Residents urged to follow rules on sacrificial animals
Avoid roaming butchers, use designated abattoirs only, officials say
Abu Dhabi authorities have reminded worshippers to refrain from using the service of unofficial roaming butchers for animal sacrifices and urged them to instead use only governmentapproved services for Eid Al Adha rituals.
Roaming butchers are known to approach residents, offering to sacrifice the animal at their home for a price. However, officials have repeated warned against this unauthorised practice.
On Saturday, Abu Dhabi Media Office sent out an advisory in a series of tweets regarding precautionary measures for Eid Al Adha sacrifices, based on guidelines from Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee and Department of Municipalities and Transport.
Know the rules
The guidelines said sacrifices are only allowed at approved abattoirs that provide a drive-through facility for collecting the meat of the sacrificed animal. It added that donations and services for sacrifices should be routed through registered charities and apps in the UAE.
The tweets added: “Procuring the services of itinerant butchers offering athome services is prohibited. Distributions to friends must take place in adherence with all safety measures.
“Sacrificial donations, distributions and payments are to be arranged with charitable organisations within the UAE. Sacrifices are only to be conducted at approved abattoirs that provide drive-through services to customers.”
Eid Al Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) is an annual Muslim festival celebrating the completion of the Haj pilgrimage in Makkah, by offering a sacrificial animal (typically goat or sheep) in gratitude.