Apartments Use Doggy DNA to Catch Tenants Who Don’t Clean Up After Their Dogs
Michael Chow, The Republic, April 2016
Dog owners who fail to scoop the poop have met their match at a growing number of apartment communities in the Valley. Droppings left behind by man’s best friend may no longer be anonymous thanks to a service that uses DNA technology to match dog poop to its source. Some property managers are using a program called Poo Prints to match dog droppings to the dogs and their owners. More specifically, it’s a DNA match, which property managers are using to connect untended dog droppings with pooches residing in their complexes. “We use it as a sales tool. It’s something we knew we’d implement right at the beginning,” said a property manager at the Residences at Fountainhead in west Tempe, a 320-unit apartment complex that opened about a year ago. The complex requires resident’s to submit DNA of their dogs when moving in and pay a fee to cover the cost of the test. Each day the workers check the apartment grounds for dog droppings that were not picked up. The owners are fined $250 if they are caught. Tenants are happy to pay as small initial fee because most apartment complexes don’t allow dogs at all.
It works like this: Residents who move in with a dog are asked to submit a DNA sample from their pet, obtained by swabbing the inside of the dog’s cheek. The result is placed in a database managed by a Tennessee-based company called Biopet Laboratories, which operates a program called Poo Prints. Each day, the management company has workers check the grounds for dog droppings that were not picked up. Five pickup stations that include bags and trash receptacles cover the grounds, the property manager said.
The president and CEO of the Arizona Multihousing Association, an industry group that represents apartment company interests in the state, said dog DNA testing was a major hit when it first was presented to property managers several years ago. “When they first came on the scene, primarily at trade shows in Phoenix and Tucson, they took the industry by storm,” he said.
The AMA doesn’t track how many properties contract for dog DNA service, but it has appeared to be more popular as more apartment complexes that accept dogs are built in the Valley. About 5,000 apartment units have been added in the Valley over the past two years, and another 5,000 to 10,000 units are expected in the next two years. This may make the the vast majority of apartment complexes pet friendly.
The sales manager for Biopet said the company started in 2008 conducting lab tests for veterinarians and others. Their work included using DNA to identify dog breeds and conduct hereditary checks for professional breeders. The company started Poo Prints, after recognizing how the DNA testing could be used to address a widespread problem of pet owner negligence.
Several dog owners living at The Residences at Fountainhead said they welcomed the policy. “I think it’s a great idea. It keeps the grounds clean,” said one tenant, as she tossed a ball for her 7-year-old terrier mix, Stanley. Th owner of Bear, a golden retriever mix, also welcomed the policy. “It holds people accountable,” he said. “It’s probably the cleanest apartment building I’ve lived at as far as dog droppings.”