Yes, really!

East London’s Barking and Dagenham council is so incensed with dog owners not clearing up their dog’s mess, it’s launching a dog poo DNA scheme in a bid to catch offenders.

As reported on BBC News, following an initial pilot process, from April 2016 it plans to make the registering of dog DNA compulsory. The scheme will then begin the following September, with wardens collecting dog mess samples from local areas for analysis against the DNA database. Those identified will face an £80 fine and, hopefully, be shamed into not doing it again.

A gross subject I know, but this is a first in the UK following success in the US. With around nine million dogs in this country it certainly has to be addressed. Not only is dog poo unpleasant, it can be harmful to your health if not removed and disposed of appropriately.

Here at our doggy day care centre in Cobham, Surrey, we have 15 acres of fields that around 100 dogs regularly play in. And 100 dogs produce a lot of poo!

Funnily enough, it’s a question I’m asked a lot – how do you manage and deal with all the dog waste? Simple:

We pick up using poo bags.

• A specialised waste disposal firm makes a weekly collection and hygienically disposes of the waste.
• As any animal lover will tell you, keeping on top of the issue and practising good management – in our case field, in your case garden/park – is key. Like any problem, monitor and manage to prevent rather than cure.

In my experience, most dogs are clean and house proud. Therefore, I’m sure if they could they’d clean up after themselves, but since they can’t it’s down to us as good responsible owners and indeed citizens.

So I’m in full support of this initiative; even if it is slightly barking mad.