Virginia legislation to protect animals may tax petfood for funding

Twentieth District Sen. Bill Stanley will introduce three bills in the upcoming General Assembly session that he says will protect animals and prevent cruelty. Senate Bill 698, which would amend the Code of Virginia to establish a fund to reimburse participating veterinarians for the surgical sterilizations they perform on eligible dogs and cats, would be funded by including a surcharge on producers of petfood.

An animal would be eligible for sterilization if it is a feral or free-roaming cat or is owned by a low-income individual or a releasing agency, such as an animal shelter. To pay for the fund, the bill would provide that a surcharge of US$50 per ton on producers of petfood distributed in the commonwealth be deposited in the fund, and that such petfood be exempted from the existing litter tax in order to offset the surcharge to producers so that they do not pass along any additional costs to the consumer.
SB 698 was pre-filed for the 2015 legislative session on Nov. 26, 2014. The bill will be considered by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation & Natural Resources after the Virginia General Assembly convenes on January 14, 2015.

Virginia petfood tax bill postponed to 2015

The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), Pet Food Institute (PFI) and a coalition of other interested parties submitted testimony and requested that Senate Bill 622 be passed over for consideration in the current session by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation & Natural Resources. By a 15-0 vote, the committee postponed consideration of the bill until 2015. The bill's sponsor has said that he will work with the industry to find alternate sources of funding for Virginia's spay/neuter fund.

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SB 622 would amend Section 3.2-6500 of the Code of Virginia to create the "Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Fund." The fund would reimburse participating veterinarians for the surgical sterilizations they perform on "eligible" cats or dogs. A companion animal shall be eligible for surgical sterilization at no or reduced cost to its owner if it is:

• The companion animal of a low-income owner 
• A feral or free-roaming cat
• In the possession of an animal shelter, pound, other releasing agency or nonprofit organization and has not been transferred from a jurisdiction outside Virginia into the Commonwealth.
The program would be funded by imposing upon every person in the Commonwealth engaged in business as a manufacturer, wholesaler or distributor of petfood products an annual Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Fund surcharge of $50 for each ton of petfood distributed. The bill does provide that such petfood be exempted from the state's existing litter tax.

Increase in abandoned dogs blamed on Mexico's 'luxury tax' on petfood

A new 16 percent "luxury tax" on petfood in Mexico could lead to more abandoned and neglected dogs in Tijuana, according to a report.

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The tax is meant to help ease Mexico's budget woes. Pet ownership is viewed by the government as a luxury, therefore making the petfood tax a "luxury tax."
Josh Pratter, director of Baja Dog Rescue in Tijuana, said the group has started to see the result of the tax on the abandoned dog population.
"We're seeing a larger dog on the street now. Bigger dogs are consuming more food so it's more costly to have a bigger dog. They want a smaller dog so the cost is less on a weekly or monthly basis for them," Pratter said.

Mexico introduces 16 percent petfood tax

Mexico introduced a 16 percent tax on processed petfood on January 1. The tax will be applied at the retail level.

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In proposing the tax, government officials called pet ownership a "recreational activity," not a basic need.
The tax will not apply to feed for horses, because the government is exempting livestock feed in an effort to support the agricultural sector of the economy.

Maryland passes petfood fee to support spay-neuter assistance programs

In Maryland, USA, state legislation SB 820 was passed in 2013, imposing a fee on petfood to fund a statewide spay-neuter program to help low-income communities. The bill passed overwhelmingly in both houses, despite opposition from the petfood industry, and was signed by Gov. Martin O'Malley to take effect October 1. 
Proponents of the legislation argued that a survey of public opinion showed a majority of pet owners in the state favored the "petfood tax" to support spay-neuter programs. However, a recent blog on the subject notes, similar legislation was defeated in Oregon and West Virginia, USA, after social media campaigns targeted pet owners and urged legislators to defeat it.
The approved fee in Maryland did not have a social media campaign, and unlike the proposed fee in Orgeon, which would have financed state agriculture programs for food animal production, it mandates funds are used only on spay-neuter initiatives for companion animals. 

Pet owners protest proposed petfood tax in Mexico

Pet owners in Mexico are reportedly protesting after the country's Finance Ministry proposed tax changes that would include a 16 percent sales tax on petfood. The government's tax reform plan opted out of applying the sales tax to food, instead proposing the petfood tax.
Owners argue that the tax increase will lead to increasing malnutrition in pets as well as an increase in the number of abandoned animals. Euromonitor estimates nearly 14 million out of 27 million cats and dogs in Mexico are homeless, which opponents to the tax reform plan say will only increase.
Mexico's lower house approved the deal and the Senate must approve it by the end of October. 

Department of Agriculture proposes petfood manufacturer tax in Oregon

An Oregon, USA, House committee made no decisions about passing a proposed registration fee of US$150 on manufacturers of various petfood products sold in that state, according to StatesmanJournal.com.
The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee referred House Bill 2120, proposed by the Department of Agriculture, without recommendation to the joint budget committee after hearing testimony on both sides issue.
"You can call it a fee; I consider it a sales tax," said Sen. Doug Whitsett, R-Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA. 

Proposed California petfood tax to fund animal abuser registration

The Animal Legal Defense Fund and Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez recently proposed legislation that would require California law enforcement to begin formally registering people convicted of animal cruelty or abuse.
Anyone convicted of a felony involving animal cruelty would be required to provide detailed personal information and a photograph to be posted online, according to The Monterey County Herald.
The funding for the proposed program is to come from a 2-3 cent tax on petfood, according to KFSN-TV.