"Cops back pet Database"

[excuseme]

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I have just come across this article in a second hand "Sun" newspaper today.

"Dogs are being DNA-tested with swabs in a bid to stop thefts surge".
Owners can fork out £75 for a test kit and register their dogs on the national DNA protected database run by "Cellmark Forensic Services".

Is this real or is it just someone trying to make a quick profit.

If it is genuine it will be a permanent means of identity. I can not see the police taking mouth swabs for a DNA profile test to see if they match with a stolen or missing dog though, unlike the quick information that is available with a microchip!
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[JudyN]

It does seem to be real - which isn't to say that someone isn't just out to make a profit, of course. At least someone can't cut the DNA out of a dog they've stolen like they could a microchip, and it could resolve any ownership disputes. And maybe, just possibly, it would deter some potential dog thieves as they would know that the dog could be traced back to the owner - not many people would steal something that was indelibly marked with its owner's identity.

I can't imagine the already overstretched police would have the resources to test all random strays that come their way though. And I wouldn't want to go sticking a swab into the mouth of a dog I don't know!

 

[Hemlock]

As well as that, I wonder cynically how many companies would spring up to hold the database, rather like the number of microchip database holders about now, none of which liaise with any of the others. To have any use at all, there should only be one database.

 

[excuseme]

I have just scanned a couple of our girls who I know have microchips on different databases
The microchip databases do tell you that a certain microchip is not registered with them and they do forward a contact for the database they could be registered with.
I have not double checked with all of them.