Dog owners to pay tax for ‘security and cleanliness’ in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh soon

For the security and cleanliness of the city's population, Sagar Municipal Corporation in Madhya Pradesh has made the historic decision to tax dog owners. On Sunday, all 40 council members agreed on the choice. The Sagar Municipal Corporation will draft the law, and it could take effect as early as April of this year.

Chandrashekhar Shukla, the municipal commissioner of Sagar, supported the choice, citing a "rising stray dog menace" in the city. This choice was made in response to both the threat posed by stray dogs and the soiled public spaces left behind by domestic dogs.

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"In the wake of rising stray dog menace and dirtying of public places by defecation of pet dogs, all the municipal wards of Sagar have unanimously resolved for strict registration, vaccination of dogs as well as levying tax on those owning the pet dogs," he said. 

Dog owners, though, believe the tax is unfair. 

All dogs kept as pets in Sagar will have to be registered, have their shots, and pay taxes.

Sagar Municipal Corporation chairman Vrindavan Ahirwar said that several counsellors had an issue with the implementation of taxes while others mentioned that stray dogs litter the whole city and recited several dogs biting incidents in lifts, roads and more. Council has decided to study the matter thoroughly whether this type of tax is levied.