Lucknow, Apr 3 (IANS): The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has set April 30 as the deadline for getting licences for pet dogs.

Fines will be imposed on pet owners after the deadline. Abhinav Verma, animal welfare officer, said that currently there are approximately 5,500 registered dogs in the city, including 400 of 23 banned ferocious breeds.

For renewal of a licence or for getting a new licence, pet owners are required to pay Rs 1,000 per dog and Rs 500 per cow by April 30, otherwise, they will have to pay a fine of Rs 500 between May 1 and May 31.

Further delay will incur an additional Rs 50 per day fine, retrospectively from April 1.

Verma emphasized that to obtain or renew a licence, owners must visit the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) head office and bring their pet’s vaccination card issued by a veterinary doctor.

Last year, the LMC collected Rs 50 lakh in licence fees. This year, they aim to collect Rs one crore. To achieve this, random checks will be conducted after April.

Verma said that he is receiving queries from owners of 23 foreign dog breeds that have been banned regarding the renewal of their pets’ licences.

“For renewal, they must produce a sterilization certificate along with the vaccination certificate of the pet. However, no new licence will be issued for these breeds,” he added. For inquiries, the LMC has provided helpline numbers.

“I urge every pet owner to register their pets for licence. Otherwise, unlicensed dogs or cows may be confiscated and a fine of Rs 5,000 will be imposed,” he added.