Pet care may become tax deductible

[everettvet]

There is a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that is H.R. 3501. It is titled “Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years Act.” Basically it would make pet care expenses tax deductible. The bill is in the Ways and Means Committee. This bill does need a little work, but it is a great start. It is being overshadowed by the healthcare bill that we have all been hearing about. I do not want to see this bill die in committee and it may do just that. The bill was introduced by a republican from Michigan. With the committee being controlled by democrats, I feel that we need to contact our congressman and especially if your Congressman is on the committee. I will list the members of the ways and means committee. You can reach them through www.house.gov website. Please pass this along to your email and facebook friends and hopefully they will let their pet loving friends know about it. A link to a copy of the bill is http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3501.IH:

Here is a list of members of the House Ways and Means Committee:
Members of the House Ways and Means Committee

Charles B. Rangel, NY Chairman
Fortney Pete Stark, CA
Sander M. Levin, MI
Jim McDermott, WA
John Lewis, GA
Richard E. Neal, MA
John S. Tanner, TN
Xavier Becerra, CA
Lloyd Doggett, TX
Earl Pomeroy, ND
Mike Thompson, CA
John B. Larson, CT
Earl Blumenauer, OR
Ron Kind, WI
Bill PascrellJr. , NJ
Shelley Berkley, NV
Joseph Crowley, NY
Chris Van Hollen, MD
Kendrick Meek, FL
Allyson Y. Schwartz, PA
Artur Davis, AL
Danny K. Davis, IL
Bob Etheridge, NC
Linda T. Sanchez, CA
Brian Higgins, NY
John A. Yarmuth, KY
Dave Camp, MI
Wally Herger, CA
Sam Johnson, TX
Kevin Brady, TX
Paul Ryan, WI
Eric Cantor, VA
John Linder, GA
Devin Nunes, CA
Pat Tiberi, OH
Ginny Brown-Waite, FL
Geoff Davis, KY
Dave G. Reichert, WA
Charles W. BoustanyJr. , LA
Dean Heller, NV
Peter J. Roskam, IL

[nofearengineer]

I think tax deductions for pet care are an absolute travesty. Are we frigging kidding? Because you want to own a pet...I have to pay part of your feed and vet bill? Absolutely not! Why would you even think you are entitled to money out of someone else's pocket because you want a pet?

I own an African Gray Parrot, and love the little brat dearly, but buying him was my choice, and I wouldn't expect anyone else to pick up the cost. I can only hope someone will adopt him when he outlives me.

[everettvet]

I see no difference in that and having tax deductions for anything else. Think about the things we already deduct such as kids, medical expenses, homes, charity donations. What is the difference? You choose to have kids (in most cases), to buy a home or to make donations to charity. Do you take any deductions on your taxes? If you do, I guess we are paying for your stuff. I can't see the difference. Personally, I would like to see us do away with the federal income tax the way it is and have a flat percentage or a national sales tax. Just my thoughts.

[nofearengineer]

I'm with you on abolishing the income tax. I just don't follow your logic on the rest.

Because we have bad tax deductions already, we should add more?

Frankly, people should get a tax deduction for not having any kids.

But I can at least understand the rationale for that particular tax break.
It's just assumed that everyone will by and large, have their own 2.3 kids during their life. In that sense, the tax break for kids is more of a cost deferment, because you will pay for other people's kids after yours are grown and your tax break ends.

So how are pets different than children? If we all chose not to have any pets...no biggie. If we all chose not to have kids...bye bye human race. Though both are truly a choice, there is a biological imperative to procreate.

By the way, I don't have any kids, but I am unbiased on the issue.

Homes and medicine are somewhat the same way. Having a mortgage is pretty much a norm, with much of the same imperative as having kids. Medicine is obviously a bit more important than having a pet.

I 100% agree with you on charitable giving not being tax deductible though.

In a perfect world, I'd abolish most tax credits, but then again, I'd abolish most taxes too. But just because I'm against the tax breaks, and then I take advantage of them doesn't make me a hypocrite. Going broke walking the high road and ending up living in a carboard box with no children won't really give me an effective bully pulpit from which to help change the system. All of these tax breaks are merely a Keynesian mechanism which the uber-elite politicians and bankers use to keep our economy stumbling forward. That and handing pork back to their constituents.