Dubai: Members of the public should start placing online orders for livestock sacrifice for Eid Al Adha at Dubai Abattoirs as early as now, officials said today.
Dubai Municipality officials have urged the public not to slaughter animals at homes and farms and have asked them to use the service of mobile apps to purchase livestock, get them slaughtered at the municipality’s abattoirs and get them delivered home.
This year, Eid Al Adha is expected to fall on July 9.
The advisory from senior officials is aimed at preventing health risks due to unsafe animal slaughtering and to avoid the huge rush for livestock sacrifice through the municipality’s abattoirs.
Ali Taher Al Hammadi, director of the Public Health Services Department at the municipality, told Gulf News: “People should not sacrifice livestock at places like homes and farms. They are welcome to our abattoirs to do that to avoid health and safety risks.” He welcomed the public to make use of the four abattoirs located in Al Qusais, Al Quoz, Al Lisaily and Hatta.
Why choose abattoirs
Al Hammadi emphasised the importance of relying on abattoirs as they employ the latest tools and equipment to operate according to globally-approved hygiene requirements and standards. “The abattoirs offer Shariah-compliant livestock slaughtering services, guaranteeing health and safety of the people, as they prepare and slaughter livestock in a clean and hygienic environment. The facilities also provide veterinary inspections of livestock before and after slaughtering to ensure they are safe and fit for human consumption,” he added.
According to a previous announcement from the municipality, butchers in Dubai’s cattle market and other meat shops face a Dh2,000 fine if they indulge in illegal slaughtering of animals for Eid Al Adha.
Mohammed Othman Al Zarooni, a veterinary health inspector with the municipality, said this is to ensure that the livestock is checked for health risks by veterinarians.
“We have 16 veterinary doctors who examine the livestock before and after slaughtering them to ensure the meat is fit for human consumption. Some animals might have certain diseases that can be harmful to humans if they consume the meat. Only the vets can detect it,” he pointed out.
If any disease is detected, either the affected organ or the entire carcass of the animal will be discarded to limit the risk of communicable disease transmission between animals and people, he explained.
The municipality has trained butchers and has also established guidelines to ensure that the livestock is transported to the abattoirs in secure and equipped vehicles.
Why use mobile apps?
To avoid the huge rush at abattoirs, the municipality has enhanced the services through mobile applications.
Fatima Al Harmoodi, who supervises Al Quoz Abattoir, said there are seven mobile apps through which people can place orders for livestock slaughtering through the municipality’s abattoirs. “We have a first-come, first-served policy at the abattoirs. So, people can expect delays during Eid. To avoid the rush, we are asking people to place their orders through the apps as early as possible. They can start ordering now to ensure they get the animals of their choice for slaughtering and get them delivered home on time. They should not wait till the day of Eid.”
Authorised apps
The authorised smart apps for ordering sacrifices include Al Mawashi, Turki, Shabab Al Freej, Dhabayih Aldaar, Al Anood Slaughters, DHABAYEH UAE and Tender Meat. These apps are customer-centric and offer high quality services that save time and effort, officials said.
Due to the Eid rush, Al Harmoodi said abattoirs would only make four cuts of the livestock. “If people order through the apps, they can get the meat cut in smaller pieces as well.”
People still wishing to visit the abattoirs for livestock sacrifice should not crowd the area and should stick to the opening hours of the abattoirs, she said.
“Once they make the payment, they can wait in their vehicles. We will get the meat delivered to their vehicles. We cannot allow people to crowd in front of the slaughtering areas,” Al Harmoodi added.
Meanwhile, Al Hammadi said Dubai Abattoirs have the capacity to slaughter up to 8,000 animals a day. “Last year, we slaughtered around 32,000 animals during the Eid days.”
More than 5,000 orders were made through the mobile apps last year, Al Hammadi said. “This is in line with the municipality’s vision to sustain its position as a leading municipality that delivers the greatest quality of life to its residents by adhering to the highest standards in its services and meeting customers’ needs in a timely, smooth, and flexible manner.”
Working hours
Al Qusais Abattoir will be open from 7am until 6pm on Arafat Day, from 8am to 4pm on the first three days of Eid Al Adha, and from 8 am to 6 pm on the fourth day.
The working hours of Al Quoz, Hatta and Al Lisaili Abattoirs will be from 7am to 4pm on Arafat Day, from 8am to 4pm on the first three days of Eid Al Adha, and from 7am to 2pm on the fourth day.
Slaughtering charges:
Goat/Sheep: Dh15
Cow: From Dh45-55 (depending on the size)
Camel: From Dh60-65 (depending on the size)
