Council
20 November, 2025
Kealy slams pet tax
MEMBER for Lowan Emma Kealy has slammed a Victorian Government plan to get more tax revenue out of pet owners.
Ms Kealy hit out at an Allan Labor Government plan which would more than double the tax on all dogs and cats from $4.51 to $9 per animal from July next year.
She said the move was another example of Labor’s relentless appetite for revenue collection.
“After a decade of waste and mismanagement, Labor is desperate for new ways to raise revenue, even if it means extra taxes on our beloved cats and dogs,” Ms Kealy said.
Ms Kealy said councils would be forced to collect the extra tax via pet registration fees and pass it directly into state coffers.
“This pet tax hike follows Labor’s disastrous emergency services tax, and is yet another cruel way Labor is raiding the wallets of hard-working Victorians,” she said.
“While $4.50 might sound small, with 2.2 million registered pets in Victoria this will deliver Labor an easy $10 million windfall each and every year.
“The Allan Government should be focused on easing cost-of-living pressures, not treating our beloved pets as four-legged ATMs.
“Labor can’t manage money, and Victorian pet owners are paying the price.”
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