UAE: What to do if your pet dies; process, costs, law explained

Dealing with a pet's loss can take an emotional toll on owners as furry friends have 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, however said that it could be a grey area if an owner buries animals on his or her own property.

"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.

Types of cremation

Once a pet dies, residents should visit a clinic to move forward with the cremation process. Here are the options offered to residents:

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.

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 a pet was between 5 and 10kg, it can be an additional Dh100. On the maximum side, for pets between the weight limit of 10 and 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 from Dh2,300 to 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, O'hara said.

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