Expired pet licences: Come May, LMC to impose fines on pets sans valid papers

If you are a pet owner in the state capital, get your pet licence renewed before April ends. The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) is ready to impose fines on unlicensed pets from May, said LMC animal welfare officer Abhinav Verma.

The civic body is preparing to send a proposal to the municipal commissioner for approval, aiming to ensure stricter enforcement of pet registration rules.

Verma said that pet owners who fail to renew the licence by April will have to pay fines from May 1. A penalty of ₹500 will be imposed on those without a valid licence. Starting June, the fine will increase to ₹50 per day as late fees.

“Residents should complete the renewal process within April to avoid penalties. The LMC will take strict action against people found in public places with dogs having expired licences,” Verma said.

In 2024-25, LMC issued 6,086 dog licences, with 5,732 registrations completed offline and only 354 online. The LMC generated around ₹50.44 lakh in revenue from dog licences. Of this, ₹47.61 lakh came from offline registrations, while ₹2.83 lakh was collected through online applications, said Verma.

He noted that the lower number of online registrations was due to the online system being introduced only in November 2024. He also pointed out that in 2023-2024, LMC issued 5,600 dog licences. In 2024-2025, the number grew by 486. However, the estimated pet dog population in the city remains over 12,000, indicating that thousands of dogs are still unregistered. LMC has set a target of issuing 12,000 licences this year (2025-2026).

“Despite repeated reminders, many pet owners have not approached us for licences. They must either visit the LMC office or apply online. If we find an unregistered pet dog in public spaces, a fine will be imposed on the spot,” Verma warned.

Last year in 2024-25, Labradors accounted for the highest number of registrations (1,282), followed by German Shepherds (866), Golden Retrievers (493), and Indian breeds (1,582). Dobermans recorded the lowest registration numbers, with only 74 licences issued.

The LMC has set the licensing fee at ₹1,000 for foreign breeds and ₹200 for Indian breeds. Pet owners facing difficulties in obtaining a licence can contact LMC official Jayant Singh at 9511156792 for assistance.