No, burying a pet in your yard is illegal in Belgium under the 2018 Animal Welfare Act and Walloon/Flemish regional decrees. Authorities classify pets as livestock, requiring disposal via licensed incineration or pet cemeteries. Violations risk fines up to €2,500 under the 2023 Flemish Environmental Sanctions Decree.
Key Regulations for Burying a Pet in Your Yard in Belgium
- National Prohibition: The 2018 Animal Welfare Act (Art. 12) mandates licensed disposal for deceased pets, aligning with EU sanitary standards to prevent zoonotic disease spread.
- Regional Enforcement: Wallonia’s 2021 Décret sur la Protection Animale and Flanders’ 2023 Dierenwelzijnsdecreet explicitly prohibit backyard burials, delegating oversight to municipal environmental agencies (e.g., Agence Wallonne pour la Promotion d’une Agriculture de Qualité).
- Penalties: Non-compliance triggers fines under regional environmental codes, with Flanders imposing €1,000–€2,500 for violations, while Wallonia refers cases to public health inspectors (Direction Générale de l’Environnement).
Local exceptions exist for rural properties in Flanders (post-2026 pilot schemes may permit biodegradable urns), but these require prior approval from the Departement Omgeving. Urban and suburban zones remain strictly regulated. Contact your municipal dienst milieu or the FOD Volksgezondheid for site-specific guidance.