Lucknow Municipal Corporation Ready to Confiscate Unlicensed Pets

Lucknow: The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) is taking a serious stand against unregistered pet dogs and those with unrenewed licenses. Pet licences issued in Lucknow expire on March 31 annually, and the LMC has noted that a large number of pet owners are yet to renew their licence which is mandatory for dog ownership in the city. Taking note of this trend, the LMC has announced the process of door-to-door license verification for pet dogs in the city, which will be conducted by their personnel in teams of four.

“Those who are yet to comply with rules related to keeping pets may have to pay a fine or face the risk of confiscation of pets, said LMC’s chief veterinary officer Abhinav Verma.“The rules will be implemented strictly as they highlight the importance of responsible pet ownership for the well-being of both animals and the community,” he said.

According to officials, only half of the 8,200 licensed dog owners have complied with the LMC's requirements. This has caused issues such as financial losses and leaves a question mark for public safety since the vaccination status of unlicensed dogs is impossible to determine.

As per the issued guidelines, every dog owner must obtain a license from the LMC and renew it yearly. The guidelines also outline the specifics of dog ownership;

One person can keep a maximum of two dogs if they have 200 square yards of area, and a maximum of four if they have 400 square yards of area.

The license fees vary depending on the dog breed you own. Indian breeds are charged at INR 200 per dog, while mixed or foreign breeds are charged at INR 1,000 per dog.

Dogs must be sterilized after they turn a year old.

LMC officials stated those who fail to renew their licenses will face a fine of INR 5,000 per dog, with the possibility of the unregistered/unrenewed pet being confiscated by the LMC authorities.

The confiscated pets will be kept at the LMC dog shelter in Indiranagar until the person concerned pays the fine.