A catastrophe for Kenyan cat owners who may have to pay 'Cat Tax'
Don't get catty over it; purr through it...
Feline lovers in Nairobi, Kenya, feel the heat as news breaks that cat owners might have to pay cat taxes.
The Nairobi government brought the proposal forward and has requested that all cat owners register their felines. The registration requires an annual licence fee of 200 Kenyan shillings ($1.50; R27,80) plus proof of rabies vaccination.
Cat parents find this supposition absurd over and above the cost factor as they have a list of rules to follow per the Animal Control and Welfare Bill.
One of the rules is ensuring that their cats don't cause any disturbance to neighbouring residents, specifically making sure they do not "scream or cry in a manner that disturbs the peace".
Cat parents will also be required to confine their pets on heat.
"The proposed legislation aims to improve cat welfare, but some jaundiced city residents need convincing. Kenyans recently forced the government to withdraw a finance bill introducing a raft of contentious taxes - and some see this plan by Nairobi county as part of the government’s appetite for raising more revenue." (BBC)
We can understand the reason behind such strict regulations as we see the large population of stray and feral cats that walk the streets. If the government cannot control the overabundance of street cats, then it could turn into a true pest pandemic.
It's all well and good to pass a bill, but many cat owners wonder how it will be enforced.
According to the BBC website, "Naomi Mutua, who has more than a dozen cats and calls herself Nairobi’s "mother of cats," told the BBC that the county authorities should have checked with cat owners, rescue organisations, and veterinary groups before coming up with the draft law. She runs a Facebook group of about 25,000 cat lovers and says introducing mandatory rabies vaccinations is good but queries how it will be achieved."
Emma Ngugi from the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (KSPCA) made some valid points. She said the draft legislation is welcomed as animal welfare is a "huge problem". However, she admits that asking cat owners to pay for licences might encourage them to throw their cats out, which might cause a more significant problem altogether.
The large population of cats is causing a human health problem and affecting the environment. There is a similar dog bill in place, which dog owners ignore. Kenyans are not taking the bill draft seriously, saying that the authorities will not be able to enforce it into action.
However, "Under the proposed bill, cat owners who fail to comply with the licensing and welfare standards would be guilty of an offence and liable to penalties including jail terms." (BBC)
Follow us on social media:
HOW TO LISTEN TO EAST COAST RADIO
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the FM (frequency modulation) spectrum between 94 and 95 FM on your radio.
- Listen live to ECR by clicking here or download the ECR App (iOS/Android).
- Listen to East Coast Radio on the DStv audio bouquet, channel 836.
- Switch to the audio bouquet on your Openview decoder and browse to channel 606
- Listen to us on Amazon Alexa.
Image Courtesy of Pexels