Tennessee-based BioPet Vet Lab brings its successful PooPrints™ DNA Pet Waste Management program overseas, as London becomes the first city in the world to introduce DNA testing to enforce dog poop laws.

BioPet Vet Lab, a US biotechnology company specializing in canine genetic testing, announced today that the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD) has voted to implement PooPrints™ - a program designed by BioPet to promote responsible pet ownership and address one of the world’s growing environmental problems.

PooPrints DNA Pet Waste Management makes headlines in the United States as the high-tech forensic approach to ‘match the mess’ and permanently solve dog poop problems in over 1,000 communities across 45 states and Canada. As the canine population in America eclipses 80 million dogs, unscooped pet waste has become an increasing hazard, especially in storm-water runoff, not to mention a general nuisance to all. Public awareness of dog poop has increased over the last few years due to public educational campaigns and new technologies, like PooPrints, which use science to solve every-day problems.

The idea to implement PooPrints throughout an entire city is gaining traction. Earlier this month, Indiana’s Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation Department indicated they will be moving forward with PooPrints™ to keep their municipal bark parks clean and green, the first in the US.

Now, rather appropriately, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has become the first city council in Britain, and indeed the first city council in the world, to employ PooPrints. In pursuit of this effort, BioPet has partnered with Welsh biotech firm Streetkleen Bio, LTD, to launch PooPrints UK. Due to new legislation introduced in the United Kingdom, known as Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO), DNA technology could potentially be used to clamp down on errant dog poop.

UK Councils can now enforce a PSPO on any public space within its area – including public parks, cemeteries and beaches – if they believe that certain anti-social behaviours (like dog poop) could have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of residents. As such, dog owners frequenting these areas could be encouraged to have their dog’s DNA registered with PooPrints UK.

The process works by taking a painless cheek swab from the dog, which is sent to BioPet’s PooPrints laboratory in Knoxville, Tennessee. Each individual dog’s profile is then added to the DNA World Pet Registry. If a pet parent fails to pick up after their pooch, a quick test on the dog waste sample can be matched back to the registered dog with 99.9% accuracy.

Cllr. Darren Rodwell, Leader of London Borough of Barking and Dagenham said: “We are the first Council in the country to get really tough on dog mess and pet owners who do not act in a socially responsible way. The vast majority of dog owners in Barking and Dagenham are socially responsible but unfortunately a selfish few think it’s ok to not clean up after their pet. Dog mess not only spoils our streets - it’s also a health hazard and especially to young children. It’s why we are using this innovative approach in making a cleaner, healthier and better Barking and Dagenham.”

Eric Mayer, Director of Business Development at BioPet, says that with Earth Day celebrated this week, PooPrints’ arrival in the UK highlights the company’s continuing commitment towards cleaner and greener communities worldwide.

“Our aim with PooPrints™ is to make every city cleaner, and greener, one poop pile at a time. PooPrints has resulted in a significant reduction in dog waste in over one thousand communities in the US, and we are excited to partner with Streetkleen Bio and LBBD to bring our proven DNA pet waste management program to the UK,” Mayer said.

So why all the “to-doo” over dog poo? In the United States alone, 21 billion pounds of dog waste is generated annually, and up to 40% remains un-scooped. Just one pile of dog waste contains over 3 billion fecal coliform bacteria, including E.coli and Salmonella. Other pathogens from pet waste (including roundworms and their eggs) can survive in the soil for several years. These pathogens pose a health hazard as they transfer to other pets who walk by, and just as shocking, transfer to humans. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), waste is one vehicle from which zoonotic diseases pass from pets to humans.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named pet waste as a non-point source pollutant, the same category as oil and toxic chemicals. The EPA placed pet waste management at the top of their guidelines for Pollution Prevention: Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations. They estimate that a 20 mile watershed can be closed from just 2 to 3 days’ worth of droppings from a 100-dog community. Clearly pet waste is no longer just a nuisance for community and city management and BioPet views PooPrints™ as the responsible answer to solving these environmental and health problems.

Recent advances in sequencing technology have helped contribute to PooPrints™ success, as DNA analysis has become an affordable solution to tackle irresponsible dog ownership. Once the program is implemented, the only additional cost is for ‘matching the mess’ analyses, which indeed become a rarity, and can be recouped through fines handed back to the errant owner.

For more information, or to arrange an interview or photo opportunity, please contact Eric Mayer at BioPet Vet Lab toll free (866)883-7389 or email ericmayer@biopetvetlab.com.

  • About BioPet Vet Lab: BioPet Vet Lab is a biotechnology company specializing in animal genomics located in Knoxville, Tennessee. BioPet’s research and development group explores genetic science in order to offer new tests that can be used to improve the healthcare and quality of life for our beloved pets. For additional information about BioPet Vet Lab and the PooPrints™ program, visit their website at www.biopetvetlab.com, or www.pooprints.com.
  • About Streetkleen and PooPrints UK: The ethos of Streetkleen is to combine sustainability and innovation to help individuals, organisations and local government adopt a new approach to an age old problem - dog waste. New venture, PooPrints UK, ‘matches the mess’ through DNA analysis. For cities with thousands (if not millions) of dogs, the only foolproof tool in enforcement of dog waste policy is through positive identification with DNA. PooPrints UK provides the evidence needed to enforce local dog policy, leaving public open spaces clean and welcoming to dog owners and non-dog owners alike.

BioPet Vet LabEric Mayer, 866-883-7389ericmayer@biopetvetlab.com