Animal welfare

Inca looking at introducing a dog tax

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterInca16/02/2019 19:43

Inca town hall is considering the introduction of a charge for owning a dog. Àngel Garcia, the environment councillor, explains that bylaws allow for there to be censuses of dogs and that the town hall is opening a debate about there also being dog tax.

The possibility of a charge has arisen because of the recent attacks by dogs on sheep. Garcia suggests that the tax could be ten euros for the first year and then five euros for following years.

The College of Veterinarians, with whom the town hall has been talking, believes that the charge should be higher. Inca has a number of services that need maintaining. The president of college, Tolo Palou, says that these and the prevention of attacks on sheep need proper funding. The Baldea animal-welfare group agree that revenue should go towards improving services, such as the dog pound.

The Centre for the Protection of Domestic Animals also thinks that the charge would be positive. It, as with Baldea, stresses the need for greater responsibility on the behalf of owners. In 2018, the centre caught 49 dogs following 54 attacks on sheep.