Reconvilier, Switzerland Threatens To Kill Dogs If Owners Don't Pay Tax

GENEVA — A Swiss village has found a drastic way to compel dog holders to pay their pet's annual tax: cough up, or the dog gets it.

Reconvilier – population 2,245 humans, 280 dogs – plans to put Fido on notice if its owner doesn't pay the annual $50 tax.

Local official Pierre-Alain Nemitz says the move is part of an effort to reclaim hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes.

He says a law from 1904 allows the village to kill dogs if its owner does not pay the canine charge.

Nemitz told the AP on Monday that authorities have received death threats since news of the plan got out.

"This isn't about a mass execution of dogs," Nemitz said. "It's meant to put pressure on people who don't cooperate."

Comments

[Blackorpheus]

04:58 PM on 01/14/2011

The cold-blooded Swiss. What they need is an old-fashioned war to get their blood flowing.

[swissguy]

09:48 AM on 01/18/2011

You apparently know nothing about the case nor Switzerland. If you want more info, don't hesitate to ask me, but please don't insulte my Coutry like that.

[Blackorpheus]

11:36 AM on 01/18/2011

*How do you spell 'insult," swissguy? In the process of learning to spell, ruminate on why the Swiss should be immune to national jokes. We routinely joke about virtually every other country.

[tizzylish]

04:49 PM on 01/14/2011

Freaking Swiss. One sick nation.....

[schnauzergirl]

02:34 PM on 01/14/2011

I am pretty sure they would not go through with actually killing the dogs. This was just meant to get the owner's attention. Have a few dogs confiscated , threaten to euthanize and people will start paying up.

[Chelsea Wildner]

05:37 PM on 01/16/2011

Does it matter if they'd actually do it or not? They are still using forceful intimidation to try to get people to do what they want... what is this, the dark ages? It's disgusting either way. Get it together, Reconvilier.

[July August]

02:17 PM on 01/14/2011

I am writing to the leaders of this town to express my dismay and disgust. Threatening to kill a beloved pet over a $50 tax is not only absurd, but immoral. This is a tiny town, and I am sure it needs tax revenue, but this is certainly not the way to go about it.

[DanSc]

11:13 AM on 01/14/2011

Proof that socialism isn't always benevolent socialism.

[suenosdeuomi]

01:12 PM on 01/14/2011

Confusing Switzerland with Sweden and socialism with social services?

[DanSc]

07:14 PM on 01/14/2011

Nope and nope

[theseusofaustralia]

07:08 AM on 01/14/2011

Lol at some of the commentators having more sympathy of dogs then they do their fellow human beings. Stay classy.

[Neufield]

03:43 PM on 01/14/2011

Some dogs have more class than the commentators?

[karela]

09:26 PM on 01/13/2011

If there were 300 dogs at fifty dollars each, that would be $15,000 but the guy says they're trying to get hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid back taxes. Are they trying to hold old ladies up for taxes on their old dogs and the old dogs before this set and the set before that? Just how much money are they trying to squeeze out of each person. $100 each would still only be $30,000. They're trying for many hundreds of thousands of dollars. It may well be that people CAN'T pay----and they're going to kill their dogs. Geesh! In a town as small as that, there must be a whole lot of bad feeling amongst neighbors. It sounds like this town of 2,200 is trying to finance the city by going after dog owners.

[smilodon1]

09:08 PM on 01/13/2011

OK, here's the deal. If someone doesn't pay their taxes, we'll make them live with a republicanderthal for a month for the first offense.

[Mrclouds]

06:38 PM on 01/13/2011

We could learn a thing or two from the Swiss, they know how to handle business...

[blurredmolly]

07:05 AM on 01/14/2011

They avoid war. That's a good one.

[popart]

05:50 PM on 01/13/2011

could we try that here in america?

[valeskas]

05:16 PM on 01/13/2011

Never thought the swiss could be so cruel. Shame on them.

[FTracy3]

04:52 PM on 01/13/2011

Another cave to the powerful Korean restaurant lobby.

[deminmo]

01:34 PM on 01/13/2011

This is geeze I can't even form words to express it. So they kill
the dog and the owner still owes the tax, what happens then?

[checkmoot]

12:28 PM on 01/13/2011

The dogs don't owe the tax, kill the owner.

[bluedogdown]

09:39 AM on 01/14/2011

I wonder what kind of govt services the dogs get?? LOL

[suenosdeuomi]

01:15 PM on 01/14/2011

Actually as I understand, it is illegal to kick a dog in Switzerland, an offender can be held accountable, not usually so in the US.

[AuntWilma]

08:01 AM on 01/13/2011

Good luck to the incumbents on the next city election.