Deceased Animals & End of Life Services
Deceased Pets & Domestic Animals
For deceased pets please call us at (503) 988-7387 during regular phone hours to file a report or use the Deceased Animal Removal Request form. Our animal services officers will remove dead domestic animals and pets on public property (except freeways). Deceased cats and dogs will be checked for microchips so owners can be contacted.
Officers are unable to pick up deceased animals on private property, and finders are advised to move them to a discreet area in the public right-of-way, in a box or bag if found in an inaccessible location.
We encourage finders of deceased animals to be as specific as possible in their reports to describe the location and nature of each find, position relative to the curb, and any bags or containers used, as face-to-face clarifications with officers are to be avoided as much as possible.
Dead stray animals and wildlife on freeways are removed by The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). If the animal presents an immediate hazard, see the ODOT info for road hazards. (ODOT only responds to dead animals on freeways, not local roads.)
Rabbits
If you find a deceased rabbit, please report it directly to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), who are currently tracking and preventing the spread of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2). Please call 1-800-347-7028 or visit https://oda.direct/RHD to report domestic or wild rabbits which are suspected to have died from RHDV2.
Deceased Wildlife
Multnomah County Animal Services (MCAS) contracts with a community partner to pickup deceased wildlife on public property (except highways). Pickup may take up to 72 hrs.
Request a Deceased Wildlife Pickup
Members of the public are also permitted to dispose of small deceased wildlife in their garbage.
How to handle and dispose of deceased wildlife
- Wear gloves and a facemask as needed
- Use a shovel or another tool to place the animal in a bag
- Place the bag in two other sealable bags
- Place the triple-bagged and sealed carcass into the garbage
- Alternatively, deceased animals may be triple-bagged and brought to a Metro Transfer Station for a fee. Contact Metro for size limitations and more information.
Birds
If you find a dead bird and suspect that it died of a disease, please submit a report to Multnomah County Vector Control or the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW).
Dead birds may be disposed of in the same manner as other wildlife.
