"Medor" has died, can I bury him at home?
"Medor" has died, can I bury him at home?
My faithful German shepherd has just died and I'm deeply affected... I'd like to keep him close to me, in my garden, by building him a little grave. Do I have the right to do this?
Gilbert
We are very sorry to hear of the loss of your pet. Unfortunately, Swiss regulations are quite strict about what can be done with an animal's remains.
Article 25 of the Ordinance on animal by-products, which has a rather unflattering name for the occasion, stipulates that only small animals, by which is meant those weighing less than 10 kg, may be buried on privately-owned land.
Annex 7 of this ordinance gives very precise instructions on how to proceed when you want to bury an animal in your own garden: in particular, certain areas are prohibited, notably groundwater protection areas and areas at risk of flooding, rock falls, landslides or particularly exposed to erosion. The Ordinance also stipulates that animal corpses must be buried at least 2 metres above the water table and covered with a layer of soil at least 1.2 metres deep. This last rule is designed to prevent other animals from digging up the remains.
The burial you are planning for your dog, whose weight in all likelihood exceeds the aforementioned limit, therefore does not seem feasible. Nor is it possible to bury your pet in the forest, whatever its weight.
If leaving your dog's body at an animal cadaver collection centre is not an option for you, you can still choose a cemetery or animal crematorium. The vet who looked after your four-legged friend will no doubt be able to give you more detailed information about the places where such a ceremony can be organised near you.
