Why You Shouldn’t Remove Dead Animals Yourself

You may be pleased to find a dead mouse or raccoon on your property – yay, pest problem solved! But it could be just the beginning of your problem. What to do with the carcass? Don’t even think about flushing it down the toilet. And you can’t just throw it in the trash in most parts of North America. Give it a decent burial? Even if your property is large, can you bury the carcass deep enough and securely enough to ensure it won’t be dug up by other vermin, or the neighbor’s dog? Times like these, it pays to call a professional with dead animal removal experience.

In case you’re skeptical, here is a brief (and we think, convincing) list of the major reasons homeowners should not take on the task of removing dead animals from around their property:

  • Skilled diagnostics – a professional can often glean information about communicable disease (such as rabies) or other potential infestation issues by examining an animal carcass after death
  • Disease – potentially deadly diseases such as tularemia and leptospirosis can be contracted by touching or even being in close proximity to an animal carcass. Professionals carry the necessary hazardous material equipment and safety gear to ensure these are not transmitted
  • Special health risks – people with compromised immune systems, degenerative disease, or who may be pregnant should definitely not be exposing themselves to decomposing flesh of any kind
  • Psychological distress – you may think you can handle it, but sensitive homeowners with a soft spot for animals (or who have small children hanging around) may prefer to avoid dealing with carcass removal for emotional reasons. That’s perfectly OK – call a pro
  • There may be additional clean-up required – odors, stains, emissions, flies or maggots. Ask yourself if you also have the skills (and stomach!) necessary to deal with the aftermath once a carcass is removed
  • Dumping is discouraged – most jurisdictions don’t allow carcasses to be disposed of through regular household waste collection programs. It may even be illegal in your town or county

Except in rare cases, animal carcass disposal should be handled by a professional. Critter Control will not only take care of your living pest problems; they can safely and expertly deal with carcass removal and the clean-up to follow. Do yourself a favor and call them today for all your pest and vermin removal needs.