Tk500 tax per dog: Dhaka South begins new half-baked tax rules

The Dhaka South City Corporation has levied a Tk500 tax on every dog kept as a pet, alongside a Tk1,000 tax for horse and deer each, a decision which was greatly criticised.

What the city corporation will use the tax money for is still murky.

According to a public notification, "City Corporation Standard Tax Schedule, 2016", pet owners will have to pay the annual tax for each animal.

Dhaka South's Veterinary Officer (Zone-2 and -6) Dr AKM Saleh Rahman said the legislation came into effect a few days ago.

He said pets of those who will register will be given free vaccinations and necessary treatment at various times.

In the case of dogs, if owners get a licence, they will benefit from veterinarian visits at the city corporation offices.

He, however, could not say whether the visits will be free.

"You will get a licence after paying the tax levied on the pet dog. As in the developed world, Dhaka South will also be brought under control through surveys of pets," he said.

Dhaka South Deputy Chief Revenue Officer Shahjahan Ali told The Business Standard that according to the city corporation tax schedule, there is a tax for keeping every pet (dog, deer and horse) under the corporation.

Dhaka South has till now never collected the tax but has started this year. Twenty-seven owners have already submitted the tax, he said.

In the notification, pet owners have been requested to pay tax at the rate specified in the miscellaneous collection wing of the revenue department of their respective regions and 15% VAT on the said tax.

According to data from the Dhaka South City Corporation, there are 128 pet dogs, 145 deer and 46 horses in areas under its jurisdiction.

The city corporation has already informed the owners of these pets about the tax.

Animal lovers and experts, however, have termed the move unreasonable.

They said people will lose interest in raising animals if only the tax model of the developed world is used without the added benefits.

Shipon Hossain, an Old Dhaka resident, has been breeding and rescuing dogs and cats for about five years.

He has three dogs and two cats at home. The news of the tax shocked him.

Shipon told TBS that the city corporation should take steps to encourage pet owners instead of discouraging them.

"Such a decision is not logical at all. I have to pay Tk1,500 every year for my three dogs. It may not be a big amount but why should I pay taxes to the city corporation after raising the dogs at my own expense? The city corporation should reverse its decision," he said.

At ALB Animal Shelter, a rehabilitation centre that houses around 70 dogs, volunteers are worried about what the tax means.

Dipanwita Ridi, founder of Animal Lovers of Bangladesh (ALB) an animal shelter, termed the tax unjustified.

"We do volunteer work and bring injured dogs from different places and after treatment they are rehabilitated. Many people bring their dogs here for treatment. If you have to pay Tk500 a year for each dog, many won't be able to keep dogs. Besides, how do we pay for the dogs here?"

Monwara Akhter Munia, clinical officer of RobinHood the Animal Rescuer, told TBS, the number of animal rescuers was already very low in the city.

"If you tax pets, then many people will stop keeping them. No one will rescue dogs and treat them. They will be beaten on the streets. Imposing taxes won't solve anything. It will have consequences," she said.

Adil Mohammad Khan, executive director of the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD), said the city first needs a database of pets, so one-time registration should be done first for a fee instead of an annual tax system.

"Many countries, including European countries, have databases and tax systems for keeping pets, but if we do it in our city, all aspects have to be considered. At the same time, there must be a policy on what kind of services the city corporation will provide to these pets."

Dhaka South City Corporation Deputy Chief Revenue Officer Shahjahan Ali told TBS that many people were unaware of the tax collection. The list will be updated regularly to ensure tax collection, he said.

There is scope for rearing deer with the permission of the forest department. If there are 10 deer, then it will be considered a farm. The licence fee for this type of farm in the city corporation area is Tk20,000 and outside the city corporation, it is Tk10,000 taka.

A possession fee of Tk1,000 has to be paid for each deer.

Several cities in India, including Kolkata, Gurugram, Lucknow, Pune, Indore, Bengaluru, Ghaziabad, have a dog registration system. After registration, a metallic token number is issued, which must always be on the dog's collar. A Rs500 initial fee is charged, alongside a Rs250 renewal fee.

The Indian government uses the registration fee to arrange emergency animal rescues during natural disasters, manage Animal Birth Control programmes and make provisions for ambulances for distressed animals.

Dog owners in China are also required to register with a fee of $60 per dog. After registration, an electronic ID is given to all the owners along with the dog.