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DOG TAX OF 1796
The English Dog Tax of 1796 was introduced into the House of Commons on April 28th, 1796. It was presented on May 3, 1796 to the House of Commons. The bill passed on May 13, 1796 with minor changes. After that it was introduced into the House of Lords were it passed on May 18th, 1796. His majesty, King George III, gave the royal assent on May 19th making it law. This law created three categories for dogs. These categories were: sporting (including hound, pointer, setting dog, spaniel, lurcher, and terrier), non-sporting and lastly, pack of hounds. Puppies under six months were exempted.

Brief History
In 1387, there was a fee on dogs, excluding pet dogs by King Richard II.

In 1475, a fee was introduced on dogs by King Edward IV.

In 1750, there was an early idea for dog taxation. The article talked about how tax should be directed to useless animals, such as dogs from the poor. Colonus believed that if the number of dogs would be reduced then the number of poor would also be reduced. The first time a taxation bill was introduced was in 1755 to the House of Commons. It was “to prevent the inconveniences, damages and mischiefs occasioned by the multiplicity of useless and unnecessary dogs.” It was reintroduced on February 24 to the House of Commons again to be re-read. There was an insufficient amount of members which forced the cancellation of the meeting and the bill quietly disappeared. There was a second attempt to pass a taxation of dogs on March 26, 1776. The motion was established in the House of Commons. Only three days later, it entered into the House of Commons and quietly disappeared as well.

Leading up to the Dog Tax of 1796
There was an increase of rabies leading to the taxation of dogs. The disease had reached to a new height. The London Bills of Mortality stated that there were at least four people that died from hydrophobia in 1794. Then in 1795, there was a major hype regarding rabies leading to a massive media coverage. The London newspaper stated that eight people had died from rabies or hydrophobia. In the 18th century, the method for controlling the disease was controlling the creature – which was the domesticated dog. One part of the method was elimination of the stray dog. Progressive people wanted a more humane way, i.e. the dog tax. In 1796, there was a severe rabies outbreak. Petitions started to arrive at Parliament to control the dog population with taxation. One of the petition from Leicester claimed that there was a recent outbreak of rabies. Another petition from Worcester wanted to remove the alarm in regards to rabies. On April 28, 1796, a dog taxation bill was introduced into the House of Commons. Then on May 3rd, the bill was presented to the House of Commons. A member, John Dent, declared “hydrophobia had lately increased to a shocking degree. In one week, in the course of last year, no fewer than 33 persons infected with this distemper had applied to the Manchester Infirmary and in Southampton between 200-300 people were bit by mad dogs.” There were some members that believed there would be a negative effect on the dogs. William Windham thought that the tax was only fair to sporting dogs due to these dogs being a luxury even though there could be enmity towards the whole canine race. William Pitt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, believed that dogs were a fit object for taxation and wanted no objection on the bill. The bill pasted on May 13th with minor changes. The bill moved on to the House of Lords were it was passed on May 18th. By May 19th, his majesty, King George III, gave the royal assent which made the bill a law. The bill divided dogs into three categories of sporting dogs, non-sporting and pack of hounds. There was an exemption of puppies that were under six months.

After the Bill
The dog tax was only kept in place for two years. By March 1798, there was an attachment to the bill. It was repealing certain duties of clocks and watches; this was repealing the duties of horses, mules, carriages and dogs. It was passed on April 30th in the House of Commons. After being introduced into the House of Lords, it was passed on May 9th. The royal majesty declared royal assent on the bill on May 10th. With this attachment it removed the taxation on dogs. But, it did make a property tax on the dogs.