Lucknow Pet Owners to Face Fines for Unlicensed Pets Starting May

If you own a furry companion in Lucknow, now is the time to get your paperwork in order. The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) is gearing up to crack down on unlicensed pets, with fines set to roll out from May 1.

LMC’s animal welfare officer, Abhinav Verma, confirmed that pet owners who fail to renew their licences by the end of April will face a ?500 penalty. From June onward, the civic body plans to escalate the pressure, charging ?50 per day as late fees for continued non-compliance.

A formal proposal is being prepared for the municipal commissioner’s approval, aimed at tightening enforcement of pet registration norms across the city. The move is part of a broader push to bring accountability and order to urban pet ownership.

“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. The LMC issued 6,086 dog licences, with 5,732 registrations completed offline. Roughly INR 50.44 Lakh was generated in revenue from dog licenses, of which INR 47.61 lakh came from offline registrations, while ?2.83 lakh was collected through online applications, Verma said. 

He also said that pet owners who failed to renew their licenses by the end of April would face fines from May 1. Those without a valid license will be penalized and fined INR 500, with the fine increasing by INR 50/day for each 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. 

He noted that the low number of registrations on the online platform was because the portal had only been live since November 2024. He also noted that LMC issued 5,600 dog licences in 2023-2024. Regardless, the estimated pet dog population in Lucknow remains over 12,000, a sizeable number of whom remain unregistered. 

“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.