Dangerous route to school in Hitzendorf: parents raise the alarm!

Dangerous route to school in Hitzendorf: parents raise the alarm!

Shock for dog owners! In the turbulent case of Ms. Evelyne K. from Gramatneusiedl, a dispute arose over dog surrender that seems to have no end. After she moved from Leobendorf to Gramatneusiedl in June 2023 and dutifully registered her two dogs there and paid the fees for 2023 and 2024, the market town of Leobendorf still demands the dog fee in 2024. This demands that Ms. K. deregister her dogs in good time - a step that she cannot understand. “The tax obligation is tied to the respective municipality!” she explains angrily. This is also defended by the mayor as a Lower Saxony procedure, while the public prosecutor Elisabeth Schwetz is leading the debate to find a solution to this illegal situation OTS reported.

But what actually applies to dog owners in Austria? Moving can have complicated consequences, as dog surrender is regulated differently in each federal state. Therefore, owners must de-register their dog from their old place of residence as well as register them in the new municipality. Failure to do so means that the tax obligation still exists at the old place of residence, a circumstance that many dog ​​owners, like Ms. K., underestimate. Loud oesterreich.gv.at Dogs from the age of three months must be registered with the responsible authority, and de-registration must also be done immediately when moving to avoid double payments. There are also various reasons for exemption that can be applied for.

This case sheds a bright light on administrative practice in Austria and the different regulations of the municipalities. The uncertainties associated with handing over dogs not only affect Ms. K., but also many dog ​​owners in the country. How will those responsible react to this? The upcoming discussion on the “Citizens’ Lawyer” program on March 22nd could provide crucial answers.