Dog owners offered 'CSI-type' DNA test

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FREDERICTON, New Brunswick, June 22 (UPI) -- Canadian dog owners can now buy a DNA kit with "CSI-type technology" to help them determine their pet's breed, officials of an animal group say.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in the New Brunswick capital of Fredericton says the kit can help owners confirm if their pet is purebred or a mutt, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Friday.

Within three weeks of administering the DNA test, owners receive an eight-page report detailing their dog's ancestry from matching the DNA to a genetic database of more than 190 different breeds.

"This is CSI-type technology that is now available in your home," said LeeAnn Haggerty, education and outreach coordinator for the Fredericton SPCA.

The identification kits, which cost $70, have been popular in Fredericton so far, she said.

Confirming a dog's breed, or its mix, can help owners understand what kind of dog they are dealing with, Fredericton veterinarian Amy Schneider said.

"If you're talking about a mixed breed dog then you're talking about different breeds mixed together and then who knows what the resulting behaviors of that dog will be," she said.