Berlin has to expect lower dog tax revenue - thousands of Berlin citizens free their dogs from the tax.

Berlin has to expect lower dog tax revenue - thousands of Berlin citizens free their dogs from the tax.

Berlin must expect significantly lower income from dog tax this year, reports the RBB. The revenue from dog tax in the capital had dropped last year, and according to the current figures of the Senate Finance Administration, this trend is expected to continue in 2023. According to the article, the decline in income is related to changes in the dog tax law. Since January 2022, more people who are dependent on government subsidies have been able to apply for tax exemption for their dogs. In addition, dogs that are absorbed from animal shelters and similar facilities are now exempt from tax for five years. These changes have led to the number of tax -friendly dogs rose drastically.

Tax rates for dogs in Berlin are in the midfield in Germany. The tax rate for the first dog is 120 euros, and 180 euros have to be paid for each other dog. In September 2023, a total of 131,505 dogs in Berlin were taxable, which represents an increase compared to the previous year. In view of the fact that significantly more dogs are released from the tax and the total number of dogs in Berlin has only increased moderately, the revenue from dog tax is likely to decrease by at least two million euros compared to 2021 this year.

The consequences of this decline for the Berlin dogs and their owners are difficult to estimate. The costs incurred by dog ​​keeping the country are not shown separately by the Senate Finance Administration. The revenue from dog tax generally flow into the Berlin budget and cannot be used for a purpose. Nevertheless, the income from dog tax only makes a marginal share of the total tax income of Berlin.

More detailed information on the distribution of dogs and dog owners in Berlin are difficult to measure based on dog tax revenue. The data is not recorded directly by the district administrations, but by the city's tax offices. However, it can be seen that more dog owners probably live in the outer districts than in the areas close to the center. The Berlin tax authorities can rely on the dog tax to be paid properly by the owners. Dogs have so far been found in controls in 2023. In addition, the previous tax mark will be replaced by a counterfeit -proof transponder from January 1, 2024, which must be deposited in the new central dog register.

according to a report by www.rbbb24.de