Mississippi, private property
A Dead Animal in Your Yard in Mississippi
A dead animal in the open, on a lawn, in a flower bed or along a fence, is the easiest to reach. Southaven's code provides a dead-animal pickup from residences, and Jackson's a special pickup on call to animal control; neither says which animals or places it covers, so check what your city publishes before you pay anyone.
Will my city pick up a dead animal from my yard?
It depends on the city. Southaven's code provides a pickup from any residence within city limits at a minimum charge of $25 per animal, paid in advance. Olive Branch's code covers a dead dog or cat at a residence, at the owner's request, for $25. Jackson's says dead animals are removed by special pickup on call to the animal control division. Elsewhere the published rules differ, and the locations pages set out what each covered place says.
Source: City of Southaven, Code of Ordinances Β§3-26, checked 2026-10-05.
Before you pay anyone. Look up your city's route on the locations pages, and check whether the animal is wild or someone's pet. If a wild animal such as a raccoon, skunk, fox, coyote or bat may have bitten or scratched someone, Mississippi's health rules say the possible exposure should be reported to the health department immediately; MSDH's State Epidemiologist is at 601-576-7725.
Cases this page is for
- An animal on a lawn, in a garden bed or along a fence line.
- An animal beside a house, a shed or a parked vehicle.
- An animal in a drainage swale or ditch on your own property.
- A larger animal, such as a deer, that the household cannot move.
What falls outside it
An animal in the street or on a road shoulder; start with whoever maintains the road. A live animal of any kind. Trapping, relocation, pest control and chemical treatment of the lawn, none of which is offered through this site.
Some city codes bar placing a dead animal in a garbage container: Jackson's and Biloxi's both do. Check your own city before using the trash.
For a deer, check whether your county is in one of MDWFP's 2026-2027 CWD Management Zones; the deer page sets out what MDWFP's carcass-transport rule says and what the MDWFP pages we reviewed do not say.
From call to removal
- Check your city's published route first.
- If you still want it removed, call or send the form: the animal, where it lies and which town you are in.
- Where an independent operator covers your address, it agrees the price and timing with you.
- The carcass is removed and taken for disposal.
About this situation
Does Southaven charge for dead animal pickup?
Southaven's city code sets a minimum charge of $25 per animal, paid in advance, for its pickup from residences within city limits.
Can I put a dead animal in my garbage cart?
Check your city first. Jackson's code says dead animals may not be placed in garbage containers for regular collection, and Biloxi's says the same. Other cities' rules differ; the locations pages show what each place we reviewed says.
Who removes a dead animal from a yard in unincorporated Madison County?
Madison County's road department lists dead animals among the items it will not pick up, and its garbage contractor does not accept dead animals over 10 pounds. The county pages we reviewed describe no county carcass pickup.
What if the animal is in the ditch in front of my house?
If the ditch is part of the public road right-of-way, start with the road authority. If it is on your own property, check your city's published route first; otherwise it is yours to arrange.
By animal
- DeerA deer that died in a yard, a field edge or a ditch on your land. In the CWD zone counties, check MDWFP's map before a carcass leaves the zone.
- RaccoonRaccoons often die in crawl spaces, attics and under decks. The State Department of Health says not to handle or touch one, alive or dead.
- SkunkA dead skunk brings two problems at once, the carcass and the smell. The Department of Health lists skunks among animals that can carry rabies.
Whose job is it? Who picks up dead animals Β· Deer carcass and CWD rules Β· How to dispose of a dead animal
By area: Jackson Β· Madison County Β· DeSoto County Β· Gulfport and Biloxi Β· Hattiesburg