Port St Mary ratepayers have forked out ?14,000 for a dog warden in the last four years, despite nobody being fined for dog-fouling.
The village commissioners have revealed the figure in a letter to other local authorities, and their clerk is now considering another approach.
Jason Roberts says a DNA database of all dogs in the Isle of Man could be used to trace owners who let their pets foul the pavements.
In a letter to 18 other authorities, Mr Roberts calculates the authorities spend a total of ?60,000 a year on, what he terms, Dog Enforcement Officers.
He asks if that is the right way to combat dog fouling and floats the idea of DNA testing of dog dirt, describing it as 'a very realistic proposition'.
Mr Roberts argues the Island could easily create a dog DNA database, if giving the information was made compulsory to obtain a dog licence.
DNA tests could then be carried out on dog dirt, the offending owners traced and fined.
Mr Roberts says that should lead to more convictions and cost less, and he is asking commissioners elsewhere for their views.
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