City of Cape Town wants to tax your pets
The City of Cape Town is proposing the Animal Keeping By-law, 2026, which mandates that all dogs and cats over six months obtain a municipal permit accompanied by a prescribed fee. This requirement has sparked significant controversy, with critics and economists characterizing the mandatory permit fees as a concealed tax on pet ownership that disproportionately burdens lower-income residents. While the City of Cape Town has clarified…