Environment Agency guidance for England says permission is not needed to bury a small domestic pet, such as a dog or cat, on your own land, that larger pets such as a horse must follow minimum groundwater protection distances, and that animals kept as livestock cannot be buried on site.

Pets that can be buried at home

The Environment Agency guidance, which applies to England, says burials must not pollute groundwater, but that no permission is needed to bury domestic pets. A small domestic pet animal such as a dog or cat can be buried on the owner’s own land, for example in a back garden, and there are no minimum good practice groundwater protection requirements for it. GOV.UK’s fallen stock guidance adds that a pet animal is defined in the regulations as any animal belonging to a species normally nourished and kept, but not consumed, by humans for purposes other than farming. The rules are about the animal’s status, so the same guidance treats farm animals differently.

Larger pets and horses

For a larger pet animal such as a pet horse, the guidance says to follow the minimum good practice groundwater protection requirements and to contact the local council’s animal health office, which may ask for a map marking the burial place or have other requirements. GOV.UK’s fallen stock page says that in England horses can be buried whether or not they are pets, while in Scotland and Wales only pet horses can be buried. Those are separate rules for each nation, and this guide focuses on England. For a larger pet the guidance sets a minimum distance of 50 metres from any well, borehole or spring supplying water for human consumption or used in food production, including private water supplies.

Minimum good practice for groundwater

Where the minimum requirements apply, a burial site should be outside a source protection zone 1, at least 250 metres from any well, borehole or spring supplying water for human consumption or used in food production, at least 30 metres from any spring or watercourse not used for those purposes, and at least 10 metres from any field drain, including dry ditches. Those figures are for burials generally, with the different 50 metre distance noted above for larger pets. All animal burial places should have at least 1 metre between the base of the hole and the top of the water table, with no standing water when dug, and should be deep enough for at least 1 metre of soil over the top of the carcass. Burial holes should not be dug in unweathered bedrock or in areas at risk of groundwater flooding.

Livestock and wild game

The guidance is firm that animals kept as livestock, and wild game, must not be buried on site, including at farms and zoos. They can be disposed of through commercial incineration and rendering, or in landfill with the correct environmental permit for animal carcasses. Under normal circumstances, burying fallen stock is not allowed under the Animal By-products (Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013, with a derogation for the Isles of Scilly. GOV.UK’s fallen stock page names NFSCo, a not-for-profit collection service for farmers and horse owners. The same guidance bans burial or burning of fallen stock in the open. Burning garden waste is a different subject, covered in the guide to garden bonfires and burning waste.

Pet ashes

After a cremation, the Environment Agency says no permission is needed to scatter or bury the ashes of a single pet on the owner’s own land, and no formal record needs to be kept. Permission from the landowner is needed to scatter or bury ashes on someone else’s land. Where ashes are scattered across surface waters such as a river, the guidance says to make sure the effect on the environment and wildlife is minimal, not to affect other watercourse users, and not to scatter memorabilia or other items.

Pet cemeteries and enforcement

Owners and managers of pet cemeteries must follow the minimum good practice groundwater requirements, the Animal By-products (Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013 and the voluntary code of the Association of Private Pet Cemeteries and Crematoria, and must register the cemetery with the Animal and Plant Health Agency. The Environment Agency can take action if large numbers of burials, at once or over time, affect or could affect groundwater quality, and can serve a works notice under section 161A of the Water Resources Act 1991. A household burying one small pet is unlikely to be affected, but the distances above are the benchmark. General guidance on sorting household waste is in the guide to general waste, recycling or hazardous waste.

FAQs

Do I need permission to bury my dog or cat in the garden?

According to the Environment Agency, no permission is needed to bury domestic pets, and there are no minimum groundwater distances for a small pet buried at home.

Can I bury a horse on my land?

In England, GOV.UK says horses can be buried whether or not they are pets. A larger pet must meet the groundwater distances and the council’s animal health office should be contacted.

Can I scatter my pet’s ashes anywhere?

Not anywhere. On your own land no permission is needed, but permission from the landowner is needed elsewhere, and scattering on rivers should have minimal environmental effect.

The bottom line

In England a small pet can be buried on the owner’s own land without permission, larger pets and horses follow groundwater distances, livestock cannot be buried on site, and pet ashes can be buried or scattered on the owner’s land. Scotland and Wales have different rules for horses, so nation-specific advice should be checked. This is general information, not veterinary or legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 24 September 2026:

• Environment Agency, “Animal burials: prevent groundwater pollution” (GOV.UK, published 1 April 2022)
• GOV.UK, “Fallen stock and safe disposal of dead animals”

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