Say no to illegal slaughtering, Sharjah, Ajman residents told

sharjah / ajman — Starting today, the civic bodies of Sharjah and AJman will intensify monitoring of illegal butchers at the cattle and sheep markets.

The municipalities of both the emirates have warned residents of the dangers of slaughtering by unlicensed butchers who roam around offering cheap services to the people.

Both the municipalities have urged the public not to hire an illegal butcher to slaughter a sacrificial animal even in authorised places or inside villas or houses, as the practice would pose serious health and environmental risk.

The municipalities of the two emirates have said that the abattoirs are all set to meet the surge in demand for services. The slaughtering of sacrificial animals will start from 7.30am on Arafah day and continue till 6pm, the municipalities said.

Illegal slaughtering not only poses a risk to public health, but the waste of animals dumped in the open pollutes the environment.” Shaza Al Muallah, director, public health department, Sharjah

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Shaza Al Muallah, director of the public health department, said the awareness programme will continue and is currently being organised at the municipality’s main building, and at the Sharjah cooperative societies in Al Qarayen and Helwan areas. The programme includes exhibitions that display pictures of animals with disease and slaughtered animals found infected with various types of contagious diseases.

“The programme is aimed at educating the public on the illegal slaughtering of animals during

To prevent illegal slaughtering, Ajman municipality will provide a plot belonging to the abattoir for traders to sell the sacrificial animals.” Khaled Al Hosani, head of health directorate, Ajman

Eid Al Adha. Pamphlets and booklets explaining the various diseases are also being distributed. Illegal butchers, meat shops, restaurants if found slaughtering animals at non-designated places will risk fines of up to Dh20,000.”

Al Muallah urged resident of Sharjah to avoid illegal slaughtering and get the services at the abattoirs, which maintain the highest standards of quality to ensure health safety for the public.

“Illegal slaughtering not only poses a risk to public health, but the waste of animals dumped in the open affects the cleanliness of the city and pollutes the environment,” she said.

Khaled Al Hosani, head of health directorate at the Ajman Municipality, said: “To prevent illegal slaughtering, Ajman municipality will provide a plot belonging to the abattoir for traders to sell the sacrificial animals. This will make it easier for the people to choose the animals and directly go to the abattoir for slaughtering instead of seeking illegal butchers rooming around in residential areas to do the services.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com