Well, this is kind of sh*tty, isn't it?
The city of Naples, Italy, is implementing a plan to take DNA tests from dog poop to catch people who don't pick up after their pets, according to The New York Times. If it turns out to be your dog's turd on the sidewalk, you'll be fined 500 euros. That's about $690.
The high-tech tactic isn't only being used in Italy, though. The trend has already spread to places like Israel, Canada, and in communities and apartment complexes in 43 states across the United States.
Here's how it works: First, dogs must be registered and have cheek swabs taken. This is how officials collect their DNA. (In Naples, they're relying on blood samples, the Times notes.) When a small sample of poop is found, it gets sent to a lab to be analyzed. If it belongs to your dog, get ready to pay up.
The Knoxville, Tenn., bio-tech company PooPrints offers these services for between $34.95 and $59.95 per dog, depending on the size of the operation. Cedric Moses, the president of a similar company called P.E.T. CSI, says keeping a neighborhood clean comes down to financial incentives.
“What we’ve seen is, when you start hitting people in their pocket they start paying attention," Moses told CBS Dallas Fort Worth.
For more on Naples' plans to DNA test dog poop, visit the New York Times.
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