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https://theconversation.com/working-dogs-and-horses-have-tax-deductible-upkeep-but-australias-thousands-of-working-cats-go-unrecognised-248675>
"Cats and milk often go hand in hand in popular culture. But on dairy farms,
cats do much more than enjoy a saucer of milk – their mousing skills are
essential. That’s because dairy farms often have a problem with rats and mice
due to their large grain and feed stores and a continuous supply of water and
shelter.
Cats are thought to have been domesticated to protect granaries from rodents
some 9,000 years ago. In our time, cats are widely used to keep rat and mouse
numbers down around houses, farms, horse barns and factories.
But while you can make tax deductions on the upkeep of your working cats in the
United Kingdom and United States, Australia’s thousands of working farm cats
are not eligible. By contrast, farm dogs and horses in all three countries are
recognised for the work they do. Their care is a tax-deductible business
expense.
Our new research explores how cats are used as working animals on dairy farms.
We found many dairy farmers preferred using cats over using poison for rodent
control. For all farmers, the cost of sterilisation was too much, which can
create problems of unchecked breeding. Registration fees are also a barrier.
If the care and upkeep of working cats was tax deductible, Australian farmers
could manage their cats better without extra financial strain."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
