Beginning in 2026, dog owners visiting Bolzano, Italy will pay a daily tax of 1.50 euros per pet (nearly $2). Local residents face an annual 100 euro tax per dog. Provincial Councilor Luis Walcher introduced the measure to fund street cleaning and new dog parks. “This is a fair measure because it concerns dog owners exclusively,” Walcher said. “Otherwise, sidewalk cleaning would be the responsibility of the entire community, when it must be said that the only filth on our city streets is dog waste.” The northern Italian city, a gateway to the Dolomite mountains, also requires DNA registration for dogs to match uncollected waste to owners. Fines reach 600 euros per violation. Carla Rocchi of ENPA animal protection criticized the tax. “The Province of Bolzano scores an own goal with the tax on dogs and even on four-legged tourists,” she said, calling it an “easy way out” that discourages responsible travel. (Story URL)
