Could a puppy tax be the answer?
On Twitter there is much talk about last night's Panorama and the issues the upsetting show churned up.
A relatively new idea has surfaced - a breeding tax to help pay for the collection and destruction of unwanted, surplus dogs.
I'd like to throw this concept over to you for debate.
Should it be licensed commercial breeders only that are taxed?
Should it be every dog bred ?
A one-off tax or should it be like road tax and be annual?
Could it be cheaper for some dogs than others - (neutered, rescued, highly trained etc)
How would the tax be collected?
Should any people be tax-exempt?
Would chips be used to link owners/breeders and the tax register - or is that too much like Big Brother.
Should there be a visible tax disk to show your pup is taxed? (In some countries there are coloured disks on the collar to show if rabies shots are up to date.)
Standing back ready to hear your views...
What if people don't pay the tax?
Would the Gov be able to take your dog like they take your car if you don't tax it?
Should neutered dogs be tax exempt?
Devil's advocate time here - I want to hear your views.
We need something radical, we can't be killing this many healthy dogs each year.
A relatively new idea has surfaced - a breeding tax to help pay for the collection and destruction of unwanted, surplus dogs.
I'd like to throw this concept over to you for debate.
Should it be licensed commercial breeders only that are taxed?
Should it be every dog bred ?
A one-off tax or should it be like road tax and be annual?
Could it be cheaper for some dogs than others - (neutered, rescued, highly trained etc)
How would the tax be collected?
Should any people be tax-exempt?
Would chips be used to link owners/breeders and the tax register - or is that too much like Big Brother.
Should there be a visible tax disk to show your pup is taxed? (In some countries there are coloured disks on the collar to show if rabies shots are up to date.)
Standing back ready to hear your views...
What if people don't pay the tax?
Would the Gov be able to take your dog like they take your car if you don't tax it?
Should neutered dogs be tax exempt?
Devil's advocate time here - I want to hear your views.
We need something radical, we can't be killing this many healthy dogs each year.
Comments
It would also make all breeders scream "no money??? why would we breed dogs???" - therein answering their own question
This would work along side a puppy contract.
Cinemas could show clips of unwanted dogs being euthanised for example.
I thought the saddest thing in the Panorama show was the little black dog being put into a plastic sack.
In an ideal world, prospective dog owners should go through a compulsory process similar to that of the adoption procedure for children and be assessed on their suitability as owners. If they are not suitable, they can't own a dog, with huge penalties for those who ignore that recommendation. But again, who and how would that be policed? I also believe that all dog owners should be made to train their dogs, which would also go a long way to reducing the stress placed on the already overburdened rescue centres.
It's a tough one because at the end of the day, the people who want to use a dog for financial gain will always find a way to do so.
Bear this in mind. Car tax doesn't go on paying for roads and tobacco tax doesn't go to the nhs.
We have seen already that the government are not interested in dog welfare issues and have never been interested in taxes being spent wisely and on the right things.