Bratislava's borough finance from dog tax building of dog parks. (source: Sme)
Petržalka, the biggest borough of Bratislava, is calling on dog owners to not forget their obligation to report their dogs and pay the tax. The borough registers approximately 8,000 dogs and a growing number of dog tax doggers.
“This year alone we registered 568 dog tax dodgers,” said Janka Velická from Petržalka’s taxes and fees department as cited by the TASR newswire, recalling that it's the dog tax that helps them create a dog-friendly environment. “From the collected dog tax, we can build new dog parks or take care of bins for dog excrement, as well as create new services.”
Petržalka has adopted several measures to fight against the increasing number of tax dodgers. It cooperates with the metropolitan police, who constantly monitors unregistered animals in its streets. The borough also warns those who have not settled the tax and penalizes them.
Different dog tax in Bratislava boroughs
In Bratislava, each borough sets its own dog tax rates. Every dog owner is obliged to notify the municipality or borough in writing of his or her dog within 30 days from the day he or she brought it home. He or she is then obliged to pay the tax within the statutory time limit. Further information, including the tax rate for the dog or the amount of the possible fine, is published on the municipality’s website. In general, the tax for a dog kept in a house is lower than in a flat. Seniors or other vulnerable groups of residents usually have lower dog taxes. Some boroughs also reduce the tax for dogs that have undergone basic training.
In Petržalka, the tax for a small dog kept in a flat, i.e. whose height at the withers does not exceed 43 cm, is €34. For a bigger dog the tax is €67. The tax for any dog kept in a house is €17. The fine for not paying the tax is up to €165.
A dog owner in Petržalka who pays the tax is entitled to a free package of plastic bag for dog excrement. They can also attend a free dog training at the Dog Training School on Wolkrova Street.
In Ružinov, the dog tax ranges between €20 and €70, the latter paid by a legal entity. In the Old Town the tax ranges between €20 and €400, and in Nové Mesto it is between €13 and €50.
