A proposal for DNA testing of dogs to tackle dog fouling is an expensive waste of time.

That’s the view of Port St Mary commissioner Michelle Haywood, after the authority was invited to discuss the proposal by Rushen Commissioners.

Rushen Commissioners’ clerk Phil Gawne wrote to all southern authorities following the launch of its dog policy consultation.

’I know each authority has various policies and procedures in place to tackle dog fouling, and indeed others have tried to get dog DNA related solutions to work in the past,’ he said.

’But my board wonders whether there might be an appetite among southern boards for a collective approach to this problem.’

Dr Haywood, whose doctorate is in genetics, said: ’The government did look at this last year. They abandoned the idea when they looked at the practicalities.

’They are not geneticists. There are considerable costs involved. To register a dog is £30 and it is £70 to get a test done.’

She added: ’There is nothing in Manx law to say a dog has to be on a database.

’The only way it could work is if a dog was reported and the report would link to a database and there is none.

’I’m highly sceptical anything will come out of it, it’s a waste of everyone’s time. The chances of finding a dog that is the culprit are slim to vanishing. This is an expensive waste of time.’

Commissioners’ chairman Laurence Vaughan-Williams said: ’I hate to think the net result of your esteemed doctorate is to advise on dog excrement! We get so many complaints, it would be lacking of us if we were to ignore it. We have got to look at this.’

Dr Haywood said: ’Government did look at this â?¦ there were so many issues they could not make it stack up.’

The authority agreed to accept Rushen’s invitation and discuss it with them.