Program available worldwide that uses DNA to solve dog poo problem arrives in UK
2014 GB Eco Entrepreneur of the Year finalist Streetkleen Bio is pleased to announce a partnership with US Biotechnology company BioPet Vet Lab who specialise in canine genetics. This partnership will include the UK release of PooPrints - a program available worldwide that "matches the dog mess" left behind by DNA analysis. BioPet Vet Lab Director Eric Mayer states "In towns and cities across the UK with hundreds (if not thousands) of dogs the only foolproof tool in enforcement of local dog waste policy is through positive identification with DNA." The PooPrints program is used successfully across the US, Israel, Singapore, Germany and is soon to be introduced to Switzerland and The Netherlands.
In the UK, dog fouling remains one of the most emotive and complained about issues, with 1 in 4 people considering it a problem in their area that is on the rise. Not only is it unsightly and unpleasant, but it has been linked to significant health risks especially to the youngest members of our communities. Councils across the UK have highlighted tackling dog fouling as a priority, but despite their best intentions continue to grapple with dog owners who profess to clean up, but obviously don't.
A recent study undertaken by Keep Britain Tidy estimated the cost of cleaning the streets of the UK at £1 billion. The cost of the DNA registration kit is £29.95 with a simple non invasive cheek swab being taken, then sent for analysis at BioPet Vet Labs animal genomics laboratory. Each individual dog is then added to the World Pet Registry and the dog owners receives welcome pack with individual documents. In the event of offending waste being left behind the cost of the DNA analysis to "match the mess" is £69.95 which could be recovered through the revenue raised by issuing a fixed penalty notice. Making it very cost-effective for councils to participate with. Having the PooPrints program operational has led to a drop of 90% in recorded dog fouling incidents in many locations as dog owners realise they can be held accountable.
The introduction of PooPrints has coincided with the release of new legislation: The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. This replaces Dog Control Orders with Public Space Protection Orders. These new powers gives communities the opportunity to set conditions to help prevent nuisances such as dog fouling and other anti-social behaviour that can be considered detrimental to the quality of life to those with a locality, persistent in nature and unreasonable.
Streetkleen Bio, a North Wales based Enviro-Tech company's Managing Director Gary Downie commented "As a dog owner myself the challenge was how do we combine positive dog ownership with access to open spaces whilst ensuring we have accountability to local dog policy? PooPrints is a cost effective, permanent solution to dog fouling that helps ensure that our open spaces are clean, safe and welcoming for dog owners and non-dog owners alike."