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Angry Chinese Blogger:
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How much is that doggy in the Window?
There is a saying in the West, that there are two things in life which are certain: Death and taxes.
However, regardless of what you think about your own tax regime (and what your hard earned dollars are being spent on), you should spare a thought for poor Chinese pet owners. First there was the "One Dog policy", now, it looks like there could well be "Dog Tax", too.
Dog Tax
According to official Jian Deming, Beijing may be on the verge of introducing a tax on dog ownership. Forcing pet owners to pay for the privilege of owning a dog in order to cover the costs incurred in fighting increasing levels of rabies; which officials largely blame on dog owners failing to neuter and vaccinate their pets, and the cleaning up sidewalks fouled by dogs whose owners refuse to clean up after them.
One child, one China, one dog
News of a possible tax on dog ownership comes a matter of months after Chinese officials announced that families living in 9 districts of Beijing would only be permitted to own 1 dog per household , and that families found harboring additional dogs, or keeping unregistered dogs, would face legal sanctions with 'extraneous dogs' being put to death by animal control authorities.
| "Only one pet dog is allowed per household in the zones, and dangerous and large dogs will be banned. Anyone keeping an unlicensed dog will face prosecution" Xinhua, State Media agency, China |
The Numbers
According to the Chinese media, there are approximately 550,000 dogs currently registered in Beijing, and a similar number of unregistered dogs. Registration costs 1,000 yuan per dog.
Between January and September this years there were 2,254 cases of rabies. Resulting in 318 deaths in September alone. These instances represent a 30% rise on figures for 2005, during which time 69,000 people in Beijing sought precautionary anti-rabies treatment.
Very capitalistic way to handle it.
In India we already have a dog tax but most people don't pay it. Its
difficult to monitor. Deaths from Rabies are a big problem in India as
well.
As a dog owner in China, I am often amazed by some of the regulations that
come out. Here in Fuzhou there is supposedly a 3000 kuai/year dog tax,
which of course nobody pays. As for rabies, it seems that the government's
only response is to limit dog ownership and exterminate when necessary. I
have never heard of any regulations or programs which would encourage
VACCINATION. It's a classic example of China trying to eliminate a problem
rather than solve it.
this is absolutely ridiculous! It's China's g'ment finding a way to
continually be inhumane with citizens. By acting in an inhumane manner
upon animals that are owned by China's citizens, this country's leaders
prove how dimwitted they are! I'm in the USA, rabies is quite under control
by simply having domestic pets vaccinated. It's a quick and inexpensive
procedure. It's not perfect, but vaccinations are a better solution to
controlling rabies than the draconian methods being tossed about in China.
Whether one likes pets or not, abusing animals by treating them so unkind,
merely reflects the same abuse happening to China's citizens.
"It's a quick and inexpensive procedure". Not in China, it isn't.
I don't oppose taxing dog owners. But I think the money should be saved in
a fund which help the victims of dog bite.
"When you are a farmer or a migrant worker, or are simply poor, vaccinating
your dog is not an option."
Most dog owners in the city have enough money to vaccinat their dogs.
They just don't care of others.
Poor human's Life is cheap in China.