For Subscribers

A Tech Entrepreneur Finds a Niche in Pouncing on Law-Breaking Pet Owners

PooPrints uses DNA samples to track down dumping doggies and the scofflaws who don't pick up after them

By Jason Daley

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Tom Boyd of Knoxville, Tenn., has been an entrepreneur for 50 years. He created Fi-Shock, one of the first electric fences for dogs and livestock; Mark Electronics, a major electronics supplier; EDP Biotech, which is researching an early detection test for colon cancer; and BioPet Vet Lab, a DNA testing service for determining dog ancestry.

That may have been enough to keep most people satisfied, but in 2009, Boyd was bitten by the business bug once again, so he asked his DNA experts to brainstorm untapped niches for the technology. The answer? Dog poop. Enter BioPet Vet Lab's PooPrints, a service that fingers dumping doggies via the DNA in their stools. "After a year of testing, we found our technology had 100 percent accuracy," Boyd says, "and I've always been in the dog business, so it was a natural fit."

Continue reading this article — and all of our other premium content with Entrepreneur+

For just $5, you can get unlimited access to all Entrepreneur’s premium content. You’ll find:

  • Digestible insight on how to be a better entrepreneur and leader
  • Lessons for starting and growing a business from our expert network of CEOs and founders
  • Meaningful content to help you make sharper decisions
  • Business and life hacks to help you stay ahead of the curve

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

The Dark Side of Pay Transparency — And What to Do If You Find Out You're Being Underpaid
Thinking of a Career Change? Here Are 4 Steps You Can Take to Get There.
A Founder Who Bootstrapped Her Jewelry Business With Just $1,000 Now Sees 7-Figure Revenue Because She Knew Something About Her Customers Nobody Else Did
Everything You Need to Know About Franchise Law
Business News

Book Thief Evades Prison Time and Will Pay $88,000 in Restitution

Filippo Bernardini pleaded guilty to stealing more than 1,000 unpublished manuscripts in an elaborate phishing scheme.

Employee Experience & Recruiting

Job Listing 101: Online Hiring Basics

A job listing is often the first interaction job seekers have with your company. Your business can ace online hiring by creating an effective job listing that attracts qualified candidates.

Business News

'A Serious Concern': Journalist Paints a Harrowing Picture of What's to Come With Twitter Blue After Her Account Is Cloned

Jacquelyn Melinek alleged that a Twitter account posing to be her copied all of her information — then blocked her.