No Fee for Keeping Pets in Yerevan

The head of the Information Department of the Yerevan Municipality, Hovsep Kubatyan, has written on his Facebook page:

“The fee for keeping pets in the Yerevan community is set in accordance with the RA Law on Local Taxes and Fees. The relevant provision came into effect in December 2016, while a similar law governing the keeping of animals in cities had been in force for about five years prior. This means that in the near future, it will mark ten years since the establishment of a local tax for keeping pets in Yerevan, and at least three years during which this tax has amounted to 5,000 drams.

At the end of each year, the Council sets the local tax rates. In some cases, these remain the same, while in others they may be modified or abolished. This fee has not been altered for at least the past three years. The council could not abolish this tax as the fee requirement stems from the law. The abolishment or revision of the tax will only be possible if the law is amended in the National Assembly.

In any case, as a matter of fact, the collection of this tax is not being carried out due to the inefficacy of operational mechanisms. The municipality is currently developing a comprehensive program to regulate the coexistence of animals, including pets, in Yerevan. This will reflect the approach of the current city authorities, and the pros and cons can truly be attributed to the municipality.

Several notifications that were sent were also the result of some error. These notifications were literally a few in number and will no longer be sent out.”