Disposal of Dead Animals

Contents

• Introduction
• Statutes
• Guidelines
• Ordinance Provisions
• Related MRSC Pages
  • West Nile Virus Information

Introduction

This page provides references and sample regulations on the disposal of dead animals. Provisions relating to animal control services which have the responsibility to pick up and dispose of dead animals in city streets and the disposal of dead animals from animal control facilities or veterinarians have not been included.

Statutes

• RCW 16.36.102 - Duty to Bury Carcass of Diseased Livestock -- Dead Livestock Presumed Diseased
• Ch. 16.68 RCW - Disposal of Dead Animals
• WAC 246-203-121 - Disposal of Dead Animals

Guidelines

• Animal Disposal Following an Emergency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Disposal of Animal Carcasses (not exposed to disease causing germs), King County Public Health
• Proper Disposal of Dead Animals Fact Sheet (), Benton-Franklin Health District, 07/2009

Ordinance Provisions

• Benton City Municipal Code Sec. 6.03.180 - Duties Upon Injuries or Death of an Animal - Duty of  persons operating or driving a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in an injury or death to an animal 
• Enumclaw Municipal Code Sec. 8.12.240 - Garbage - Dead Animals
• King County Solid Waste Division Solid Waste Handling Facilities Waste Acceptance Rule, PUT 7-1-5 (PR), 06/20/2005

  6.0 Policies - 6.2 Individual dead animals weighing less than 15 pounds may be disposed in the general waste stream. Dead animals weighing more than 15 pounds, or dead animals disposed in quantity should be taken to a rendering plant, veterinary clinic, animal shelter, pet cemetery or buried on the property owners property, so long as no nuisance is created. If none of these methods are available, dead animals may be accepted at the Cedar Hills Landfill or other designated facility when accompanied by a Waste Clearance Decision

• Vader Ordinance No. 2002-03 () - See Sec. 13 - Removal of Dead Animals
• West Richland Municipal Code Sec. 8.04.100 () - Dead Animal Disposal
• Yakima Municipal Code Sec. 4.16.170(g) - Disposal of Dead Animals

Need more information?

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