Municipal officials have for the second time levied a dog tax on the Bruintjes family in the Dutch town of Oldenzaal for their barking doorbell, the family said on Thursday.
The Bruintjes have chosen a ring for their computer-controlled doorbell that mimics their dead German shepherd.
Municipal officials of the town near the German border came to the conclusion there was an unregistered dog in the house after ringing the bell while the family was out.
”Last year we had great difficulty convincing the inspector that we did not have a dog, and now we are back in the same situation again,” Gerrit Bruintjes said.
He said his wife had returned home to find a warning in the letter box.
”She was able to catch up with the inspector at the end of the street, and after much toing and froing was able finally to convince him,” Bruintjes said.
The family have no intention of changing their doorbell. ”It is and will remain a memento of our dead dog,” Bruintjes said. — Sapa-dpa