CASCADE TOWNSHIP, MI - The Ridges of Cascade, a high-end apartment community that is nearing completion, plans to use a high-tech solution in its effort to be friendly to residents' pets -- and their owners' shoes.

The complex is asking each dog owner to swab their pet's mouth to build a DNA database that can be used to identify scofflaws who ignore their strict cleanup policy.

Assistant Manager Anna Holmes said the plan is designed to keep their grounds free of dog waste as the last six of 24 apartment buildings are completed.

During the development's two-year construction phase, some dog owners felt it wasn't necessary to clean up after their pets, Holmes said. Now that they are completing their final landscaping, that approach is no longer acceptable.

The Ridges has contracted with PooPrints, a division of BioPet Laboratories, Inc., to collect DNA samples of each dog in the development, Holmes said.

If dog feces are found on the grounds, they will take a sample in a vial and send it to PooPrints for DNA matching that will allow them to identify the offending dog - and its owner - if feces are found on the grounds.

Offending parties will be fined $350. Dog owners are asked to agree to the policy when they sign their leases, Holmes said.

"It's kind of a bit of foreshadowing on how we can keep the grounds free and clear of dog waste going forward," she said. "We just want to curb bad habits that can form."

The Ridges of Cascade has welcomed pets, provided their owners register them for a $250 fee and a $30-per-month rental fee, Holmes said. She estimated about 60 percent of their residents have a pet, most of them dogs.

The development includes a dog spa in which owners can wash and groom their dogs for free and a "bark park" in which dogs can play off-leash and interact with other dogs, she said.

The apartment community also provides plastic collection bags and drop-off stations for its dog-walking residents.

Holmes said enforcement of the no-poo policy will begin after they conduct a spring cleanup of the grounds to remove offenses that occurred over the winter.

Located on the former Centennial Country Club, The Ridges of Cascade is a $30 million development whose apartments rent from $1,175 per month for a one-bedroom unit to $2,300 per month for a three-bedroom unit. When completed, the development will include 237 apartments.

Jim Harger covers business for Mlive Media Group. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+.