Mark Garnier, Wyre Forest's Conservative Parliamentary Candidate today expressed his concern at plans by Gordon Brown's Government to force all families across Wyre Forest to pay a compulsory levy to own a dog. This would apply to all dogs - including poodles and chihuahuas.
The Government has announced a consultation which includes proposals to compel all dog owners to pay for compulsory third party insurance to be allowed to own their own dog. Families would face "penalties" - fines or criminal sanctions - for breaching this requirement.
In practice, this 'dog tax' would not affect the owners of the most dangerous dogs as the Dangerous Dogs Act already bans the ownership and sale of fighting dogs like pit bull terriers. It is possible for dogs to be exempted from the ban, but owners must have their dogs neutered, muzzled and obtain third party insurance. Owners of dangerous dogs which are already illegal are unlikely to take out such insurance as they will just continue to defy the law.
There are an estimated 5.4 million households with dogs across England and Wales, including up to 25% homes across Wyre Forest who would be required to pay a compulsory dog tax. Although some homes may already have pet insurance, the poorest homes will be hit the hardest by the new levy. The Government has admitted that this dog tax may result in more stray dogs and greater pressures on dog rescue centres.
Mark Garnier, who has three dogs of his own, said:
"As always, Gordon Brown sees tax and legislation as the solution to every problem. His plans for a dog tax will penalise up to 11,154 law-abiding dog lovers across Wyre Forest and do nothing to target irresponsible dog owners. This will hit the poorest homes the hardest and hit people whose dogs provide companionship.
"We need tougher laws against the growing problem of dangerous dogs being used in acts of violence. But with Gordon Brown he wants to use the klunking fist of state intervention to impose taxation on a poodle. This may seem like a minor issue when compared with the pig's ear he has made of the economy, but it illustrates perfectly how five more years of Gordon Brown will just make things worse for struggling families in Wyre Forest."