Wels has already done it, as has Vienna. If animal welfare councilor Michael Raml and councilor Ute Klitsch (both FP) have their way, Linz should soon follow.
Specifically, it is about easing the dog tax for all dog owners who get an animal from the animal shelter. At the municipal council meeting in September, the FPÖ submitted an application aimed at exempting the said target group from paying the dog tax for three years. According to Raml and Klitsch, this idea is not only based on the desire to give the animals from the animal shelter a home, but also to relieve the Linz animal shelter. “Keeping animals requires a lot of time, money and patience from the owners. Many underestimate that and then give their animal to the animal shelter.”
With the temporary exemption, dog owners could at least be financially relieved and supported. Currently, the city has to pay 54 euros per dog per year.
With a view to tomorrow’s meeting of the Finance Committee, where the application will be discussed, the FP politicians are hoping for momentum from the showcase examples of Wels and Vienna. These would show how quickly and easily the measure could be implemented. If the committee gives the green light, the exemption could be decided by the municipal council on December 15 and come into force in January 2023.
Source: Nachrichten
