Comments on: Is McCotter Barking Up the Right Tree with Tax Deductions for Pet Owners?

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:30:55 +0000

IMHO, I own and feed a few doggies, it is part of my life to have them, but unlike children, they will never grow up and get a job. I do not HAVE to pay for their education, and mine rarely wear clothing LOL.
Dogs are sort of luxuries. BUT, here is my objection to this “deduction”. The government will know I have them, will demand identification (i.e. like a social security number) and then they can swoop in and “inspect” to see if all is kosher in my home. After all, they are “giving” me a benefit. Then if they do not like the fact I let them sleep on the sofa ( or whatever) they can take them away, after all, I have now allowed the government to EQUATE my dogs with my children as having the same value.
Can you follow this train of thought ??

By: doglover

doglover — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:15:06 +0000

Like many other have said, I have always and still do regard my three dogs as members of my family. I refer to them as my “kids.” That does not mean they are. While it would be great for me financially — I spend a lot of money on my dogs — I vigorously oppose this bill. It is wrong on many levels, many of which have already been described. Besides these, for those who think it would encourage adoption or encourage people to care for their pets, or solve “puppy mills” (something never defined) dream on. Just like with welfare, we’ll have people getting dogs/cats just for the deduction and not caring at all. Huge opportunity for fraud — how would you verify what was paid or if you actually have the pets you claim? Now the gov’t is in your business, knowing how many pets you have and how you treat them. This is a bribe to take away your private property rights.

By: Sometimes in Life You have to Ignore the Costs Owning a Dog | My Journey to Millions

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:10:54 +0000

[...] Kelly from TaxGirl discusses a Pet Tax Deduction for health related dog costs. [...]

By: Joe F.

Joe F. — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:01:28 +0000

There needs to be something we pet lovers can get. Our pets are, in essence, DEPENDENT on us for food, shelter, medical care just like our children. They may not talk like us, walk like us, eat the same food as us, but they do love the same way that we do. My dogs get very excited when I come home from work. I get my hugs and kisses which is a good thing when you’ve been dealing with idiots all day. I call them “my girls”, not my dogs. Anything would be better than nothing.

By: Olivia

Olivia — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:54:37 +0000

As a tax professional, there are few things that bother me more than the tax deductions for lifestyle choices. I include spouses, children, charitable organizations, and pets in that statement. I favor a consumption tax or flat tax as a second choice, but have little faith it will happen.
It also seems that a pet is one of those “questionable” deductions – there is really no way for IRS matching on that particular item.
The other interesting facet here is the question of where this item is a deduction. If it is considered another itemized deduction, then many people won’t even have a benefit from this.

By: Karen T.

Karen T. — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:06:35 +0000

Couldn’t agree more, David Wilkenfeld!

By: David Wilkenfeld

David Wilkenfeld — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:19:25 +0000

I live in Quebec, which is noted as the “puppy mill capital of North America”. We have few real deterrents to animal cruelty. Generally speaking, our society treats animals will little regard for their well-being. It’s shameful. I think this bill would be a positive step in the right direction. These arguments about the tax code already being too complicated have no relevance. The tax code will always be too complicated, regardless of whether this bill would pass. People love their pets. It’s a fact of life. Helping to provide for their care would be the sign of a humane society.

By: People Respond to Incentives | The Personal Finance Playbook

People Respond to Incentives | The Personal Finance Playbook — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:03:36 +0000

[...] behavior we’re trying to encourage. Policy makers can be wrong, can’t they? I saw an interesting tax deduction on the table to be added in the near future the other day. It appears that U.S. Representative [...]

By: Save your tax now-apply simple tricks | Tax Finance Wisdom

Save your tax now-apply simple tricks | Tax Finance Wisdom — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:31:40 +0000

[...] Is McCotter Barking Up the Right Tree with Tax Deductions for Pet … [...]

By: JBruce

JBruce — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:55:04 +0000

A silly idea. Maybe some sort of small tax break for “adopting” from an animal shelter but otherwise no. And this is coming from a guy who, in the last 18 months, probably has spent $500 a pound to keep a 10-pound dachshund healthy and alive. Yes, that’s $5,000. (I’ve had lots of dogs, and I always say that the purchase price of a dog is the cheapest bill you’ll ever get for him/her.) At least she doesn’t cost much to feed. On that score, I might think differently about a tax dodge if she were, instead, a couple of St Bernards.