Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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Nereus
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Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... s-outbreak

Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang said Monday he agreed with the idea of collecting taxes from pet owners.

"How to collect the taxes, the procedures and regulations must be clear. The Department of Livestock Development will provide a model, then City Hall will follow," he said.

While Finance Ministry spokesperson Kulaya Tantitemit said the ministry had not discussed the issue, permanent secretary of the Public Health Ministry Jedsada Chokdamrongsuk said he had floated the idea of collecting taxes from the owners of cats and dogs as a way to help control disease epidemics, such as the recent spate of rabies cases.

The Department of Livestock Development's director-general Apai Suttisunkwas said he supported the idea but did not think it could happen soon as it would a complicated process and local administrative organisations would have to take part.

Meanwhile, the Department of Disease Control on Monday confirmed a 14-year-old girl in Buri Ram had died from rabies, making her the sixth fatality from the disease in Thailand this year.

The Bangkok governor said rabies vaccine was being administered and 30,000 microchips have been implanted into dogs in Bangkok. He added that over 250,000 doses of the vaccine remain in stock.

Roger Lohanan, founder and CEO of the Thai Animal Guardians Association, said he agreed with the idea in principle.
"Many countries, especially in Europe, used to do so. If they [authorities] collect taxes, it must be systematic and the process must be well contemplated. If that is the case, it may prevent people from abandoning their pets or adopting more pets than they can afford to look after," he said.

However, he added that pet registration might be more effective than taxation, and that the National Legislative Assembly is working on a legal amendment to require pet registration.
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Oh yes, good idea. But I guarantee it will immediately lead to more abandoned dogs and cats on the streets!
And then, just who's pocket will the "tax" end up in?
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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I'd like to see the authorities catch as many male dogs as possible and neuter them. It's safer than spaying the females, costs less, and nature will take it's course in thinning out the population.
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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RCer wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:19 am I'd like to see the authorities catch as many male dogs as possible and neuter them. It's safer than spaying the females, costs less, and nature will take it's course in thinning out the population.
Will take too long time, in the meantime they will spread rabies, best and cheapest : kill them.
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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If it comes to pass it will most likely just be another demonstration of mismanagement rife with corruption providing an opportunity to 'fine' those who can afford it with little application outside of the urban areas and will result in more animals suffering. Forgive my pessimism.
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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Impose a tax, and it will have one effect on Thais (if they do anything at all). It will see more and more pets disowned and put on the streets.
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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Big Boy wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:17 pm Impose a tax, and it will have one effect on Thais (if they do anything at all). It will see more and more pets disowned and put on the streets.
Hmm, I guess that I should of added that to my post. :?
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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Just agreeing with you. Too late to use the :agree: emoticon. :wink:
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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If you follow the "logic" of taxing as a preventative, then there should be no vehicle accidents.
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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handdrummer wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 6:01 pm If you follow the "logic" of taxing as a preventative, then there should be no vehicle accidents.
:agree:
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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Will they have dog catchers? Dog detector vans?
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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NLA lambastes ministry's pet tax proposal
A National Legislative Assembly (NLA) committee on social issues has slammed a proposal to tax pet owners, saying forced registration of animals would be a better approach to reducing the number of strays.

The committee's chairman, Wallop Tangkananurak, said yesterday the panel disagreed with the idea of a pet tax, raised by Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Jedsada Chokdamrongsuk.

The committee instead supports documentation of all dogs and cats. The panel drafted an amendment to the Cruelty Prevention and Welfare of Animals Act to force pet owners to have their pets registered, he said. The amendment is also meant to protect animal welfare and ensure responsibility from pet owners, Mr Wallop said.

Local administrative organisations (LAOs) are also duty-bound under the amendment bill to stipulate regulations on how people could bring their pets for registration, he said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... x-proposal
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

Post by GroveHillWanderer »

europtimiste wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 2:34 pm
RCer wrote: Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:19 am I'd like to see the authorities catch as many male dogs as possible and neuter them. It's safer than spaying the females, costs less, and nature will take it's course in thinning out the population.
Will take too long time, in the meantime they will spread rabies, best and cheapest : kill them.
If you're talking about the best and cheapest way to prevent the spread of rabies among dogs (and from dogs to humans) it isn't 'killing them', it's vaccination.

There are several organisations that either monitor and report on efforts to control rabies, or are actively involved in these efforts - or both. The main ones are the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO), the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) and Mission Rabies.

Between them they have decades of actual, real-world experience of combating rabies in dozens of different countries around the world. All of their practical experience and the results of the studies based on their rabies control efforts supports two conclusions. These are summed up on the WHO's website as follows.

1.
Dog destruction alone is not effective in rabies control. There is no evidence that removal of dogs alone has ever had a significant impact on dog population densities or the spread of rabies.
2.
Mass canine vaccination campaigns have been the most effective measure for controlling canine rabies.

http://www.who.int/rabies/dogs/en/
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Re: Pet tax mooted in wake of rabies outbreak

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Pet law to combat rabies
A member of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) is pushing for a new law on pet registration and stricter punishments for violators to reduce the number of strays in Bangkok and elsewhere, which are blamed for spreading rabies.

Wallop Tangkananurak, who chairs the NLA's committee on animal welfare protection, reiterated Wednesday his call for the law as it surfaced that a man in Phatthalung was confirmed as having died from the virus, making him the seventh victim in just three months.

The 39-year-old was scratched by his pet dog a month ago but failed to get vaccinated, officials said.

The latest case, following a spate of deaths in Surin, Trang, Songkhla, Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Buri Ram, has fueled calls for legal measures to better control pets and strays as they are potential carriers.

Mr Wallop said he believes the law, which would require people to have their pets implanted with microchips for ease of identification, would be an effective way to "increase owners' sense of responsibility".

If they fail to register their animals, or simply abandon them, the owners will face a fine of 40,000 baht, according to the new law.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... bat-rabies
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