What to Do With a Dead Animal in Your Yard
A step-by-step for right now — what to wear, what tools, when to call the city vs a private operator, when it's a rabies/health risk requiring professional handling.
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What should I do if I find a dead animal in my yard?
Identify it first. Raccoon, skunk, bat and fox are rabies-vector species and are the ones municipalities most often refuse. Then check where it is: the public right-of-way is the city's job and free, your yard is yours. If you handle it, wear heavy gloves, double-bag it, and disinfect the spot.
Eight Steps From Discovery to Disposed
If you've decided to handle it yourself (small, outdoor, non-vector species), here's the safe-handling sequence.
- Identify the species. Rabies-vector species (raccoon, skunk, fox, and bat) shouldn't be DIY-handled even outdoors. If unsure, call a wildlife operator rather than guess.
- Gear up. Heavy rubber or nitrile gloves. Long sleeves, long pants, closed-toe boots. Respirator (N95 or P100) if odor is heavy. Eye protection if you'll be lifting at face level.
- Gather tools. Two heavy contractor-grade trash bags (3-mil minimum). Long-handled shovel or pitchfork. Disinfectant spray (10% bleach solution or enzyme product).
- Move the carcass. Use the shovel — don't lift with hands. Slide into the first bag. Tie tightly, remove air. Place first bag inside second bag. Tie tightly.
- Place on the curb. Morning of trash collection — don't set out days in advance (heat accelerates odor + attracts scavengers). Confirm your hauler accepts dead animals; some have weight limits (usually 40 lbs/bag).
- Disinfect the site. Spray the recovery area with diluted bleach (1 part bleach, 9 parts water) or enzymatic odor neutralizer. Let sit 10 minutes. Rinse or let dry. Neutralizes pathogens AND prevents secondary scavengers from being drawn to the site.
- Decontaminate yourself. Wash hands and exposed skin with soap and warm water immediately. Wash clothing separately if it had contact with the carcass.
- Note the entry point (if relevant). If the animal got into a structure (garage, shed, under deck), find and seal the entry point — otherwise more will follow.
Don't want to deal with it?
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📞 (317) 451-8385Five Triggers That Mean "Call a Professional"
Sometimes the cost/risk of professional pickup is much smaller than the cost/risk of DIY. These five triggers reliably tip the scale toward calling.
- Rabies-vector species. Raccoon, skunk, bat, fox, coyote — IDOH-protocol PPE handling is the safer call. Professional handling also avoids the rabies post-exposure decision if you accidentally contact the carcass.
- Large animal (deer, livestock). Adult white-tail can weigh 150-250 lbs. Beyond DIY without proper equipment. Disposal also requires landfill permits in most counties.
- Indoor location. Attic, walls, crawlspace, chimney, HVAC ducts. Requires access cuts, sanitize, entry-point assessment. Beyond DIY for most homeowners.
- Heavy decomposition. If you can smell it from 20+ feet away or if there's visible fluid spread, the cleanup scope goes beyond simple bagging. Enzymatic treatment and odor remediation are professional services.
- Contact happened. If a person, pet, or livestock had any contact with the carcass — bite, scratch, lick, prolonged proximity — call a wildlife operator AND contact your physician/vet for rabies post-exposure assessment.
Dead Animal in Your Yard — FAQ
What should I wear to remove a dead animal myself?
What tools do I need?
When should I just call the city instead?
When is it a health risk requiring professional handling?
What if my pet was around the dead animal?
Should I disinfect the area where the carcass was?
Official sources
Every legal statement on this page traces to one of the sources below. Each was retrieved and read on the date shown. Where a source is agency guidance rather than law, it is labelled as such in the text.
- Indiana Code IC 15-17-11 — State carcass-disposal chapter. IC 15-17-11-1(3) states it does not apply to bodies of dead fish, reptiles, or small animals of any kind, including dogs, cats and small game. No burial depth number appears in the chapter
- Indiana State Board of Animal Health — BOAH treats wildlife as outside IC 15-17-11 and sets the covering standard for on-premises burial
- CDC — Rabies — Federal guidance on handling animals that may be rabies vectors
Accuracy and review
- Last reviewed
- Reviewed against
- Indiana Code · Indiana State Board of Animal Health · CDC
- Editorial process
- See our editorial policy
This page is general information for Indiana homeowners, not legal advice. Statements of law are quoted from the state's own code or administrative rules and linked to the official text. Statements of agency guidance are labelled as guidance, not law. Local ordinances, county health rules and waste-hauler policies vary and can be stricter than state law — confirm locally before acting. Indiana has no state statute governing a homeowner’s disposal of a dead pet or wild animal: IC 15-17-11-1(3) excludes small animals including dogs, cats and small game, and the Board of Animal Health treats wildlife as outside the chapter. Pet burial is therefore governed by municipal ordinance, and IC 15-17-11-22 bars burial inside city or town limits where an ordinance prohibits it.
Think something here is wrong? We would rather be corrected than be cited incorrectly. Tell us what is inaccurate and, if possible, the official source that says otherwise — send a correction or call (317) 451-8385. Corrections to law or agency contact details are reviewed and, where verified, applied and dated.
If you should not be handling it yourself
Calls route to an independent licensed operator covering your county. Indiana Dead Animal Removal is an advertising service, not a removal company. If one of the free options above covers your situation, use it first.