In South Korea, many people choose to give their pets a funeral: a practice that is strictly regulated by law.

Beaucoup de Sud-Coréens font le choix d’enterrer leur animal de compagnie, bien que cela soit interdit. Liudmila Chernetska/Getty Images

The death of a pet forces owners to ask themselves questions about the remains of their little companion. Because the burial of an animal obeys fairly strict rules in most countries, including South Korea. But many South Koreans do not respect them, which worries local authorities.

While the birth rate is declining in the country, South Koreans are experiencing parenthood by taking on pets. In 2022, 25% of them had one or more, according to the Korea Times, which cites figures from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. These dogs, cats and other animals have become so important in the lives of South Koreans that they are pushed around in strollers or taken on trips.

When they die, many choose to give them a funeral. Except that this practice is very regulated by law. Owners are not allowed to keep the remains of their pets. They must entrust them to a veterinarian who will take care of having them cremated, or call an animal crematorium, according to the Korea Times. South Korean “pet parents” can also put the body of their dog or cat in a plastic bag and throw it in the trash, but few of them do this.

Burning your pet yourself is prohibited

Despite the law, many South Koreans choose to bury their pets. The Korea Consumer Affairs Agency conducted a survey on the subject in 2023, and found that 40% of owners bury their pet's body, as they would a loved one. However, it is strictly forbidden to do it yourself, and to bury the remains of a dog, cat or hamster in a green space. Violators face a fine of one million won (about $700).

South Koreans often choose to bury their pets themselves due to a lack of alternatives. There are only 75 pet crematoriums in the country, none of which are in Seoul. They are usually located in remote areas, which discourages grieving “pet parents” from going there. “Residents don't want these establishments in their neighborhoods because they fear it will devalue their property,” Lee Jin-hong, a professor at Konkuk University, told The Korea Times.

There are calls in South Korea for the government to change the legal status of animals so that they are no longer considered chattel. Animal rights activists say that if they were considered sentient beings, the authorities would be more inclined to open more animal crematoriums. And thus help owners cope better with the loss of their four-legged friends.