Is It Illegal To Bury Your Pet In Singapore? Grief following the death of a pet is intense. After a pet’s death, legal considerations often escape the mind. Easy answers about the disposal of deceased pets are needed.
This article will cover Singapore’s pet burial laws. Focus is also paid to a variety of situations.
The burial of pets and other animals in public places is illegal. In 1987, the Singapore passed the Environmental Public Health Act. This act establishes the law for waste disposal in Singapore.
The Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) regulations amended the Environmental Public Health Act in 2000. These regulations tidied problems with the original act.
Section 19(2) of the Public Cleansing regulations bans burial on any “street, open ground, drain, canal, stream, river, reservoir or seashore.” This section means that burying dead animals in public places, like streets, is illegal.
To comply with the law, be careful about what public spaces are around your property.
The burial of pets on private property is legal. Section 19(1) states that within 24 hours of an animals’ death, the owner must bury it. You have the choice to bury your pet in your backyard. Other parts of your land are legal as well. No law forbids burying on private property.
An important note is that Section 19(1) also lets the Director-General of Public Health decide how a pet or animal is buried. If the Director-General issues an order on how to bury an animal, you must comply. Otherwise, it is legal to bury a pet on your own property.
Exceptions exist in the case of diseased pets and animals. The Animal and Birds Act passed in 1965. Regulations found in the Animal and Birds Act are important in cases of diseased animals.
Section 32 of the Animal and Birds Act states how an owner must dispose of a diseased carcass. Section 32 does not apply to cats and dogs. Under 32(1), the owner must burn the carcass or follow the directions of an officer.
Because of the threat of infection, the movement of a diseased carcass may be illegal. Section 33 bars the disposal of a diseased animal. Their bodily fluids are also banned.
Section 34 allows officers to give instructions to remove infected animal parts. If an outbreak occurs, the Minister may ban movement and order a quarantine of infected animals. Such orders must be complied with, or you may face fines.
The Animal and Birds Act sets rules for the disposal of rabid dogs and cats. Section 37 allows the Minister to declare a region rabies-infected. Whether a region is rabies-infected impacts animal disposal.
Section 37(2) bans the transport of rabid dogs or cats out of a rabies-infected region. If your chosen burial site is outside of the region, it is likely illegal to transport the pet there.
Apartments make pet burial difficult. Check with your landlord to see their policy on pet burial. If they do not allow it, there are other answers. Legal solutions to this problem include: cremation or burying the body on a friend’s property with their permission.
No matter the situation, it is unlawful to bury your pet on public property.
The Environmental Public Health Act, under Section 12. bans the disposal of carcasses or feces in refuse bins. Instead, consult other ways to dispose of a carcass.
Legal consequences accompany the violation of burial laws. The burial of a pet on public property carries a $1,000 fine under the Public Order and Nuisance Act. Upon a first violation, the Public Cleansing regulations issue a $5,000 fine.
Further violations can result in a $10,000 fine or three months of imprisonment. Non-compliance with the Animal and Birds Act may incur a $10,000 fine and up to 12 months imprisonment.
The disposal of a carcass in a refuse bin may prompt a $5,000 fine upon a first attempt. Second and third violations may create more consequences.
Burial laws are hard to follow. With this guide, you can now bury your pet without fear. When it comes to the death of a pet, choose what burial option is right for you. Above all else, make sure you are in compliance with the law.