Lucknow to get two new crematoriums for stray and pet dogs

Lucknow, Sep 7 (IANS) Lucknow will soon get two new electric crematoriums, one for strays and other for pet dogs.

These crematoriums, being set up by Lucknow Municipal Corporation at Shivri plant on the Sitapur Road, are likely to become operational by December-end.

While stray dogs will be cremated for free, pet owners will be charged fees for the facility. The fees is yet to be fixed.

The decision to install two incinerator machines with an estimated cost of Rs 3.9 crore has been approved by the LMC executive committee.

While one incinerator will have the capacity to cremate up to 150 stray dogs daily, another smaller one will be dedicated exclusively to pet dogs. This will enable pet owners to pay their last respects to their companions.

Additional municipal commissioner, Arvind Rao, said, “With this initiative, stray animals will receive dignified cremations through the LMC incinerator.”

Until now LMC had to bury dead dogs at the Shivri plant. Around 90-100 dogs are buried daily after being transported from various locations across the city, he added.

The new electric crematorium will have the capacity to cremate six dogs simultaneously, thanks to its four furnaces. The cremation process will take about an hour, with each dog’s carcass to take 10 minutes in the furnace for disposal, eliminating the need for long wait during cremations.

As per an estimate, over 100 dogs die in the city daily, with the majority being strays. The current practice of burying them at the Shivri plant is time consuming and problematic for workers.

Lucknow lacks both private and government-run dog crematoriums, leaving pet owners with limited options for the disposal of their animals.

Often, pet owners resort to burying their pets themselves, turning to LMC or even leaving the bodies in open spaces, leading to decay and odours.

Dr Anoop Kumar, a veterinarian and pet owner said, “Many pet owners in posh areas with a high pet population, have had no options for cremating their pets or strays. This new LMC incinerator will provide a farewell for both stray dogs and pets, addressing a long-standing need in our community.”