NEWMARKET— With the new initiative to prevent doggy land mines, some dog-owning tenants in town are being required to submit DNA samples of their canines via the cheek swab method.



Cheney East Corporation and Cheney Property Management are taking advantage of the PooPrints program, in hopes that more tenants will pick up after their dogs.



The program compares DNA found in dog feces to the DNA samples of tenants' dogs, which certain tenants are now required to provide.



If dog feces are found on Cheney's property and the DNA profile is matched to a tenant's dog, the dog owner will face a fine.



Recently, tenants on Mead Hill Road, owned by Cheney Property Management, received notice they will have to provide their dogs' DNA sample by Feb. 27, as well as pay the $30 fee to cover the $29.95 cost for the swabbing kit.



Beginning in March, any feces found on the land of Cheney Property Management will be checked for DNA, and the pet owners responsible will be fined $100.



If the fine is not paid, the tenant in question will have their rental agreement terminated.



Cheney Property Management President Walter Cheney said that although only a small percentage of residents neglect to clean up after their dogs, "It's a problem we're not looking to just accept."



He said while the new program is starting with Mead Hill Road, management is evaluating what other properties would be subject to the new rule.



Response from his tenants, said Cheney, has been more positive than not. Whether dog owners or not, no one likes to have to avoid "doggy land mines," he said.



"We strive to provide a good quality of life for people, whether they are dog owners or not," said Cheney.



He said employees of Cheney Property Management will begin to do random property checks to ensure no feces are left outside.



A tenant of 3000 Mead Hill Road, who wished to remain anonymous, said she could not believe the notice directing her to provide her dog's DNA sample when she received it in the mail a week or two ago.



"It's kind of stepping over a person's right," she said. "If they do this step, what's next, cigarettes?"



She said many around the Mead Hill Road area throw their dogs' feces into the woods rather than the trash, and some also leave cigarette butts on the ground quite often.



The resident said she has lived at her current residence for several months, and as an owner of one dog, she does not feel she should be required to pay the fee to provide the DNA sample of her pet.



"If you start opening the can of worms, what's the next step?" she said.



While some say that the program is a bit extreme, Deb Wilson of Cheney East Corporation says most of the tenants' response to PooPrints has been positive.



Wilson said the company has already implemented the program at two of the company's properties that allow dogs — Pulaski Drive and North Main Street — in October.



She said so far, no tenants have had to pay the $100 fee for leaving their dogs' waste outside.



"Ever since we started (this program) there have been no problems," said Wilson, who said unlike Cheney Property Management, Cheney East Corporation is not requiring tenants to pay the $30 fee to cover the cost of the cheek swab kit.



As for Cheney Property Management, although the PooPrints program for Mead Hill Road dog owners has already been implemented, more tenants are likely to receive similar notices as well.



Dog owners who submit their dogs' DNA will also have access to their pets' information on the DNA World Pet Registry, which provides genetic information about the particular dog.



"It seems to work very well and in the long run I think it will be good for everyone involved," said Cheney.