THANE: Thane city and Mira-Bhayender will soon get their first crematoriums for pet animals at three locations each, Shiv Sena MLA and cabinet minister Pratap Sarnaik announced.
Sarnaik addressed the media following a pet show held in Thane on Saturday night, where he said six existing crematoriums in both cities were being upgraded to accommodate cremation facilities for pet animals. The plan was approved by the Eknath Shinde-led govt in 2023.
“We are aware of the demands being made by pet lovers from the city and have worked out a solution to ensure these animals get appropriate burial or cremation facilities within the city limits. Three crematoriums in Thane – one at Majiwada and two along Ghodbunder Road – and three others at Mira-Bhayender will see facilities for pet cremation being installed at a cost of Rs 26 lakhs each. These facilities will be operational within the next few months,” said Sarnaik.
Presently, there is no such facility in Thane, and residents often are forced to travel to Parel in Mumbai or scout for locations in the city or vicinity for cremating their pets.
Though there is no official data available about the annual death rate of pets in the city, civic officials estimate that nearly 150-200 pet dog licences are not renewed every year, hinting at as many deaths. The count for cats could also be more or less the same, claimed officials and animal lovers.
