Berlin is one of the cities in Germany with the most dogs. And they often cost their owners a lot of money. But: In the first three months of this year, 8563 owners no longer wanted to pay a dog tax – every fifteenth!
By Hildburg Bruns and Mary-Lou Künzel
At the beginning of the year, Red-Red-Green legally exempted cash-strapped Berliners from paying. “I am pleased that many transfer benefit recipients and pensioners have made use of the possibility of tax exemption,” says Sebastian Schlüsselburg (29, left), who fought for the change.
It’s about 120 euros a year, with several dogs around 180 euros per animal. Most applications for exemption were made at the Treptow/Köpenick tax office (1159), the fewest in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg (see table below).
If they are recognized, the tax exemption applies from the day the application is submitted. “Especially in times of blatant inflation, this is at least a small relief for dog owners who live on the subsistence level,” says left-wing politician Keyburg.
Last year, the state of Berlin took almost 13.6 million euros in dog taxes. So far it has been increasing every year.
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Especially in times of a pandemic, more and more Berliners are getting a four-legged companion. From 2020 to the end of March 2022, the number of registered animals increased by 15,264.
In Lichtenberg alone, 947 were added, in Treptow-Köpenick 1667, in Reinickendorf 589. If they come from the animal shelter, the dogs are now exempt from tax for five years (previously only twelve months).
While so far only the unemployed and pensioners have benefited from the change in the law, the left-wing politician at Schliisselburg is considering expanding the circle of those entitled. It is being checked whether cash-strapped pensioners can also be taken into account.
“We’re looking at whether there’s a gap in justice here,” said Schlüsselburg. “We can’t make promises.”
