Alex Reid

The BBC reports that a city in Israel (population 180,000) is setting up a DNA database to match dog poop left in their streets to their owners in order to fine them. In the UK, some towns have resorted to using surveillance cameras and undercover patrols to identify offenders in particular trouble spots.

Tika Bar-On, the city’s chief veterinarian who came up with the idea for the DNA experiment, told Reuters the DNA database could also help veterinarians research genetic diseases in dogs, investigate canine pedigree and identify stray animals, replacing the need for electronic chip identification.

“The sky is the limit on how far we can take this,” she said.