How to Dispose of a Dead Animal in Michigan
What the Bodies of Dead Animals Act actually requires, the six lawful methods, and the exemption that covers most road-killed animals.
- $300–$1,000
- Flat rate, by animal size
- Under 4 hr
- Same-day response target
- No trip fee
- Quoted on the call
- ✓ MCL 287.671 — 24 hours, six methods
- ✓ Burial: not less than two feet
- ✓ Reviewed against legislature.mi.gov
How do I legally dispose of a dead animal in Michigan?
Michigan’s Bodies of Dead Animals Act (MCL 287.671) requires disposal within 24 hours after death by one of six methods, the practical one being burial not less than two feet below the natural surface. Household trash is not among them. Road-killed small mammals, deer and birds are exempt entirely.
What Michigan law actually says
The operative statute is the Bodies of Dead Animals Act, 1982 PA 239, codified at MCL 287.651 to 287.683 and administered by MDARD. The core duty is at MCL 287.671(2): all dead animals must be disposed of within 24 hours after death by one of six named methods.
Michigan’s scope is unusually broad, and this matters. MCL 287.653(4) defines “animal” as “mollusks, crustaceans, and vertebrates other than human beings.” That reaches pets, wildlife and livestock alike. Several neighbouring states limit their disposal statutes to domesticated animals or livestock only, so guidance written for those states does not transfer here.
The six approved methods
| Method (MCL 287.671(2)) | Requirement | Practical for a homeowner? |
|---|---|---|
| Burial | Not less than 2 feet below the natural surface of the ground | Yes, on your own land, subject to local rules |
| Incineration | An appropriately licensed or permitted incinerator | No — not an open burn pile |
| Composting | Per rules promulgated under the Act | Mainly agricultural |
| Licensed dead animal dealer | Procuring their services | Yes — this is what a removal service arranges |
| Licensed rendering plant | Procuring their services | Commercial route |
| Licensed animal food manufacturing plant | Procuring their services | Commercial route |
What is exempt — including road kill
This is the part most Michigan guidance omits. MCL 287.671(3) lists categories not subject to the 24-hour rule or the two-foot depth at all:
- Road kill — “small mammals, cervidae, and birds, that are road kill.” Cervidae means deer.
- Small mammals, deer and birds taken under a Michigan DNR damage and nuisance animal control permit (NREPA part 401).
- Animals in secured cold storage at or below 40 °F for up to 7 days, or frozen at or below 0 °F for up to 30 days.
- Restaurant grease.
- Animals used as specimens at educational institutions.
Read that carefully: the exemption removes the statutory duty and deadline. It does not mean nobody is responsible. A road-killed deer on a state trunkline is still MDOT’s to clear, and one on your lawn is still yours to deal with — you simply are not on a 24-hour statutory clock or bound to two feet.
Which route fits which animal
| Animal | Usual lawful route | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mouse, bird, squirrel, chipmunk | Burial at 2 ft, or curbside if your hauler allows | Road-killed ones are exempt from the statute |
| Opossum, groundhog, rabbit | Burial at 2 ft, or licensed dealer | Check bag weight limits, commonly 40 lb |
| Raccoon, skunk, bat, fox, coyote | Licensed operator or county animal control | Rabies-vector species. Do not handle bare-handed |
| Dog or cat (your own pet) | Burial at 2 ft, or veterinary cremation | Covered by the Act — the definition includes vertebrates generally |
| Dog or cat (stray, owner unknown) | County or municipal animal control | They can scan for a microchip; a private operator cannot |
| Deer | Salvage permit, licensed dealer, or landfill | Road-killed deer are exempt under 287.671(3)(b) |
The household trash question
Household trash is not one of the six methods MCL 287.671(2) lists. That is not the same as being banned — the Act names approved routes rather than prohibiting everything else by implication.
In practice the decision belongs to your municipality and your waste hauler. Most accept a small, fully contained, double-bagged carcass; most refuse anything leaking, visible through the bag, or over their weight limit. Call the hauler. Do not rely on a neighbouring state’s guidance — Michigan’s statute is structured differently from Ohio’s or Minnesota’s.
Burial: two feet, not three
MCL 287.671(2)(a) requires “burial not less than 2 feet below the natural surface of the ground.” A great deal of consumer content publishes three feet as a generic figure; that is not Michigan’s number, and it is not any neighbouring state’s number either.
Two feet is a floor. County zoning, local health rules and HOA covenants can require more, and none of them appear in the statute. Keep the grave clear of wells, streams and septic fields, and do not bury a rabies-vector species.
What happens if you do not
Michigan’s penalties are more specific than most states’. Under MCL 287.679, a violation is a misdemeanour punishable by a fine of not less than $300 or imprisonment of not less than 30 days, or both. Three or more convictions becomes a felony, punishable by up to one year or a $2,000 fine. Separately, MCL 287.678 allows MDARD to impose an administrative fine of up to $1,000 after notice and a hearing.
When to call a government office (often free)
- MDOT — a carcass on a state trunkline or interstate.
- County road commission — county roads.
- Municipal public works or DPW — city streets and rights-of-way.
- County or municipal animal control — any dead dog or cat where the owner is unknown; they can scan a microchip.
- Local health department — suspected rabies exposure or a public health nuisance.
- Michigan DNR — road-kill salvage permits and protected species questions.
Frequently asked questions
How deep must a dead animal be buried in Michigan?
How long do I have to dispose of a dead animal in Michigan?
Does the Bodies of Dead Animals Act cover my pet?
Is road kill exempt in Michigan?
Can I put a dead animal in my household trash in Michigan?
What is the penalty for improper disposal in Michigan?
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.
- Bodies of Dead Animals Act, 1982 PA 239 (MCL 287.651–287.683) — Full official text — MCL 287.671(2) sets the 24-hour deadline, the six methods and the two-foot burial depth; 287.653(4) defines "animal"; 287.679 sets penalties
- Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) — Administers the Bodies of Dead Animals Act and licenses dead animal dealers, rendering plants and transfer stations
- Michigan DNR — Wildlife Permits — Wildlife damage and nuisance control permits, and the road-kill salvage permit
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) — State rabies programme; local health departments act on exposures
- CDC — Rabies — Federal guidance on handling animals that may be rabies vectors
Accuracy and review
- Last reviewed
- Reviewed against
- Michigan Compiled Laws · MDARD · CDC
- Editorial process
- See our editorial policy
This page is general information for Michigan 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. The Bodies of Dead Animals Act is primarily a licensing and public-health statute regulating dealers, renderers and transfer stations; the homeowner-facing duty sits in MCL 287.671.
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 (616) 612-2122. Corrections to law or agency contact details are reviewed and, where verified, applied and dated.
If it is in a wall, too large, or a species you should not touch
Calls route to an independent licensed operator covering your county. Michigan Dead Animal Removal is an advertising service, not a removal company. If a public agency covers your situation above, call them first — it is usually free.