World’s First Dog DNA Database To Help Trace Kidnapped Canines

A police force in Southwest England has introduced “the world’s first dog DNA database” in a bid to deter canine theft that surged during the coronavirus lockdown in the United Kingdom.

As part of their groundbreaking “DNA protected” scheme, Gloucestershire Police are inviting pet owners to buy a kit worth £74.99 and use it to take a swab from their dog’s mouth. The samples will then be sent to a specialized forensic testing company, Cellmark, so the dog’s DNA can be registered under the scheme, The Telegraph reported.

Chief Inspector Emma MacDonald was cited as saying by the BBC that the forensic team of Gloucestershire Police teamed up with Cellmark last December for the canine database creation in response to the escalating number of dog thefts.

So when a dog is suspected to be stolen, its DNA can be run through the database to check if they have been flagged as missing. It could be used as incriminating evidence against a suspected thief if the canine’s DNA is found on them or in their possession.

MacDonald told the BBC that this system would help “frightened” owners to be reunited with their missing pets. Pointing out the advantage of using the dog DNA database in recovering lost dogs, she said that microchips in a dog can be changed or removed but the DNA remains the same.

The report also said that the demand for pets during the lockdown went up, resulting in a surge in prices that eventually snowballed to a “dramatic increase” in dog thefts.

According to data from Britain's 45 police forces, a total of 2,438 dogs were stolen last year, marking a 19 percent increase compared to figures in 2019 which stood at 2,026, stated a previous report.

"DNA is unique and a fact that has enabled Forensic Services to identify criminals for many years,” Chris Allen, head of forensic services at Gloucestershire Police, had said in the report, adding: "With the application of the same processes used for human identification, the DNA Protected service promises a searchable database of canine DNA information.”

As part of the scheme, pet owners would be encouraged to use branded collars, leads, tags, and car stickers, to let potential thieves know that their dog is profiled and protected in the DNA database system.