Dog ownership laws required
MY NAMESAKE is clearly not in agreement with the States vet’s proposals regarding dog tax, as per his recent contribution to Open Lines [9 January, Leave dogs owners alone]. I am on the other hand broadly in agreement with most of Mr Chamberlain’s proposals and said so in a letter in 2006 which I sent to a senior Castel deputy and subsequently shared with the various douzaines via the Island Douzaine Council and with the States vet.
The response from the States deputy was zero, the response from the parishes was mixed, with several, including the Castel, adopting the St Martin’s system of issuing coloured tags of differing annual colour to indicate tax paid. I believe it was hoped that all parishes would eventually follow suit and a system for creating an island-wide database of dog owners and dogs could be created. I suspect that since no further progress has been made on establishing a database of dogs and owners, frustration on the part of Mr Chamberlain has prompted him to put forward his current proposals to enable his department to progress animal rights and address dog fouling.
With most responsible dog owners already having had their dogs microchipped, I cannot see that it would be a very onerous task for the States and douzaines to establish a dog database utilising the unique microchip details and with the ability in the future to add DNA information. I am unaware of the current cost of obtaining DNA analysis but with all things of this nature it can be expected that the cost will fall significantly in time, when it can then be added to the database at reasonable cost. While accepting that initially definitive proof of dog fouling would be difficult without DNA the presence of a dog warden may be sufficient to deter unsociable and recalcitrant dog owners.
The projected tax figure of £10 in 2006 now relates to an inflationary increased figure of £13.61 in 2017, which if rounded up to £14 and multiplied by the estimated 6,600 dogs in Guernsey gives an amount of £92,400, surely sufficient for douzaine admin costs and the cost of employing a dog warden/animal welfare officer?
I cannot believe the eye-watering figure of £100 annual dog tax would be necessary, but do believe that legislation is required to formalise the ownership of dogs, create a searchable database of owners and reinforce the responsibilities of ownership.
DAVID CHESTER,
Castel Douzenier.