Mississippi, place by place

Dead animal removal by Mississippi city and county

The Mississippi cities and counties we reviewed handle dead animals in very different ways. Southaven's code provides a paid pickup from homes. Madison County's Road Department lists dead animals among the items its debris pickup will not collect. Vicksburg makes it unlawful to let a dead animal remain on one's premises for more than six hours.

A few things hold across the state. For a state highway, Lafayette County's website says MDOT handles dead animals in the roadway and gives (601) 359-7001. Dumping dead wildlife on a road, in public waters or on someone else's land without permission is a misdemeanor (Miss. Code §97-15-32, as reproduced in the Legislature's 2026 bill text). The Board of Animal Health's burial rule is written for livestock and does not mention pets or wildlife. And MDWFP's 2026-2027 CWD Management Zones, North Mississippi, Issaquena and Harrison, carry a rule against transporting any portion of a deer carcass out of a zone; check MDWFP's current map for the boundaries.

There is no statewide deadline in the sources we reviewed. Some cities set one:

• Vicksburg: a dead animal may not remain on one's premises for more than six hours after its death.
• Hattiesburg: a carcass must be disposed of within 12 hours of the death or discovery, unless it is refrigerated or frozen.
• Biloxi: no dead animal may remain undisposed for longer than 12 hours.

North Mississippi

Pine Belt

Other city codes we read

These cities have no page of their own here, but their codes set out a rule. Each was read on 5 October 2026, and each summary keeps to what the section says.

Vicksburg

Section 4-33 makes it unlawful to let a dead animal remain on one's premises for more than six hours after its death, or to throw one onto the city's streets, lanes, alleys or vacant lots, and requires the owner or person in possession of the animal, or the owner or occupant of the premises where it died, to remove it beyond the city limits at their own expense. Source: Vicksburg Code of Ordinances §4-33, read 5 October 2026.

Meridian

Section 12-57 says the carcasses of dead animals "will be made the subject of special collections by the city upon request made to the public works director." Section 6-12 says the animal control division is to be notified promptly of a dead animal and where it is, so that it may be removed and disposed of. Sources: Meridian Code of Ordinances §12-57; Meridian Code of Ordinances §6-12, read 5 October 2026.

Greenville

Section 4-69 says no person may place a dead animal or fowl on their premises or let one remain there, "but shall remove the same or report the same to the city for its removal." Source: Greenville Code of Ordinances §4-69, read 5 October 2026.

Oxford

Section 18-3 tells the owner of a cow, hog, goat, sheep, mule, horse or other large animal to contact the city sanitation department for directions when it dies. Other animals and fowl are to be buried by their owner at least two feet deep, or disposed of as the sanitation department directs. Source: Oxford Code of Ordinances §18-3, read 5 October 2026.

Columbus

Section 16-34 makes it unlawful to throw a dead animal into or onto any street, public ground, sidewalk or ditch in the city, or for a person to fail to remove a dead animal they own to a place outside the city. Source: Columbus Code of Ordinances §16-34, read 5 October 2026.