Dealing with a pet’s loss can take an emotional toll on owners, with the furry friends leaving their mark as they become loyal companions to humans throughout the course of their lives. After the death, many might want to be near their pets or keep some sort of remains. This is when the question of burial comes up.
As per the Dubai Municipality, it is not permissible to bury animals in the country. Speaking to Khaleej Times, Mike O’hara, owner of Mike’s Vet in Dubai, said how it is a grey area when it comes to burying animals on the owner’s property itself.
“Although it unclear, it is advisable not to bury animals on a property since there is a risk of diseases spreading. This can also be a nuisance to neighbours in terms of hygiene.”
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Considering the legal aspect, animals are cremated in the UAE. There are different types of cremations that take place, with each having their own cost. Here are the options offered to residents as they bid farewell to their pets.
Types of cremation
Once a pet dies, residents should visit a clinic to move forward with the cremation process.
As per Mike, there are three options that owners can choose from. These are:
Municipality disposal: The pet is given to the municipality who then mass cremate it with other deceased animals. “We are required to keep a freezer by law where the deceased pets are frozen until the municipality comes to collect them. This collection takes place once a week,” said O’hara.
For pet owners who may want to collect the ashes though, this isn’t an option to choose from since they won’t be able to collect the remains.
Shared cremation: Veterinary clinics don’t do the cremation themselves and send the animal to a second party. With shared cremations, multiple deceased pets are cremated together and the owners can take part of the ashes with them.
The cost of this depends on the weight of the pet.
“For instance in the cases of cats which are comparatively smaller animals to dogs, it can cost Dh700-Dh900 for a pet under 5kg. In the case that the pet was between 5-10kg, it can be an additional Dh100. On the maximum side, for pets between the weight limit of 10-25kg, it may cost between Dh1,400 – Dh1,500,” said Mike.
Separate cremation: With separate cremations, pets are cremated alone and their owners have the option of taking the remains with them.
For pets weighing up to 30kg, this can cost anywhere between Dh2,300-Dh2,700.
On the other hand for pets weighing up to 40kg, but the owner chooses not to take the remains home, it can cost half the price.
Can deceased pets be taken abroad?
For those who may want to take their deceased pets abroad to give them a burial, it is against the law to do so. No approval is given to transport deceased pets with strict laws placed in most countries around the world, as per Mike.
‘Putting down’ pets
In many unfortunate cases, pets may need to be put down. This could be due to a tragic accident, an incurable disease or suffering due to old age.
“Although vets have differing opinions on this, I believe it is the most humane option rather than letting the animal suffer,” said O’hara.
This process usually begins with sedating the animal so that they feel no pain during the euthanasia. After this, a drug is administered to stop it’s heart from beating.
“In the case of smaller animals like cats, this usually costs around Dh400-Dh500, including the disposal done by municipality,” he added.