Well-traveled pets have already obtained their own passports. Inevitably there is a tourist tax on dogs in an age where visitors can be charged to combat the impact on flooded communities.
From 2026, dog owners visiting the northern Italian city of Bolzano will be plagued by a one-day tax of 1.50 euros, less than 1.50 euros, part of the wider and controversial clampdown of dog dogs, the gateway to the Dolomite Mountains.
They’re not the only ones. Local owners are asked to pay an annual tax of 100 euros per dog.
The initiative aims to offset the costs of street cleaning and fund a new park designed for dogs and their owners. However, it remains unclear whether rumors that dogs will be banned from regular urban parks will prove true.
This tax comes just after another controversial measure. You can request that the owner pay to register the dog’s DNA, matching uncollected shit with the perpetrator and the fine. Dog owners who failed to pick up after their pets were currently facing a penalty of up to 600 euros per violation.
State Sen. Lewis Warcher, who introduced the measure, said those who already adhere to the DNA registry will be exempt from new collections for two years.
“This is a fair measure, as this only concerns dog owners,” he said. “Otherwise, cleaning the sidewalks will be the responsibility of the entire community when we have to say that the only filth in our city streets is dog waste.”
Not everyone is happy. Carla Rocchi of ENPA, a national animal welfare group, said the measure would hurt the area. “The state of Bolzano has achieved its own goals with taxes on dogs and even four-legged tourists,” she said in a statement.
“After the overwhelming and expensive failure of the absurd dog DNA project, instead of focusing on civic education, targeted checks and civic awareness, we once again choose the easy way: tax the animals and their owners.”
She says the measure will not only punish families and tourists who choose to travel with their dogs, but also send serious flawed messages, as well as turn the animals into taxpayers.
“It is paradoxical that in areas that thrive with tourism and hospitality, it is possible to choose respectful and inclusive vacations and target exactly who brings four-legged companions,” she added.
“Animals are not luxury, they are an integral part of the family. Targeting them with new taxes does not solve the hostility problems experienced by the few, but it only discourages responsible travel and, worse, encourages abandonment.”
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