UK Homeowners Warned Over Strict Rules on Burying Pets in the Garden

Losing a pet is emotional enough without discovering too late that there are rules around where and how an animal can be buried. In the UK, burying a much-loved cat, dog or other small domestic pet in the garden is usually allowed, but it is not as simple as choosing any patch of land.

The key rule is ownership and safety. Government guidance says you do not need permission to bury small domestic pets such as a dog or cat on your own land, including a back garden, but larger animals and burials outside your own property can bring stricter requirements.