Pet owners in Lucknow will now have to factor an annual municipal licence fee into the cost of keeping their dogs and cats. The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has fixed the annual fee at ₹200 for Indian-breed dogs, ₹1,000 for foreign-breed dogs and ₹500 for cats.
The move gives formal backing to the licence fees that the LMC had been collecting for dogs after approval from its executive committee and House. It also brings cats under the licensing system for the first time, making registration and annual payment applicable to cat owners as well.
The Uttar Pradesh government notified the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (Pet Animal Licensing, Control and Regulation) Bylaws, 2025, in the state Gazette on July 11, and received the formal order recently.
LMC animal welfare officer Abhinav Verma said the original dog licensing and control bylaws were framed in 2004 and have now been updated to cover cats and other requirements related to responsible pet ownership.
“The LMC had already been charging the revised dog licence fees after approval from the executive committee and the House. The Gazette notification has now provided formal approval for the updated provisions, including the licence fee for cats,” Verma said.
The civic body has so far issued around 3,000 licences for pet dogs and about 12 licences for cats.
Anyone acquiring a dog or cat must inform the municipal commissioner within 15 days and apply for a licence. Owners will have to provide details including the pet’s breed, colour, gender and vaccination status.
The licence fee must be paid in advance every April. Each licence will remain valid from April 1 to March 31, while owners seeking renewal will have to apply during the first week of April.
The rules will affect households keeping multiple dogs. Households keeping five or more dogs will have to comply with provisions relating to dog shelters.
The bylaws also prescribe a minimum space of 10 sq ft for small pets and 22 sq ft for large pets.
Pet owners cannot allow dogs or cats to roam freely on streets, roads, parks or other public places. They must also ensure that their pets do not inconvenience neighbours or other residents.
Owners will have to maintain clean spaces for their pets, disinfect them regularly and keep vaccination records updated.
The LMC can suspend or cancel a licence if an owner violates the bylaws. Violations involving dogs can attract a fine of up to ₹5,000, while violations involving cats can invite a fine of up to ₹1,000.
For continued violations, the civic body can impose an additional ₹50 per day after the first offence. Authorised LMC officials can also inspect pet houses, kennels and the conditions in which animals are kept.
