DUBAI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ahead of the Islamic feast of sacrifice Eid al-Adha, the Dubai Municipality warned residents not to bring animals to unlicensed butchers, local media reported Wednesday.
Dubai Municipality said that "street butchers" can be slapped with a fine of 2,000 dirhams (545 U.S. dollars), or prosecution, depending on the case, the Gulf News reported.
The slaughtering of animals outside licensed butcheries, also called abattoirs, is illegal in Dubai. However, street butchers are in high demand during the busy holiday season as many customers want to skip the long lines at the abattoirs.
A street butcher can charge 250-300 dirhams for slaughtering a goat or sheep, and 800-1000 dirhams for a cow or camel. But abattoirs only charge around 15 dirhams for a goat or sheep, and 50-70 dirhams for a cow or camel.
So, street butchers can make tens of thousands of dollars during the days of the Eid al-Adha.
Local residents reported that unlicensed butchers, mostly from South Asia, come to the United Arab Emirates on tourist visas only to tout their illegal service to customers who are not aware of the local regulations, the report said.
During the Eid al-Adha last year, 45 illegal butchers and two porters were caught in the cattle market area at Al Ghusais, it said.
Eid al-Adha holidays, which follow the Islamic lunar calendar, extend from August 31st to September 4th in Dubai this year.
