Safegaurding Your Pets Against Air Pollution Vol XII , Issue No 12 , Dec 2019 | Page 20

Responsible Pet Ownership
PET LICENSE LAWS ACROSS THE GLOBE
Toronto, Canada- Toronto Municipal Code
Chapter 349 makes it mandatory for pet
parents to get individual licenses for all
dogs and cats owned by them. The pets
can be registered online, in person, by
phone or mail by fi lling a simple Pet
Registration Application along with the
owner’s credit card and the name and
contact details of the pets’ vet. ID tags
are included as part of the annual license
fees, which is $60 for dogs and $50 for
cats.
The registration fee is signifi cantly
reduced if the animal has been spayed
or neutered, and in case the owner is a
senior citizen. The pet parent needs to
submit proof of the pet’s sterilisation
and/or their age to avail these discounts.
The registration amount is utilised by the
Toronto Animal Services towards shelter
and care for homeless animals. Getting a
pet license also makes sure that the dog
or cat is safely returned to the owner in
case of it getting lost by identifi cation
through license tags and microchips.
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Germany- Most European countries abolished
the practice of Dog Tax in the 20th Century,
however, the German authorities stubbornly
refuse to scrape off this law. Pet parents in
Germany are, therefore, required to pay the
mandatory Dog Tax (Hundesteuer) according to
the number of canines they own. Service dogs
are exempt from the Hundesteuer and so are
rescue dogs in their fi rst year of adoption.
The registration amount for the fi rst dog in
Berlin is 120 EUR per year while registration of
each additional dog in the same family costs 180
EUR annually. Re-registration is required every
time the owner moves to a new residence. Each
state has its own pet registration requirements
and fees. Pet owners also need to pick up after
their dog and follow the local leash laws.
There is no taxation for cat ownership in the
country. However, both dogs and cats need to
be licensed. The dog tax and registration fees
are utilised towards creation of dog-related
services such as dog waste bins. In addition,
many states have a mandatory procedure for
personal liability insurance which covers all
Creature Companion | December 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 12 • Noida
kinds of unexpected damages caused by
pet dog(s).
New Zealand- The country has formulated
regulations for canine licensing and
registration under the Dog Control Act
1996. All dogs over 3 months of age need
to be registered with their city or district
council. The licensed dogs are required
to wear a tag indicating the council,
registration number and registration expiry
date. Registration charges vary according
to council, neuter status, urban/rural
accommodation,
dangerous/menacing
nature and other factors. Registration fees
are lower for working dogs while disabled
canines are exempted from these costs.
* Editor.