The "dog" badge of St. Petersburg, 1914

The original token is in satisfactory condition. Aluminum, stamping. The size is 27*27 mm. The damage is visible in the photo. Infrequent. Guarantee of authenticity.

Since the middle of the XIX century. The St. Petersburg City Duma has repeatedly raised the issue of introducing a tax on dogs in the city. The mandatory collection, according to its supporters, led to a decrease in the number of neglected animals and helped to distinguish domestic dogs from strays, often infected with rabies. However, each time the establishment of the tax was refused. The reasons were different – "constraint of private life". Tax badges for dogs in pre-revolutionary St. Petersburg of the new city regulations, proposals to introduce a tax throughout Russia, and not only in the capital. In 1887, to ensure the safety of St. Petersburg residents, the City Duma obliged all dog owners to put collars on their pets with the name and address of the owner or muzzles or leave them on a leash (Izvestia, 1890. pp. 723-724).

On December 1, 1897, the State Council approved the general rules on the tax on dogs in Russian cities (PSZ-3. No. 14719). On their basis, city councils could impose a tax on dogs in favor of the city. Prior to the adoption of the general regulation, the collection practice was already in effect in some cities. For example, it was introduced in Mitava in 1863, in Perm in 1871, in Omsk and Minsk in 1894, in Borovichi, Grodno, Minusinsk in 1895, in Wenden, Yuryev, Kiev, Novgorod and Pyatigorsk in 1896 (City Regulations, 1908. pp. 758-761). 12 February 1900 in St. Petersburg established "Rules for the collection of city tax for dogs" (Izvestia, 1900. pp. 596-597). Petersburgers paid 3 rubles a year for their pet. This amount included payment for the manufacture of the badge.

Tax tokens were made of base metal alloys based on copper and tin. They indicated the year for which the payment was made, the registration number, the name of the city or city council that issued the token. The year was stamped immediately, and the number was most often stuffed with a punch. The appearance of the tokens differed not only in each city, but also in one city the shape changed every year. All tokens have an eyelet for hanging.

In Moscow, the tax was introduced in 1898 and amounted to 2 rubles per year for each dog, the value of the token was additionally charged. After making the payment, the owner received a token, which should be put on the dog's collar. Dogs with or without expired tokens were caught and placed in special institutions for three days. The found owner had to pay a fine and the cost of keeping the dog. After three days, the dog was sent to the slaughterhouse. The tax on dogs has raised the issue of luxury goods in society. Within the framework of the city administration, dogs were equated with a luxury item, which radically changed the attitude towards these animals.