Mannaggia! – Italian for, “no more poo poo!” – We think…
Pet owners in Bolzano, a province of northern Italy will now have to pay €65 ($70.65) for a DNA test, which police will utilize to identify and culprits of errant dog poop.
Bolzano, a picturesque destination for a quiet European journey, is apparently experiencing an epidemic… No, not the viral-kind, rather the poo kind. Apparently, dog owners have not be the most courteous about picking up their pet’s poo. This has led to enough public complaints that the local Italian authorities have stepped in…potentially while waving a rolling pin.
Basta! – Italian for, “No Poop!” Maybe…
Pet owners are required to submit the test results which will then been inputted into what may be called, “Super Pooper Database” to which local authorities will utilize to track down owners. Fines for loose dog poop will range between €292 ($317.57) and €1,048 ($1,139.87). That’s one spicy meatball of a fine!
There are an estimated 45,000 dogs that are currently residing in the province. Needless to say, if a dog is pooping once or twice a day, then the fecal landmines can really add-up! So far, only 5,000 owners have registered the results of their pet’s DNA test.
Arnold Schuler, a provincial councillor, said the database is “in the implementation phase” and additional veterinarians are being utilized to conduct the DNA tests. “In this way, we are making it easier for everyone to have their pet registered…”
Italian pet owners that are diligent about picking up their pet’s poo are pretty perturbed about the money they have to fork over for a DNA test. After all, why should they have to pay the price of a fancy meal because of the mistakes of others?
Could this be the beginning of an Italian surveillance state?….
Schuler also commented that the database will be used to identify dogs killed in via roadway incidents or that have attacked other people. He also mentioned that other Italian regions have taken note of the initiative and could potentially be instating a similar mandate.
Unconfirmed reports from locals believe that this type of government reach begins with dog poo and could potential lead to establishing a tracking data base via DNA testing of human poo. This may be a false fear though…
Regardless, maybe Italians should flush twice for good measure…
Does this story rumble your tummy? We’d love to hear from ya! Shoot us a note! Or drop a comment on this article or any others that flush your senses.