Town in Italy considers hitting tourists with $2 daily dog tax as critics push back
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An Italian town is taking its tourist taxes to the next level with a closer look at four-legged creatures, and not everyone is happy with the move.
The State of Bolzano is considering implementing a “fido” tax. Dogs visiting the area will be taxed approximately $2 (€1.50) per day, while residents will pay more than $100 in taxes annually. Independent and other outlets reported.
The tax will cover the cost of cleaning up dog poop and other related public space maintenance.
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The initiative stems from a previous policy that implemented a mandatory DNA dog tracking system.
According to Newsroom Italia, residents who participate in the DNA policy will receive a two-year exemption from the new tax.
The Italian province of Bolzano is proposing a tax of around $2 a day on tourist dogs to cover cleaning costs, but some reject it. (pictured via Richard Baker/Getty Images)
Massimo Camparotto, head of Italy for the International Organization for the Protection of Animals, said in a statement that the dog tax decision was “disproportionate”.
“Urban order can and must be guaranteed by effective controls by competent authorities and the imposition of sanctions against those who do not comply with the rules,” the statement said, “and not by new taxes that penalize and discriminate against responsible citizens and their animals.”
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Camparotto added: “Taxing dogs means treating them like a luxury good, not like true family members.”
The draft still needs approval from the regional provincial council.
“Taxing dogs means treating them like luxury goods, not real family members,” said one animal conservation leader. (iStock)
Other animal rights groups also criticized the plan, with some calling it “utter madness”. Wanted in Milan.
The bill would pay for the creation of new dog parks and provide funds to clean streets where dog owners don’t clean their pets, the same source reported.
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The same source noted that some people in the state have called the cleanliness of sidewalks, parks and public spaces in the area a “serious problem” and called the new tax a “fair” measure because it “will only affect dog owners rather than charging the entire community.”
The proposed tax is the latest move to stem the flow of visitors and tourists in some regions.
The proposed tax would cover the cost of cleaning up dog poop and related public space maintenance. (iStock)
As influencers continue to flock to the mountain ranges of northeastern Italy, locals have set up their own turnstiles in the Dolomites region.
Alto Adige Alpine Club president Carlo Zanella previously told Fox News Digital that the turnstiles were “working.”
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“The turnstiles were installed at the beginning of July by a farmer who owns the land where the road passes,” Zenella said.
Turnstiles located in Val Gardena in Seceda charge visitors approximately $5 for access.
Italian farmers have set up turnstiles charging $5 in the Dolomites mountains to control overcrowding of tourists. (Carlo Zanella)
Zenella said it was about visitors “going to the meadows to pass or picnic and destroying the grass that the farmer had to cut to make hay.”
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He said he believes the best way to reduce the flow of tourists is to emphasize that “there are more beautiful places to visit.”
