Daily Archives: March 16, 2013

Dogs may be man's best friend, but their poop can be a pedestrian's worst enemy.

That's why The Fairmont Museum District apartment complex in Houston is taking an innovative step to confront a centuries-old problem.

The 236-unit residence at 4310 Dunlavy St. has contracted with PooPrints, a Tennessee company that offers canine DNA testing as a way to track down the person whose dog left a tell-tale turd.

"I think it's a great idea," said Fairmont leasing manager Molly Kalish. "The main reason we decided to try this new program was because we had a specific issue on one of our floors with accidents."

The building has a large number of dog owners, partly because of its pet-friendly policy and its location adjacent to a city dog park, Kalish said.

So far, Fairmont management has brought up DNA registration with only a small number of dog owners who live on the floor where the accidents occurred. Others will be asked to sign up as part of the building's pet policy when they renew their leases, Kalish said.

To register a participating tenant's dog, apartment staffers use a kit provided by PooPrints to collect DNA through a cheek swab.

The pet's DNA sample is then sent to PooPrints' laboratory in Tennessee, known as BioPet Vet Lab, said PooPrints spokesman Eric Mayer.

When someone's dog leaves an offending sample of waste on an apartment property, it will be tested for a potential match among the apartment's registered dogs.

In the event of a match, the owner will be given a warning on the first offense but will be fined $500 for a second offense at The Fairmont.

See the original post here:
Poop police now have DNA test to find owners

14 March 2013 Last updated at 17:50 ET

Pork DNA has been found in halal chicken sausages served in a primary school in Westminster, central London, the local authority said.

The sausages were from St Mary's Bryanston Square, a Church of England school, Westminster Council confirmed.

Tests on a sample from Burdett Coutts School revealed the presence of lamb and pork DNA in lean minced beef.

The items have been removed from all school meals and the contractor was asked not to use its meat supplier.

Council officers took seven samples in total from three schools in the last week of February to carry out tests on meat products served in schools following the horsemeat scandal.

Under Islamic law, Muslims are strictly forbidden to eat pork.

Halal sausages are served in 15 primary schools, two nurseries, one special school and one pupil referral unit, which take only halal meat.

More than 4,400 pupils choose sausages as a meal option, the council said.

The council said it decided to carry out tests for the presence of DNA from beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, goat and horse after the horsemeat scandal.

Link:
Pork DNA found in halal school meat

Dogs may be man's best friend, but their poop can be a pedestrian's worst enemy.

That's why The Fairmont Museum District apartment complex in Houston is taking an innovative step to confront a centuries-old problem.

The 236-unit residence at 4310 Dunlavy St. has contracted with PooPrints, a Tennessee company that offers canine DNA testing as a way to track down the person whose dog left a tell-tale turd.

"I think it's a great idea," said Fairmont leasing manager Molly Kalish. "The main reason we decided to try this new program was because we had a specific issue on one of our floors with accidents."

The building has a large number of dog owners, partly because of its pet-friendly policy and its location adjacent to a city dog park, Kalish said.

So far, Fairmont management has brought up DNA registration with only a small number of dog owners who live on the floor where the accidents occurred. Others will be asked to sign up as part of the building's pet policy when they renew their leases, Kalish said.

To register a participating tenant's dog, apartment staffers use a kit provided by PooPrints to collect DNA through a cheek swab.

The pet's DNA sample is then sent to PooPrints' laboratory in Tennessee, known as BioPet Vet Lab, said PooPrints spokesman Eric Mayer.

When someone's dog leaves an offending sample of waste on an apartment property, it will be tested for a potential match among the apartment's registered dogs.

In the event of a match, the owner will be given a warning on the first offense but will be fined $500 for a second offense at The Fairmont.

Visit link:
DNA test can reveal which dog owners don't pick up poop