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I know I need a dog licence, but why ?

  • 28-07-2009 9:07pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 49 irlande_euroluv


    What does a dog licence do, and why do I have to splash out my euros for one ?
    Will the dog police come round and take my dog if I dont have one or what :rolleyes: ?


«1

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,429 ✭✭✭✭star-pants


    Dog Licences

    In order to obtain a dog licence, you must be over 16 years of age. It is an offence for you to keep a dog over 4 months old unless you have a licence. Your dog must be accompanied by and be under your effective control or the control of another responsible person if it is outside your home or premises or the home or premises of the person in charge of it. You can be requested by a dog warden to produce evidence of your dog licence and failure to do so can result in an on-the-spot fine. Failure to pay this fine within a specified period can result in prosecution by your local authority. Licences are not required for dogs in the possession of the County Council, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Gardai, blind persons' guide-dogs, and any dog imported into the State for less than 30 days.

    Dog licences are issued by your post office. The revenue from dog licences finances the operation of dog control services in local areas throughout the country.

    Also "On-the-spot fine: €31.74 euro payable to your local authority" for not having a license.


  • Registered Users Posts: 49 irlande_euroluv


    Ah thanks for that 'star-pants'. I don't mind getting one if its going towards something good like dog control.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,429 ✭✭✭✭star-pants


    Aye tis a good thing :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,596 ✭✭✭anniehoo


    Ive never bought one and i honestly dont intend to start...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 585 ✭✭✭lisajane


    Ya i bought a licence, 3 years ago. The next year, they sent me a reminder letter, i couldn't ignore that. But last year, i didn't get a reminder letter. So if they ever pull me for it, ah sure i wasn't reminded. It can be an easy thing to forget, can't it?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,429 ✭✭✭✭star-pants


    I don't see why people wouldn't get one tbh, it's not a fortune, it goes towards good things and you don't have to pay a fine if you were caught.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 24,878 ✭✭✭✭ Zyaire Limited Pocket


    star-pants wrote: »
    I don't see why people wouldn't get one tbh, it's not a fortune, it goes towards good things and you don't have to pay a fine if you were caught.


    I don't believe it goes towards anything good, and whilst I have licences for both dogs I think its another BS way of getting money from us.

    Why dogs and not cats?. Or both, or pidgeons & tropical fish?.

    Or we need a licence for horse's and donkeys?.

    .


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭congo_90


    Do you have to carry this document with you anytime you walk your dog like a driving licence is to a car?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 24,878 ✭✭✭✭ Zyaire Limited Pocket


    congo_90 wrote: »
    Do you have to carry this document with you anytime you walk your dog like a driving licence is to a car?


    No, if your stopped you'll be asked to produce it.

    Although I've never been stopped I did have the wardens call to the house in an attempt to intimidate me after I attended a protest against DCC's proposed ban on the dogs on the 'restricted breeds' list - indeed a few of us got a visit the following day.

    The other two occassion was when a nosey neighbour reported I was letting two Pitbulls roam the streets!. Both those times the warden came down the dogs were with me in the front garden and my licences checked.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,114 ✭✭✭doctor evil



    Or we need a licence for horse's and donkeys?.

    .

    Already do.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 24,878 ✭✭✭✭ Zyaire Limited Pocket


    Already do.

    Grand stuff, I wonder why we don't just have a 'pets licences' for something similar to cover all our animals.

    'Dog Licence' what a load of rubbish :rolleyes:

    .


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭congo_90


    just ducktape some fake whiskers on the dog if the dog warden is around!


    *Don't do that, really don't


  • Registered Users Posts: 188 ✭✭yaaaboy


    just another way for the government to wrangle money from its subjects..its funny trying to explain to people in less better off countries that in ireland we have to obtain a special licence to own such things as dogs and televisions...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    Get a harness for the dog and white stick for yourself and this should make you exempt from any dog license fee. :o


  • Registered Users Posts: 92 ✭✭aboutimeilogin!


    are black & white licenses cheaper:):D


  • Registered Users Posts: 456 ✭✭kildara


    yaaaboy wrote: »
    its funny trying to explain to people in less better off countries that in ireland we have to obtain a special licence to own such things as dogs and televisions...
    Like the UK? You don't need a dog licence in the UK. But then you can't have a dangerous dog either. Ha.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 24,878 ✭✭✭✭ Zyaire Limited Pocket


    Get a harness for the dog and white stick for yourself and this should make you exempt from any dog license fee. :o


    Who said that?...

    /Looks around the room..

    .


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,596 ✭✭✭anniehoo


    star-pants wrote: »
    I don't see why people wouldn't get one tbh, it's not a fortune, it goes towards good things and you don't have to pay a fine if you were caught.
    In what way would owning a dog licence make me a better pet owner? To obtain a driving licence to be in control of a moving vehicle, i have to prove my competence in using that vehicle or i simply wont get one.

    So, where is the logic in turning up at a Post Office filling in a form saying i have a dog,handing over €12 and walking out the door again? They have no idea if my dog is at home starving,being abused,neglected or worse! If they want me to buy a licence i will happily do so if the process is along the same lines as the driving licence. Id have to prove my competency in pet ownership (like a test), receive points if im in breach of the law (eg dog fouling) and revoking of the licence (and the animal) if i max out the points or am found to have caused serious animal cruelty. This to me is what having a licence means.

    If a pet licence was enforced as much as the driving licence is then the animals in this country would be alot better off for it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 49 irlande_euroluv


    Thanks for all the replies so far. I've decide not to get a licence, it is just another tax on the stupid as far as I can see.
    I'll put the money towards a new kennel instead.
    I like the white stick idea... :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,405 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    yaaaboy wrote: »
    just another way for the government to wrangle money from its subjects..its funny trying to explain to people in less better off countries that in ireland we have to obtain a special licence to own such things as dogs and televisions...
    Sigh. There's some form of television licence in many European countries, although it might not be called that exactly, and dog licences too, at least there was in the Netherlands when I lived there, and as far as I can remember in Germany too. Heck, In Germany you even pay Church Tax.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,429 ✭✭✭✭star-pants


    Well each to their own, my dogs both have their license and I'm happy enough to have it that way. Its not a lot of money. Granted it should be the case where it's enforced and you should have to qualify for owning any pet but it doesn't seem likely to happen anytime soon.


  • Registered Users Posts: 456 ✭✭kildara


    To sidetrack slightly, do you have to pay an annual fee to keep your dog on the registry if you get them micro-chipped?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 24,878 ✭✭✭✭ Zyaire Limited Pocket


    kildara wrote: »
    To sidetrack slightly, do you have to pay an annual fee to keep your dog on the registry if you get them micro-chipped?


    No.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,852 ✭✭✭ncmc


    I have a dog licence, but last year I was overdue by about 10 days to renew it. I had the dog warden come to my house and put a notice through the door. The flippin eegit didn't tick on the notice why he was calling so I had a sleepless night worrying that someone had complained about my dog! It p*ssed me off a bit, because I have always had a licence and it wasn't much overdue. When you think of all the dog owners who have never had a licence and they come bugging the people who are a few days overdue! Nice to see the licence money is being put to such good use :rolleyes:.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭Dee_animallover


    Anyone know where exactly the money from these licences go? I would hope they go to animal rescues/shelters but with our lovely, honest government I wouldnt be so sure.

    I've always gotten a licence - I thought if the dog warden called and you didnt have one they would take the dog away there and then :o:o or so my parents said anyway!


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 16,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭faceman


    Pets like goldfish cats and hamsters are not much of threat to society if a pet escapes your house and is untrained. Some dog breeds however can and do cause harm to humans

    The control of dog's act was brought in 1986 to deal with a number of issues related to dogs including stray dogs, shelters, owner lability and even regulation around how dogs should be kept. Dogs have more rights to a degree than other domestic pets

    A license is about €13 I think. It goes nowhere near covering the costs of dog shelters etc


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭Dee_animallover


    You would get 50c change out of €13 ;) So where exactly does the money go?


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,141 ✭✭✭Yakuza


    I think I remember reading somewhere that the dog licence system cost more money to administer than it actualy raised. Perhaps that was when it was some anachronistically small value not sure about the figures now. If that's the case, it should really be scrapped.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,771 ✭✭✭jebuz


    anniehoo wrote: »
    This to me is what having a licence means.

    By your logic, you shouldn't be allowed watch television if you can't demonstrate that you are able to turn it on and switch to the channel of your choice.

    You shouldn't be allowed to use your copy of Microsoft Office if you are not able to use it correctly, I could go on...
    Licence: a legal document giving official permission to do something

    A licence as above grants you permission. A driving licence has a pre-requisite where you must first display your competency, otherwise lives are put in danger, and those who granted the licence are held responsible. Lives will not be in danger if you do not prove you can handle ownership of a dog, 99% of the population can manage this without a competency test, it's common sense. (I'm aware there are certain dogs like pitbulls that pose a danger to society, but I'm taking about the majority of domestic dogs)

    I would imagine the funds from a licence are paying for those poop scoop stations which I am glad to see are popping up in more and more parks and public areas. Then there's the animal shelters and dog wardens that need to be funded also.

    I don't think it's a case of the government trying to swindle you out of money, these things need to be paid for. Car users pay their fees for road maintenance and new infrastructure, fishermen pay for the protection of fish stock, a television licence pays for quality Irish broadcasting, well maybe a questionable one there! :rolleyes:

    My point is, you're paying this reasonable fee for owning a dog and in return you are getting a service; a local dog warden and shelter who provide aid should your dog go missing and to allow people to take unwanted or abandoned dogs home as pets, along with those stations for poop :)

    But anyway yeah, thats not what having a licence means.


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  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 20,863 Mod ✭✭✭✭inforfun


    Alun wrote: »
    Sigh. There's some form of television licence in many European countries, although it might not be called that exactly, and dog licences too, at least there was in the Netherlands when I lived there, and as far as I can remember in Germany too. Heck, In Germany you even pay Church Tax.

    I can confirm for Holland.
    Dog license exist. And as far as i know it is not exactly cheap.
    TV license, although named more accurate (money also goes to the public broadcasters) than here, is included in your subscription to cable tv. So if you dont subscribe to those, you dont pay a thing.


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