Casey and Cardinia pet owners are set to pay more, with the Labor Government doubling its pet tax on all dogs and cats from $4.51 to $9 per animal starting July next year.
The tax is applied through local councils via pet registration fees.
Berwick resident Ian George, a pet owner, said the new hike adds to the financial strain on families.
“Currently I pay around $50 for pet registration, which offers little benefit other than general revenue for the council and state government,” he said.
“The ever increasing taxes, registrations, fines and levees has to be devastating to many who are just keeping themselves above the water level. The only solution is to reduce spending. Yes, it is hurting pet owners.”
Ian also criticised the lack of transparency around the fees.
“Councils do not release the figures of revenue collected on pet registration so these fees fall within the self-created ‘outside of General Revenue’ rate caps which is a loophole that needs to be closed, all rates are rates in total,” he said.
The Nationals’ Member for Eastern Victoria, Melina Bath, echoed Ian’s concerns, describing the tax as “another example of Labor using councils as its personal tax collectors”.
“This pet tax hike follows the Emergency Services Tax and highlights Labor’s relentless appetite for revenue collection,” she said.
“While $4.50 might sound small, with 2.2 million registered pets in Victoria this will deliver Labor an easy $10 million windfall each and every year.”
