Court Rules Dog Tax Demand Unlawful, Hilden Resident Announces Mayoral Run

Marianus Krall wins legal battle after being wrongly taxed for dogs he did not own, citing the case as motivation to enter local politics.

The Administrative Court in Düsseldorf ruled that the city of Hilden's €1,404 dog tax estimate against Marianus Krall was unlawful due to insufficient evidence of dog ownership.
The tax demand was based on Facebook photos of Krall with dogs belonging to his daughter, friends, and neighbors, despite his assertion that he did not own any dogs.
The city initially rejected Krall's objections due to procedural technicalities, including a missed deadline and a lack of a valid signature on his response.
Following the court's recommendation during the hearing, Hilden withdrew its tax demand, ending the three-year dispute.
Krall criticized the city's actions as unfair and announced his candidacy for mayor, aiming to address governance issues highlighted by his case.