Photo via @kallieslayed/TikTok
April 1, 2022, 10:17 am
A TikTok video showing an alleged announcement for tenants in an apartment complex is catching attention for demonstrating one of the most absurd landlord demands many have yet witnessed. TikTok user “Kallie” says that she got a notice demanding that all tenants with dogs submit their canines to a DNA swab so that the landlord can figure out who isn’t picking up their poops and fine violators of the poop scoop policy.
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If somebody is joking here, it’s not us.
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The video itself was posted before April Fool’s Day and Kallie insists that it’s no joke. She shows the notice, with the name of the apartment complex blocked out, and reads aloud the process for collecting doggie DNA.
“Due to a small percentage of residents that have not been using the provided pet stations to pick up after their dogs, we’re instituting a program known as PooPrints,” she reads. “We are unable to keep up with the unscooped dog waste and are taking immediate corrective action.”
A small percentage of residents, yet they simply can’t keep up with the poop to the point that they have to spend all this time, money, and effort to collect DNA from every dog in the complex. Make it make sense.
“By June 1st, every dog owner must complete registration for their dogs at the apartments and visit our office to provide us with a DNA cheek swab,” Kallie continues, cracking up at the last part.
“Bring your dog to the office where we will swab your pet with the provided kit.”
The notice seems to say that the office will at least be waiving the $50 fee for this canine DNA collection if tenants comply, though that only slightly softens the blow of the bizarre policy. And yet, those who refuse are literally threatened with eviction.
Also, the fee for an unscooped poop if the tenant’s dog’s DNA is found in the pile is quite steep.
“Once the registration of all pets is complete, any feces found on the property will be submitted for analysis. Waste samples will be compared to the cheek swab samples on file and the pet owner who did not pick up will be fined $350.”
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Kallie has a hard time holding in her laughter as she reads that refusal to pay the fine could result in rental agreement termination, also known as eviction, and refusal to submit to these demands also means a fine of $150.
At this point, you may be wondering if this could possibly be legal, along with many TikTok commenters. The answer, surprisingly, is yes, at least according to the CEO of PooPrints. Otherwise, it stands to reason that the company would not exist, as most of its 7000 clients are apartment landlords.
“It’s completely legal,” CEO Jay Retinger told the Daily Dot. “When you live in an apartment community and you’re renting that unit you’re functioning under the rules under that pet policy and lease agreement.”
“We get all kinds of questions, people are blown away,” he said over the phone. “It’s so funny to see the spectrum of thoughts and takes on the program. Is it big brother? Are we the poop police? Is it environmental protection? There’s so many different opinions.”
Kallie herself told the Daily Dot that she initially thought the notice was a joke, and was floored to find out this was a real thing that happens in various apartment complexes.
“Honestly I couldn’t believe the announcement when I read it, I thought it was an April Fools prank,” she said. “DNA swabbing dogs seems like something straight out of a Black Mirror episode!”
In spite of the weirdness, she ultimate sympathized with the decision — though it may help that she doesn’t have a dog. Many commenters also had a “if you’ve done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear” attitude, and it appears a lot of people are fed up with their own neighbors for not scooping.
“All apartments should be doing this honestly,” wrote one commenter. “I’m so tired of people not picking up after their pets. It’s not that damn hard.”
Others still felt that it was a strange and extreme response to a relatively minor problem.
“They don’t have time to pick it up but they can dna test it?” asked another TikTok user.
*First Published: April 1, 2022, 10:17 am
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