In a recent by Johnson’s Veterinary Products, 71% of pet owners surveyed said they would be willing to pay for a dog licence – and over £38 per dog licence – if they were reintroduced by the Government.
A further 38% feel that dog licences would deter unsuitable dog owners, and 24% believe it would encourage better standards and training, which would hopefully protect the public from irresponsible owners and unpredictable pets.
The survey results comes at a time of calls for greater safeguarding surrounding dog ownership in the aftermath of recent serious dog-related injuries to members of the public – which, in some cases, turned fatal.
However, the authors of the survey acknowledged that the decision to reintroduce dog licences would not be without its critics at a time of economic uncertainty – particularly with expenses for veterinary treatment and other aspects of pet ownership already on the rise, and owners often to keep caring for their pets.
So we decided to turn the question to you, our readers: would you be willing to pay for a dog licence?
Let us know what you think here, on Facebook, or by writing to editorial@dogstodaymagazine.co.uk with “Great Debate” in the subject line