When a pet passes away, the public service channel in Taipei and New Taipei provides communal cremation: in Taipei City, owners can deliver the body to the Taipei Animal Shelter for commissioned incineration at NT$350 for up to 5 kg, plus NT$70 for each additional kilogram, with fees doubled for non-Taipei residents; in New Taipei City, residents whose dogs or cats are microchipped and officially registered can apply for free communal cremation and household registry de-registration. Pet owners seeking individual cremation to retrieve ashes must engage private pet mortuary providers. Do not discard deceased pets into a garbage truck, dump them on roadsides, or bury them in public parks, and remember to complete pet death registration cancellation (除戶) within 1 month.
Notice: Article 27, Subparagraph 6 of the Waste Disposal Act prohibits discarding animal remains in places other than designated waste storage facilities within designated clearance areas, with violations subject to fines between NT$1,200 and NT$100,000 under Article 50 (amended July 15, Year 115 / 2026). Service fees, operating hours, and eligibility criteria are subject to change; please verify by phone before arrival: Taipei Animal Shelter at 02-8791-3254, or the New Taipei Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office at 1959 or 02-2959-6353, based on the latest announcements from both animal protection agencies.
Public Processing Channels in Taipei and New Taipei
| Item | Taipei City | New Taipei City |
|---|
| Service | Communal commissioned cremation (Animal Protection Office does not offer individual cremation) | Free communal cremation and subsequent registry cancellation service |
| Eligibility | Not limited to household registry; non-Taipei registered residents pay double | New Taipei residents whose pets are microchipped and registered |
| Fee | NT$350 for up to 5 kg; NT$70 per additional 1 kg above 5 kg (fractions of a kg counted as 1 kg) | Free |
| Drop-off Location | Taipei Animal Shelter (No. 191, Anmei Street, Neihu District, Taipei City) | Animal Protection Office and public animal shelters; contact office in advance for locations and hours |
| Operating Hours | Monday to Sunday 10:00 to 16:00, suspended on national holidays | Please consult Animal Protection Office |
| Telephone | 02-8791-3254 | 1959 or 02-2959-6353 |
FAQ published by the Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection specifies that when household pets like dogs or cats die, owners may pay professional pet funeral services or request assistance from the Animal Protection Office's animal shelter; when deceased dogs or cats are found on private land like communities, balconies, or rain awnings, owners are also advised to retain paid pet funeral companies or the animal shelter.
Taipei City: Delivery to Animal Shelter for Cremation
The Taipei Animal Protection Office page "I Want to Commission Pet Body Incineration" (updated 115-08-07 / August 7, 2026) outlines the following procedure:
- Bagging: Enclose the body securely in a black, opaque plastic bag.
- Required Documents: Identification proof with registered address (such as an ID card); pet registration proof (or request on-site staff assistance for verification). If applicant is not the registered owner, bring an authorization letter and ID document (original or copy) of original owner.
- On-site Form: Incineration application form and pet cancellation application form provided at the counter (non-essential preliminary document).
- Payment: Billed strictly according to animal weight.
| Pet Weight (Example) | Taipei Registered Resident | Non-Taipei Registered Resident |
|---|
| 3 kg | NT$350 | NT$700 |
| 5 kg | NT$350 | NT$700 |
| 7.2 kg (exceeds by 2.2 kg, counted as 3 kg) | 350 + 70 × 3 = NT$560 | NT$1,120 |
| 12 kg | 350 + 70 × 7 = NT$840 | NT$1,680 |
The figures in the table above represent trial calculations based on official regulatory fees, subject to on-site billing.
Individual cremation and ash scattering: Animal Protection Office explicitly does not provide individual cremation; owners seeking individual processing must retain private pet cremation operators. After individual cremation, pet ashes can be applied to Taipei Mortuary Services Office's pet ash scattering areas: the "Secret Garden" beside Fude Memorial Park tree burial area, or the pet ash scattering zone next to Yangmingshan Zhenshan Garden flower burial area opened April 1, 110 (2021). Mortuary Services Office states that after completing pet cremation, owners can bring their ID card to Fude Columbarium Office or Zhenshan Garden Office to submit a form for free scattering, or apply online.
New Taipei City: Free Communal Cremation and Registry Cancellation
A press release from the New Taipei Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office on April 23, 2026, explains that New Taipei citizens whose pets are microchipped and registered can apply for free communal cremation and subsequent registry cancellation when the pet dies. Another press release on April 5 of the same year noted that for dogs and cats registered to New Taipei households, the office and public animal shelters offer free assistance with body handling.
To de-register, New Taipei Animal Protection Office specifies preparing a copy of your ID card, pet microchip number, and carcass handling evidence, then visiting a nearby pet registration station or animal protection office, or submitting by post; online death notifications are also available on Pet Registration Information System. If you forget your microchip number, you can call in advance to verify.
Why Public Parks, Riverbanks, and Public Grounds Prohibit Burial
- Waste Disposal Act Article 27: Within designated clearance areas, Article 27 Subparagraph 6 strictly forbids "discarding animal remains in places other than designated waste storage facilities", while Subparagraphs 1 and 2 ban dumping general waste and polluting ground or gutters. Violators face fines between NT$1,200 and NT$100,000 under Article 50, with orders for improvement within a specified time limit and consecutive penalties per infraction if uncorrected.
- Taipei City Park Management Self-Government Ordinance (amended January 12, 113 / 2024): Article 11, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 13 prohibits unauthorized digging of soil, stones, turf, or damaging landscaping in parks; violators are fined between NT$1,200 and NT$6,000 under Article 16.
Regarding whether burying a deceased pet in one's own private yard or private land violates regulations, this article found no explicit official statement from Taipei or New Taipei authorities. Article 27 of the Waste Disposal Act applies to designated clearance areas designated by executing agencies without distinguishing public or private land; whether burying on private land constitutes discarding animal remains has no documented regulatory interpretation. The following is our advice, not an official mandate: in urban areas, please do not bury pets yourself; handing over to public shelters or lawful private cremation operators is safest.
Also, do not place deceased pets into garbage bags to hand to a garbage truck. Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection answers that owners should retain private pet mortuary providers or animal shelters, rather than handing remains to municipal cleaning teams.
Key Precautions When Choosing Private Pet Cremation Services
A Ministry of Agriculture press release on June 24, 2025, notes that pet memorial services are currently managed by local governments under local self-government ordinances; the Ministry of Agriculture issued the "Standard Form Contract Template for Pet Memorial Services" for local governments and operators, highlighting:
- Services are divided into five categories: carcass transport, cleaning and grooming, cold storage, body treatment, and ash processing.
- In case of mid-term contract termination, beyond actual service costs, the cancellation fee paid by the breaching party cannot exceed 5% of total contract price.
- Ash deposit is classified as bailed property, with standard templates defining retrieval, expiration, or non-payment procedures.
- Operators should assist owners of previously registered pets with household cancellation.
On April 23, 2026, New Taipei Animal Protection Office cautioned that some operators promote columbarium niches or deposits using "perpetual use rights" or "lifetime contracts", which may become unenforceable due to operational transfers or closures; they suggest considering single-instance services or short-term storage. Before signing, verify legal licensing, read service scopes, validity periods, management fees, transfer, and cancellation terms, and preserve contracts and receipts. For consumer dispute channels, refer to How to File a Consumer Dispute Complaint.
Our practical advice: clarify whether the service is individual or communal cremation, whether attendance is permitted, when ashes are returned, and insist on written itemized quotations.
Do Not Forget De-registration Within 1 Month
Article 8 of the Pet Registration Management Regulations requires owners to submit pet registration certificates within 1 month of pet death to handle registration cancellation with registration agencies. Under Animal Protection Act Article 31, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 8, failure to report death within the deadline triggers fines between NT$3,000 and NT$15,000, along with orders for improvement. Both dogs and cats require registration; see Pet Registration and Microchip Rules in Taipei and New Taipei. When commissioning incineration at Taipei Animal Shelter, cancellation forms are provided on site.
To dispose of pet daily supplies, diaper pads, or cat litter, check our Garbage Disposal and Recycling Guide; for why cat litter is not food waste, see Food Waste Sorting Rules in Taipei and New Taipei.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a dead pet in a garbage bag for the garbage truck?
Not recommended. Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection recommends paying pet mortuary providers or delivering to Taipei Animal Shelter; New Taipei registered dogs and cats can receive free communal cremation.
Can I retrieve ashes after cremation at the animal shelter?
Taipei Animal Shelter offers communal cremation and explicitly does not offer individual cremation. To keep ashes or scatter them, engage private operators for individual cremation. New Taipei also provides communal cremation; check with Animal Protection Office for details.
What administrative procedures are required after a pet dies?
Pet death registration cancellation (除戶) must be completed within 1 month. In New Taipei, bring an ID card copy and microchip number to registration stations or Animal Protection Office, or report by mail or online.
Can I bury a pet in a park or along a riverbank?
No. Taipei City Park Management Self-Government Ordinance forbids unauthorized excavation, with fines from NT$1,200 to NT$6,000; discarding animal remains outside designated waste storage violates Waste Disposal Act Article 27 Subparagraph 6, with fines from NT$1,200 to NT$100,000 under Article 50.
Can non-Taipei residents use the Taipei Animal Shelter?
Yes, but Animal Protection Office charges double fees for owners without Taipei household registration.
Last updated: 2026-11-01
This article is compiled from public information by SOSfix editors for general guidance; consult Taipei Animal Protection Office, New Taipei Animal Protection Office, or environmental protection departments in Taipei and New Taipei for individual cases.
Sources and References
- Taipei City Animal Protection Office: Commissioning Pet Body Cremation (Updated 115-08-07, verified 2026-11-01): Black opaque bags, required documents, NT$350 fee plus NT$70 per kg, double fee for non-registered, hours, locations, phone, no individual cremation, mortuary ash scattering.
- Taipei City Animal Protection Office FAQ: Beloved Pet Deceased Cremation Procedures (Updated 114-05-01, verified 2026-11-01): Communal cremation handling, service hours, fee structure.
- Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection FAQ: Handling Household Deceased Pets (Updated 115-10-20, verified 2026-11-01): Retaining private funeral providers or delivering to Animal Shelter.
- Taipei City Department of Environmental Protection FAQ: Deceased Dogs and Cats on Private Property (Updated 115-10-20, verified 2026-11-01): Retaining pet funeral providers or shelter for remains on private property.
- Taipei Mortuary Services Office: Pet Ash Scattering Introduction (Verified 2026-11-01): Secret Garden and Zhenshan Garden scattering areas, opened April 1, 110 (2021), free registration with ID after cremation.
- New Taipei City Government Municipal News: Pet Funeral Traps and Perpetual Contracts (Published 2026-04-23, verified 2026-11-01): Free communal cremation and cancellation for registered pets, contract risks and precautions.
- New Taipei City Government Municipal News: Furry Friends Completing Life Journey (Published 2026-04-05, verified 2026-11-01): De-registration documents, free carcass handling at shelter, 1959 and 02-2959-6353.
- Ministry of Agriculture: Standard Form Contract Template for Pet Memorial Services (Published 2025-06-24, verified 2026-11-01): Local autonomy management, five service categories, 5% fee cap, ash deposits, cancellation assistance.
- Laws and Regulations Database: Waste Disposal Act (Amended July 15, Year 115 / 2026, verified 2026-11-01): Article 27 Subparagraphs 1, 2, 6, Article 50 fines NT$1,200 to NT$100,000.
- Taipei City Laws and Regulations System: Taipei City Park Management Self-Government Ordinance (Amended January 12, 113 / 2024, verified 2026-11-01): Article 11 Paragraph 1 Subparagraph 13 excavation ban, Article 16 fines NT$1,200 to NT$6,000.
- Laws and Regulations Database: Pet Registration Management Regulations (Amended April 12, 106 / 2017, verified 2026-11-01): Article 8 cancellation within 1 month of death.
- Ministry of Agriculture Pet Registration Information System: FAQ (Verified 2026-11-01): Mandatory registration for dogs and cats.
- Laws and Regulations Database: Animal Protection Act (Amended May 19, 110 / 2021, verified 2026-11-01): Article 19 registration, Article 31 Paragraph 1 Subparagraph 8 fines NT$3,000 to NT$15,000.
