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Owners in Bolzano, northern Italy, must pay €65 for test, which police can use to search for dog muck culprits

Dog owners in Bolzano must submit their pets for DNA tests as the authorities in the northern Italian province crack down on the scourge of dog poo in the streets.

The swab test results will be inserted into a database, which police can then refer to in their search for the culprits and their owners. The evidence will be used to fine owners between €292 and €1,048 (£250 and £900).

The law required the estimated 45,000 dogs in the province, located in the mountainous Trentino-Alto Adige region, to undergo a DNA test at a veterinary clinic by the end of December 2023 before the initiative is introduced this month. But only 5,000 have complied, according to reports in the Italian press.

The measure has been contentious, especially among the dog owners who diligently clean up their pet’s poop and who are now obliged to pay €65 for the test.