This Italian Town Is Offering Tax Breaks to Anyone Who Adopts a Dog

Councillors in Mascalucia, Sicily, have approved a plan to provide people who adopt a dog from the local council-funded shelter with tax breaks. Residents will be able to get 50 per cent off their rubbish disposal bill for up to three years after the day on which they adopt a dog.

Council Member Alessio Cardi says that encouraging the public to adopt dogs will result in a double benefit, saving the cost of the kennels and giving dogs safe homes.

This is an enlightened move that other cities should follow. In the UK, dog shelters are struggling to cope with the constant stream of abandoned dogs. Overbreeding is responsible for this situation: there are simply too many dogs being bred, sold and abandoned.

In light of this crisis, adopting a homeless dog from an animal shelter is much more sensible than buying from a breeder. When people buy puppies from irresponsible breeders over the Internet, they provide them with financial support, which allows them to continue to breed more dogs, churning them out in great numbers to confront an uncertain future.

The only way to reduce the number of abandoned dogs over the long term is by educating people to neuter their animal companions and by cracking down on breeders. Mascalucia Council’s plan offers a great way to provide people with an extra incentive to give animals languishing in shelters a chance.

If you’re considering welcoming a new canine or feline companion into your home, please don’t support the profit-driven breeding industry or buy an animal online – instead, visit your local animal shelter to find your new best friend. Pictured is Kora, who is currently available for adoption in Virginia, USA from PETA US.