The RSPCA is planning the return of the dog licence at between £20 and £30 per year.

Well I knew the RSPCA was a lobbying group but now it seems they think they are elected members of the government. Hope they are ready to pick up all the dogs that will be discarded, oh, I forgot, they don't do that any more.

IMO it will make no difference to anything, the responsible will pay the irresponsible will not it will just be a money making exercise off which no doubt the RSPCA will expect a share.

I can't see how this would help the current situation as Nova has said the responsible would pay and the rest ignore it - yet again hitting the wrong people IMHO, the dog licence didn't work last time and how on earth do they think it could be policed?

When the licence was around before, what were the main problems with it? Was it that nobody bothered getting one? If you were found to not have one, what was the penalty?

>If you were found to not have one, what was the penalty?

A £10 fine. I don't know of anyone who was ever asked to show their licence. (I've still got mine for the two dogs I had at the time.)

If I'm not mistaken I think the licence was 37.5 pence..hardly worth having one...not sure what the fine was

Have always thought that a law that can not be enforce is bad law so why are we, the responsible, to be asked to pay for a law that will achieve nothing but collecting more money from the honest citizen.

No doubt the RSPCA will want the revenue raised for themselves, rather than it going to local councils to fund dog wardens (24/7 ones would be a huge advance) and kennelling.

So in theory if it did work and got a very high compliance rate, it would be good because the money could go on into research, more wardens, more kennels etc.
In reality many do not think we would get the compliance in this country so only those that actually cared and bothered would continue to pay for clearing up the mess and problems of those that have led to its possible reintroduction??

It would only be the responsible ones who pay for this, but there has to be an upside to it, depending on the revenue expected to be raised from doing this they could employ more dog wardens on the back of it.
Dog Wardens imo need to be given greater powers in order to deal with people and dogs who fall short of the law and bylaws.

I have spoken to people in America who do pay for a licence and they have said it is the responsible who only pay out for this but in return they get wardens in parks most of the time and more bins, posts with poo bags attached.

The only time people get caught out not having a licence is if the dog escapes or is dangerous and causes problems. Or if they go to a park which is wardened.

I think that we have to accept that those that wouldn't bother getting a licence may never change. Personally if it meant better stray dog control and that some of my money would go back into better dog welfare and care I would comply.

They say 2 out of 3 dog owners want this Has anyone on here been asked

It was an RSPCA poll I think. I remember a company was recently hired to do a survey on foot in our local town, but not sure what they were asking.With regards to this survey.......1,017 people asked - made up of 334 dog owners and 683 non-owners - supported the call.

Hardly a cross section of society then.  What difference will it make to the 683 non dog owners if the licence is reintroduced.  It wouldn't matter to them if it was made law that all dogs had to wear slippers in doors and had to walk on the other side of the road to a ginger cat.  Why don't they ask the people that matter, or is that too easy and wouldn't give the answer they want!

>> IMO it will make no difference to anything, the responsible will pay the irresponsible will not it will just be a money making exercise off which no doubt the RSPCA will expect a share.

Quite.... they wouldn't be proposing it unless there was something in it for them.  Nothing will change... the last thing a dog licence will stop is children being mauled by out-of-control dogs, especially those children that were attacked in their own homes.

I've thought that, perhaps, there should be a licence for the dog owners, something along the lines of the driving licence where you have to pass the test before you can own a dog. Nothing is ideal, but it might make a few people think about the see one, want one now type of people.

That's exactly the sort of thing I've mentioned before... "an idiot test!!!"

Nice idea but you would have to control the production first so that, like guns, you can't be supplied unless you have a licence. Can't see that happening but would be nice if all breeders were registered and agreed only to sell to licences purchasers.

Well, they had to start somewhere with the driving licence, so it might work, eventually.

Though there will always be those who flout the law.

I think a license would on a trial basis be a good thing. Mentioning about how much it cost years ago was obviously a tiny amount, also the fine of £10 in these times would be considerably more? was it the late 70's that it stopped?

I would not mind paying for my lot- if the money was spent on dog welfare helping with the stray population. Plus to find out if your dog was licensed years ago was hard but now mandatory micro chipping would have to be done- if you could not be bothered to microchip or license then you don't value your pet very much in my mind.

With having to micro chip any pup brought then he would have to be registered with a vet, a lot never see a vet! well maybe until it gets run then moaning about the cost?! I can not abide anyone moaning about vet costs thats the realitly of pet ownership, thats the reason I don't own a horse the expense- if you can not pay out for your pet you should not own one or get a goldfish in my mind.

There was an up roar about horse passports but its happened and seems to be going OK? Also the RSPCA have mentioned it would be reduced for elderly owners or guide dogs and people who neuter their dogs- all a good thing with all this inter designer cross breeding going on on every council estate in Britain just look at zpupz & many other on-line sites... I think has become very popular for people to make a bit of money on the side. This country has gone dog (puppy) mad then once they hit 6 to 8 months get rid of then to go buy another!!

Hopefully it will make people more than anything.... THINK before getting a dog in the first place. Surely a good thing?

Sadly I think "dog welfare" will turn out to be administrative expenses going either to the local council or the RSPCA or both.

I'm elderly but no way would I accede to the blackmail of neutering my dogs in order to have a lower fee for something I do not need neither do I want to be told to chip my dogs if I prefer to tattoo. Two of my dogs are chipped but on the youngest even the vet who did the chipping has trouble finding it and it is written on their PC monitor that it is in the leg what hope if a stranger was looking for it.

I'm fed up now, this seems like more nannying to me. Fair enough it MAY raise £100million pounds a year or whatever figure is being touted, but as others have said who gets this money? If its the RSPCA I'll have to think long and hard about breaking the law. If it is to go to local councils to fund wardens and dog services I would pay up but feel quite a bit of umbrage about having to pay to mop up after the irresponsible.

For caring responsible dog owners, costs are already high. I cannot see how imposing yet another blanket tax would benefit anyone.  Dog licences would not be purchased by the thugs on sink estates, puppy farmers etc etc. The very people everyone wants to see controlled, wouldn't be the ones affected; we would be!! As for 2 out of three dog owners wanting a licence- pah! - I wouldn't trust ANY poll or report from the RSPCA!

(not specifically in response to Pookin,BTW)

Best wishes

>Mentioning about how much it cost years ago was obviously a tiny amount, also the fine of £10 in these times would be considerably more? was it the late 70's that it stopped?

1988.

As many have already said, this will make zero difference to the people who are causing the problems. Perhaps we should think about telling the government this?
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/

I view it as another TAX :(
Why should I be unfairly taxed because I'm a responsible dog owner?

Why should I have an ID method forced on my dogs (all mine are tattooed)
I'd want a choice WHICH ID method I feel happiest with.

I DO care and value my dogs very much, but why should I pay for those that don't?

Seems the RSPCA is busy alienating virtually everybody and now thinks it is running the country :-(.  I thought on the recent Panorama programme that the return of dog licencing had been ruled out anyway?  I don't think it is practical or desirable and would probably cost a fortune to administer.

We have to pay an annual £5 dog tax here, also the dog must wear a collar with an identifying disc giving phone number,and letter code for the parish in which we live.
The price is okay...probably just covers cost of admin, but could mount up should you have several dogs.
I dont think we get any benefits for paying this, just a reminder every year to pay up again...........and an awareness for people who dont think, to be more aware of their responsibilities as dog owners.

Karen  :)

Well said Boxercrazy, I don't want to fund the irresponsible idiot owners & be dictated to about identification.  The dog licence and the microchip will not stop owners of dogs (as opposed to dog owners) from letting their dogs wander at will and attack kids,adults and other innocent dogs. I wonder if the Rotties who attacked that poor child recently had a run that day or ever had a proper walk?

I also do not want to fund the irresponsible. But you will probably never change those people, and if I pay my tax that could be put to good use funding more dog wardens, research into improving dog welfare etc then I think it is a good thing. Something has to be done. It may not work and they abolish it again, but why not give it a try?

Well they are required to have one in Northern Ireland (£50!!!) aren't they and non compliance is in the majority I believe.  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8293563.stm

I can think of a lot better thaings I can do for my dogs with £250.

Didn't the original dog licence cost more to collect than it raised? I thought that was why they scrapped it. However if they used the funds to stamp out puppy farmers it would get my vote!

> I also do not want to fund the irresponsible. But you will probably never change those people, and if I pay my tax that could be put to good use funding more dog wardens, research into improving dog welfare etc then I think it is a good thing. Something has to be done. It may not work and they abolish it again, but why not give it a try?

What kind of research are you talking about Olive1?

In my mind I pay enough tax on my dogs food, treats, veterinary treatment, etc. I've worked and paid tax all my life and never got anything back for it. I think I pay more than my share towards dog wardens so I'm already funding the irresponsible.

I'd certainly resent paying a tax for extra dog wardens to approach me and demand to know my details to check I've got a license which is the only way it could be policed. That would make every dog walk a hassle.

Do we have any guarantees that it will be spent on dog issues at all?

What kind of research are you talking about Olive1?


Hi Karen
I'd hope some revenue would be put back into researching maybe the true picture of general dog health in our country. Also hopefully if it worked and got a good response rate, it could statistically give us info for a lot of other areas of research?
Maybe Im being too optimistic!

The idea of licensing is a bad joke - on responsible people.

There's enough of a problem getting people to pay for vehicle licenses - figures from 2008  [url=]www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-559506/More-2m-untaxed-uninsured-drivers-laughing-law-prosecution-rates-halve-years.html[/url]

Nothing much has changed despite every vehicle displaying a number plate which can be easily checked.  The DVLA are currently working on it  

I would really object to paying for this, why should I be penalised for the idiots who allow their dogs to be a menace?

Speaking as the only person to buy the last 3 licenses in our town - one a year.  They used to laugh at me in the PO :(