Lucknow makes pet licences mandatory for cats

Lucknow: The Lucknow Municipal Corporation has approved a proposal of bringing pet cats under the licencing system, which expands the corporation’s pet licencing rules. Earlier, the LMC by-laws covered pet dogs only, but the latest approval of this proposal brings pet cats under the same framework. Officials say the step will not only help increase civic revenue but will also support public health goals by ensuring timely vaccinations against rabies.

The proposal was cleared by the corporation’s executive committee and will now be placed before the full house for final approval. Once the by-law is formally accepted, the process of registration and licence renewal for pet cats will be rolled out across the city. Authorities are expected to run awareness campaigns and enforcement drives to encourage compliance among households that keep cats.

According to the draft rules, the licence fee for a pet cat has been set at five hundred rupees. Failure to obtain a licence could attract a penalty of one thousand rupees. Civic officials point out that cat bites and scratches can also transmit rabies, making it important to regulate ownership in the same way as dogs. They add that the policy is in line with the World Health Organisation target of eliminating rabies globally by 2030.

The new measure also highlights the challenges the corporation has faced in implementing dog licensing in previous years. The city has more than a thousand pet dogs, yet only a fraction have been licenced so far. Yes, the surprise checks and special drives have been conducted, which have shown improvement, but officials acknowledge that many owners still avoid registration. Extending the rules to cats will therefore require sustained public outreach and stricter monitoring.

In parallel with these steps, the state government has been pursuing animal birth control and vaccination programmes for stray dogs in urban areas. Data released earlier this year showed that more than two lakh stray dogs had been sterilised and vaccinated across municipal corporations in Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow. These efforts are aimed at reducing the stray population, lowering the risk of rabies and encouraging responsible ownership of pets.

Officials believe that licensing cats will create a more comprehensive system for tracking pets, monitoring vaccinations and ensuring accountability among owners. The revenue collected through fees and penalties is expected to support civic infrastructure and veterinary services. 

If approved by the full house, Lucknow will become one of the first cities in India to mandate licences for pet cats. The initiative reflects a broader shift toward stricter regulation of companion animals in urban spaces, balancing public health needs with the growing trend of pet ownership. For cat owners in the city, the change will mean a formal process of registration, vaccination and compliance, steps that officials argue are essential to keeping both pets and communities safe.