DNA to be used in dog mess fight

Officials in an Israeli city have come up with an innovative way of tracking dog owners who allow their pets to foul the streets - DNA analysis.

Authorities in Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv, are setting up a special DNA database of local dogs.

They will use the data to match dogs' droppings to owners - and punish those who do not clean up after their pets.

While those who keep the streets clear will be rewarded, owners who fail to scoop the poop could face fines.

"My goal is to get the residents involved and tell them that together, we can make our environment clean," Tika Bar-On, the city's chief veterinarian, told Reuters news agency.

Owners were reacting positively to the six-month trial programme, she told the agency, because they wanted their streets to be clean.

At the moment providing a DNA sample was up to individual dog owners, but the city was considering making it compulsory, she added.

Failure to clear up dog mess is not confined to Petah Tikva. In the UK, some councils have resorted to using CCTV and undercover patrols to identify offenders in particular trouble spots.

Other have given away free bags to encourage owners to pick up after their dogs.