Grabow remains attractive: City council rejects dog tax increase!

Grabow remains attractive: City council rejects dog tax increase!

In the last few days there have been heated discussions in the city of Grabow about the possible increase in the dog tax. At the meeting of city representatives, a proposal was presented to increase the tax for the first dog from 40 to 50 euros annually. Mayor Kathleen Bartels justified this increase in the context of the dog tax rates in comparable municipalities. While in Ludwigslust and Neustadt-Glewe the fee for the first dog is already 50 euros, other amounts for additional dogs in Grabow are significantly higher, which represents a certain disproportion for some representatives. For example, Grabower dog owners pay 150 euros for the second dog and 200 euros for the third dog and each additional dog. In comparison, the tax in Ludwigslust is 100 euros for the second dog and 150 euros for the third, while Neustadt-Glewe charges 80 euros for the second dog and 100 euros for the third and each additional dog, as [nordkurier.de](https://www.nordkurier.de/regional/ludwigslust/grabower-stadt Representative-lehne-hoehere-hundesteuer-ab-4002611) reported.

The issue of dog tax is omnipresent and affects many citizens, as dogs are now viewed more than ever as family members, comforters and loyal companions. Therefore, the discussion about the level of the tax is not only of an economic nature, but also a question of the difference in attitudes in the cities. In Grabow, both the CDU parliamentary group leader Markus Rohst and Dirk Dobbertin from the “Starkes Grabow” voter group spoke out against an increase. They argue that honest dog owners are being punished by this measure, while many dogs are not registered at all, making control difficult due to a lack of staff.

Voting brings a clear majority

The vote in the city council was exciting: with 8 representatives against an increase, 7 in favor and 1 abstention, the proposal was rejected by a majority. This shows that the city representatives have a good sense of the worries and needs of dog owners in Grabow and want to combat financial burdens.

Such considerations are important in a larger context, because according to an analysis of dog tax data from 395 German cities, a colorful picture emerges: the dog tax can vary greatly depending on the municipality, from zero euros in Ahlen to 186 euros per year for the first dog in Mainz. The average for a second dog is around 140 euros. Some cities have even increased the tax, while other examples such as the city of Lage in North Rhine-Westphalia have reduced the tax by 37%, as kommunal.de notes.

The dog tax not only serves to regulate dog ownership, but also as an important source of income for municipalities. However, the question of fairness remains on the table - many critics demand that other pets such as cats should also be appropriately taxed. In any case, the development of the dog tax shows that there is still a lot of room for improvement in order to achieve fairer regulations and to promote dog ownership in cities.

For further information about the dog tax and the services offered in Grabow, please visit the city's official website: Grabow Services.