I will never forget the moment I saw him for the first time. We met online in 1999 and I immediately fell in love with him. He had the most pretty brown eyes. Afterwards, he was simply known as number 81 by the Washington DC Humane Society. He was a lab mix of beagle and chocolate. The adoption process took some time. I only met him once, but I fought for him. He was in a short-term foster home who apparently didn’t want to give him up even though I had to go through it. Four days before Christmas I showed up unannounced and took my Buster home.
Buster was more than just a pet. He was my companion and best friend. I had him for almost nine years before he died last September. He had suffered from a heart murmur for many years, and as he aged, his heart problems worsened. Every time he needed an EKG, an X-ray, or a recent medication, my wallet, heart, and mind were open to the possibility of extending our time together. My finances took a hefty toll on his health, but he lived a comfortable six months longer than the vet predicted.
I am grateful that I was able to take care of him until the very end. For another owner, this may have been too much of a financial burden. Considering that over 80 million homes have a dog or cat, millions of pets will be in the same situation as my Buster. I recently learned that there is a proposal that could ease the financial costs of our comrades.
At this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), I had the pleasure of meeting actor and director Robert Davie, who is also a pet lover. We talked about our pets and he told me about a recent project he was working on with his cousin Leo Grillo, founder of DELTA Rescue Sanctuary. In a recent op-ed for The Washington Times, Davi wrote: “It has become clear to my cousin Leo and I that we should have a national debate about the possibility of claiming our pets as tax-exempt, as we would any other dependent or appreciated property , which involves costs.”
Last week, Davi launched the website PetExemption.com to further the debate on this topic. Republican Congressman Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan is working with Davi and Grillo to write the legislation.
Each year, millions of pet owners spend over $41 billion caring for their pets. In hard economic times, exempting pets could reduce the tax burden on more than 80 million households. Davi wrote: “Currently, an estimated 500,000 Americans can receive a tax credit of up to $3,150 for owning fuel-efficient hybrid cars. Many cities and states also reward hybrid vehicle owners with access to HOV lanes and additional tax breaks. Why not allow a pet tax exemption that would reward Americans for the behaviors they already engage in to improve their health and well-being?”
There is certainly more evidence that pets improve our health than there is evidence that driving a hybrid improves our environment. In 2008, the American Heart Association reported that in a study of 76 heart failure patients, those who spent time in therapy with animals experienced lower levels of stress hormones, blood pressure, pulmonary pressure, and heart rate compared to those who only visited People.
Another study involved 48 brokers and stockbrokers who were taking medications for high blood pressure. Half of stockbrokers have adopted a dog or cat. People without pets had twice the reaction to stress than people with pets. After the study, many people who did not have a pet were so convinced by the results that they adopted a pet. In her presentation of the results to the American Heart Association, Dr. Karen Allen said: “There are many theories, but we don’t really know why animals lower blood pressure. We suspect that having something on your side, something you can always count on and non-judgmental, creates a positive atmosphere from a psychological point of view.”
A study published in the British Medical Journal that spanned several decades found similar results. Owning a pet may result in a higher survival rate after a heart attack and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, children who are exposed to animals early in life are less likely to develop asthma and animal allergies. For older adults, owning a pet provides companionship, independence and mobility. Midland Life Insurance Company in Ohio even considers pet ownership as a positive factor when screening customers over the age of 75.
In his article, Davi noted that millions of dollars are wasted across the country on ineffective rescue and shelter programs. Exempting pets would shed airy on the benefits to the mental and physical health of the general public and encourage responsible pet ownership.
Some people I spoke to expressed concern that the exemption would only further complicate the tax code. As conservatives, our goal is to simplify the tax code, but that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be legitimate exemptions. Considering the numerous benefits, spending on pets certainly falls into this category.
For me, the pet exemption proposal is vital because it would support lower the cost of pet ownership and provide more pets with the preventive and end-of-life care that I provided to my Buster. It could also allow more people to experience the happiness and unconditional love he gave me.
