behind the nearest garden fence,” then the probability of being caught is relatively high in the future.

Last year there were 400 reports in the city of Bolzano alone because citizens were annoyed about dog dirt on the streets. Employees from the hygiene department set out, but the owners of the responsible animals were almost never identified. In the future, the authorities would take samples of the dog feces and compare them with the DNA in the database. The dog owners identified received a fine.

“I won’t take the test”

But there is also protest against the new anti-dog poop law. “I’m a dog owner myself,” says animal rights activist Sonja Meraner and announces: “I won’t take part in the test.” The president of the “South Tyrolean Animal Paradise Helps” association emphasizes that she is against the law and the DNA sample requirement because it is pointless. Among other things, she criticizes the fact that only dogs registered in South Tyrol have to take the DNA test. However, dogs belonging to tourists or owners from the neighboring province of Trent are not allowed. “But I also see enough tourist dogs that make piles,” reports Meraner, and they are often left lying there.

The animal rights activist, who is also active in the Freedom Party, has organized an online petition and has announced a class action lawsuit against the law. The new rule would also lead to dog owners deregistering their animals or declaring them dead. “But then two days later I see him running around with the dog,” says Meraner. Among other things, she fears that this could create a problem with stray dogs in South Tyrol.

Only a quarter of the dogs were recorded

The state government in Bolzano has granted all dog owners a transition period over the past two years. So far, only around 10,000 dogs, i.e. around a quarter of those registered in South Tyrol, have had a DNA test carried out. Some might have believed that the law, which has been announced for two years, might not come after all, says State Councilor Schuler. But with the law coming into force at the beginning of the year, we are now getting serious.

To make it easier for dog owners to take samples, several communities have set up public testing centers to support veterinary practices. Schuler is optimistic that the majority of dogs will be recorded in the foreseeable future.

The state council emphasizes that the anti-dog poop law does not cost taxpayers a cent. For the new rules, only another column had to be set up in the existing dog database. The dog owners pay the cost of taking the DNA sample of 65 euros.

Anyone who refuses to have their dog’s genetic data recorded faces penalties of up to 1,064 euros. No fine has been imposed yet – dog owners who fail the tests should be given a few more weeks.

Can also be used for bites or tears

According to Schuler, other regions and cities in Italy have already shown interest in the South Tyrolean model, including Genoa. The central government in Rome is also following the development and has expanded the national database for pets to include the item “DNA sample”. In South Tyrol, many communities, including in rural regions, had pushed for DNA tests for dogs.

With the help of the genetic data collected, it should be easier in the future to identify the responsible owners when dogs bite people or tear livestock. Proponents of the law also point out that dog feces can cause serious health problems in cows.