Hundreds of Front Range Dog Owners Fined Over Poop

Hundreds of dog owners along the Front Range have been fined for not picking up after their pets, thanks to sophisticated DNA tests.

Several communities in the Front Range are now using tests by PooPrints, a company that works with apartment complexes, HOAs, commercial properties, and the like to catch and fine pet owners that don't scoop the poop.

One such client is the Retreat at the Flatirons in Broomfield. Resident Michael Liddle was recently given a $100 fine twice for being a poop offender.

Dogs' DNA is taken with a cheek swab and put on file. When poop is found, it's sent to a lab and matched against all dogs on file.

PooPrints appeared in the Colorado market 2 years ago, and since January of this year, dog waste piles have decreased by an average of 81% (based on a sampling of 9 apartment complexes).

Each test sample costs about $75, with a 99.9% accuracy.