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Foundation urges public not to buy columbaria for pets

The Consumer’s Foundation urged the public to not purchase columbaria for their pets as there are no laws that regulate urn towers for pets.

In recent years, owners have been paying more attention to the needs of their pets — including where their pets will be laid to rest when they die. As a result, pet funerals have become a booming new business.

Dozens of pet morticians have created urn towers where pet owners may place the urns of their pets.

However, there is no government institution responsible for pet funerals and there is no law regulating the pet funeral business or the urn towers.

After being bombarded with inquiries, the Cabinet decided to appoint the Council of Agriculture as the government institution that will handle the issue two months ago.

Under the Animal Protection Law (動物保護法), the council is only responsible for living animals. Dead animals are considered as waste and the handling of them is regulated by the Waste Disposal Act (廢棄物處理法), said Huang Ying-hau (黃英豪), a council official.

As the council has been appointed the responsibility, officials will discuss whether to create a special law regarding dead pets or to authorize local governments to handle the issue, Huang said.

Taipei County Government has already started the process of drafting regulations on the handling of deceased pets, while Taipei City Government has designated pet ash-scattering areas.

Since there is no law regulating the pet funeral business, it cannot be called “illegal,” but there have been cases in which pet morticians were penalized for cremating pet bodies without a waste process permit, council officials said.

Foundation deputy secretary-general Yu Kai-hsiung (游開雄) advised the public not to purchase columbaria in pet urn towers before there are regulations. If consumers insist on buying them, then they should ask the operators to provide adequate documentation and sign an agreement beforehand.
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