What to do when dogs die? Can we bury them in the garden?
Even though we would love that are pups could stay with us forever, we know this will not happen.
When animals reach certain age or present any king of pathology, we must start to prepare ourselves for the moment of letting go, not only at an emotional level but also from a practical and legal point of view.
What to do when our dogs die?
The Italian law stablishes that first we must call the veterinarian. He/she will issue a death certificate and will proceed to extract the microchip. Within the next two days after the passing, you will have to give notice to the Veterinary Service of your local ASL (Local Sanitary Agency) and this implies taking off your dog friend from the canine registry.
An advice: keep a copy of the death certificate in case there are any problems as the result of controls.
Cemeteries
In Italy, cemeteries for animals are expanding, but it’s fair to say that they are still rare and have a considerably high cost, even up to 4,000 euros. You will have a niche you can visit but only for 5 years, then the corpse will end in a mass grave and the liberated space will receive another animal.
The garden
A European Union regulation foresees the possibility of burying pets (article 24 of the 3rd of October, 2022, n. 1774) but the final rulings vary from one Region to another, therefore you will have to contact your residence Municipality and consult the norms about the matter so you don’t fall in irregularities.
Evidently, this also applies to cats, domestic animals and pets, as defined by the European Community in the regulation 1069/2009 ‘being part of a species usually fed and maintained by men with purposes other than breeding and human consumption’.
If the cause of death is an infectious disease, it is absolutely prohibited to bury your dog in the garden due to the risk of contamination of the underground waters. If you have doubts regarding the death of your dog, ask your veterinarian.
In general, you will have to dig a deep hole so other animals, when smelling the smell, can’t be able to unbury them. Each community can have different rules concerning the depth of the hole and ask you for a geologist opinion to certify the composition of the ground and to say there are no underlying aquifers (specialist fees range from €500 and up).
The risk of no compliance of the municipality guidelines can lead to a fine of up to €28,000.00.
And in the garden of a gated community?
If you live in a gates community with a common garden, burying pets does not enter within the rules of ‘use of the green areas of the condominium’ but you can always ask your residence Municipality and especially your neighbours’ permission.
It is prohibited, however, to bury the remains in state ownership under penalty of the foreseen sanctions of the Legislative Decree 186/2012 that go from 10.000 to 70.000 euros.
The legal and most safe alternative is cremation
After the death of your furry friend, the veterinarian will contact a company specialized in cremation of animals corpses. This process is usually cumulative so it will not be possible to have your animal’s ashes.
If you prefer to obtain your dog’s ashes, you will have to have a private cremation but always contact a specialized company that will give you the ashes of your faithful friend a few days later after paying in relation to the size and weight of the animal. This is the most ethical solution and it will allow you to keep the ashes and all the memories of your best friends in your house where they grew and were loved.
The death of a pet leaves an indelible mark in those who have loved their dogs and have received so much sincere and unconditional love. Even the dynamics and habits of the house are altered or change in another way.
To obtain some comfort in the pain, keep your best friends always with you and keep the ashes in a funeral urn that will remember you all they gave you.
Choose the one that better represents your beloved furry friends in the Buba & Mac® store.
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