Fresh pet graves at the Tower of Silence Parsi cemetery on Malabar Hill have raised concerns among orthodox members of the community, who question whether a sacred site meant exclusively for human remains should be used for animal burials.
Legal Ambiguity Around Pet Burials
While laws permit the burial of animals on private property under specific conditions, burials cannot be carried out if the landowner objects. The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), which manages the 50-acre cemetery used for traditional sky burials, said that pet burials are informally tolerated, but permanent grave markers are not allowed.
A Parsi visitor discovered a small memorial on Wednesday morning a circle of stones adorned with images of a beloved pet, with another similar stone circle beside it. “The place is increasingly being used for animal burials. If the graves are shallow, the practice is not hygienic,” said the visitor, requesting anonymity.
No Clear Municipal Guidelines
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stated that no specific municipal laws govern pet burials on private land. The Prevention and Control of Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009, also does not specify whether burials are permissible in private plots in urban areas.
Animal rights advisor Roshan Pathak from the PAL Foundation explained that animals that die from rabies must be buried six to seven feet deep, while others may be buried more shallowly provided the property owner raises no objection.
BPP Says Pet Memorials Will Be Removed
BPP chairperson Viraf Mehta said the stones marking the pet grave will be removed. “As a courtesy, we have allowed community members to bury pets at the cemetery. But we do not want the practice to go out of hand. As a rule, we avoid this. We will remove the memorial,” Mehta said.
Limited Cremation Facilities for Pets in Mumbai
Mumbai currently has only one BMC-run pet crematorium, located in Malad. Additional facilities are planned for Deonar and Mahalaxmi. The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals also operates a crematorium at Parel.
Dr Kalimpasha Pathan, general manager of BMC’s animal husbandry department and the municipal abattoir, said, “The disposal rules for animals are governed by national law, not municipal guidelines. But we expect the bodies of pet animals to be disposed of in cemeteries like humans.”
However, many pet parents seek a memorial even a temporary one to honour their departed companions, making the issue increasingly contentious.
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