(IN): Miaow... get set for pet-tax pinch

[Guest guest]

Link: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080125/jsp/nation/story_8825017.jsp

 

Miaow... get set for pet-tax pinch

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

 

New Delhi, Jan. 24: Arjun Singh's cow is set to burn a little hole in

the human resource development minister's pocket.

 

And — woof! — Rahul Gandhi could end up paying for his Jack Russell.

 

The Delhi government is planning to tax owners of pets — dogs, cats,

horses and even cattle — to drill a " sense of responsibility " among

animal lovers.

 

The government has drawn up amendments to its municipal laws to charge

a cess that ranges from Rs 500 a year — for cats and dogs — to Rs

2,500 for buffaloes.

 

The cabinet has cleared the alterations and, officials said, the

Assembly would deliberate on the changes during the budget session

next month.

 

" We had earlier discussed the proposal with the Opposition (BJP). The

BJP controls the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and they were

consulted before the move. We expect the changes to go through, " a

Delhi minister said.

 

The officials said the MCD (Amendment) Bill and the New Delhi

Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill were aimed at ensuring the

government had a regular count of pets in the capital.

 

" Once people have to pay for the pets, only those responsible enough

to take care of them — pay for medicines, sterilisation, etc. — will

keep them. Currently, many people who do not want to spend a paisa on

the pet have animals at home, " the minister said.

 

If the Assembly clears the proposal, Rahul will be giving his Congress

comrade Arjun company. He will be paying for Jack Russell, his dog

named after the former English wicketkeeper.

 

Arjun was slammed by the high court recently for building an

unauthorised cowshed at his official residence.

 

Sachin Pilot, whose chihuahua went missing for days at a stretch,

would also be taxed, no matter how much his pet plays

catch-me-if-you-can with Delhi police officers as it once did.

 

But animal rights activists fear the tax would " deter " all those who

take home any animal they see lying injured on the streets and nurse

them back to health. " The tax will prove a deterrent to all those

animal lovers who take stray animals — especially dogs — home, " said

Anuradha Sawhney, the head of the Indian chapter of the People for

Ethical Treatment of Animals.

 

Mumbai recently made it mandatory for dog owners to get a licence for

each pet.

 

Sawhney, based in that city, said licences involved negotiating queues

every year to renew the document. " The Delhi government needs to look

at the Mumbai experience and see if they can achieve their aims in

another way, " she said.