Who Picks Up Dead Animals in North Carolina?
The complete North Carolina answer: who's responsible for what, when service is free vs paid, and how to get private pickup if it's on your private property.
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- ✓ Cite-able · Updated 2026-06
- ✓ 9 North Carolina metros covered
- ✓ Private pickup
Who picks up dead animals in North Carolina?
Three different bodies, decided by where the carcass lies. City public works clears the public right-of-way — streets, sidewalks, parks — at no charge. NCDOT clears state routes, interstates and US highways, also free. Anything on your own property is yours: a licensed operator, or handle it yourself.
The North Carolina Dead-Animal Pickup System in One Page
Three actors share dead-animal pickup duty in North Carolina depending on WHERE the carcass is found. Get the jurisdiction right and you get the fastest, cheapest response.
🏛 City Public Works
What: Carcasses in the public right-of-way — city streets, sidewalks, alleys, public parks.
Cost: Free (it's part of municipal solid-waste service).
Response: 1–3 business days, sometimes longer in winter.
Limits: Many won't enter private property. Some won't handle rabies-vector species (raccoon, skunk, bat, fox, coyote) — they refer to NCWRC or a private operator.
How to call: Call your city's general non-emergency line or 311 if available.
🛣 NCDOT
What: Carcasses on state routes, US highways, and interstates (I-40, I-85, I-95, I-77, I-26, I-440, I-485, US-1, US-17, US-64, etc.). Report as road debris at 877-368-4968.
Cost: State maintenance service; no fee is listed.
Response: Not published. NCDOT lists “Highway Debris/Dead Animals” as a reportable problem; the Forsyth County Sheriff’s FAQ adds that NCDOT only picks up animals in or alongside the roadway.
Limits: NCDOT does NOT handle streets inside city limits or private property. There is no county road authority in North Carolina — NCDOT maintains the secondary roads that other states leave to counties.
How to call: 1-877-DOT-4YOU (1-877-368-4968), weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or the contact form at ncdot.gov/contact.
🏠 Private Property (You)
What: Yard, driveway, garage, attic, walls, crawlspace, under deck, chimney — anywhere on your property.
Cost: Paid service — quoted on the call from size, location, access and disposal.
Response: Varies by operator and location (licensed wildlife operator).
Limits: You DIY (gloves + double-bag, non-vector species only) OR call a licensed operator. City public works won't enter private property; NCDOT doesn't either.
How to call: (919) 642-1013 for any of our 9 North Carolina metros.
City-Specific Pickup Details — North Carolina Metros We Serve
Each North Carolina metro has a slightly different setup for who handles what. Below is the breakdown for the metros North Carolina Dead Animal Removal serves. The single most common source of confusion statewide: NCWRC does not remove dead animals at all, and on private property the responsibility falls to the property owner.
- Raleigh (Wake County): The most fragmented jurisdiction in the state — Raleigh, Cary, Garner, and Holly Springs each run their own animal control, and Wake County Animal Control covers the rest plus unincorporated areas. NCDOT handles I-40, I-440, and I-540 right-of-way at 877-368-4968. Raleigh Solid Waste Services collects a dead animal placed curbside, in the right of way or on a city street within 24 to 48 hours of a call to 919-996-3245 (bag or box it; never in a city-issued cart). Private property: licensed Wildlife Control Agent.
- Durham (Durham County): Durham’s Street Maintenance Division removes dead animals on city streets; the garbage rules say place it at the curb and call Durham One Call (919-560-1200). Durham County Animal Services handles animal-control intake. NCDOT handles I-40 / I-85 / NC-147 right-of-way. Private property: licensed Wildlife Control Agent.
- Greensboro (Guilford County): Greensboro lists Dead Animal Pickup as a Solid Waste & Recycling service (336-373-2489). NCDOT handles I-40, I-85, and the Urban Loop. Private property: licensed Wildlife Control Agent.
- Winston-Salem (Forsyth County): Winston-Salem collects dead animals from the streets, bagged at the curb, through City Link (336-727-2638), weekdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday mornings; no collections on private property. NCDOT handles I-40 / US-52 / Business 40. Note that neighboring Yadkin County is where NC's first Chronic Wasting Disease case was confirmed in 2022, which affects deer carcass handling in parts of the region. Private property: licensed Wildlife Control Agent.
- Asheville (Buncombe County): Asheville Sanitation collects small dead animals such as a cat or dog when bagged and placed at the curb (828-251-1122 or The Asheville App). NCDOT handles I-40 / I-26 / the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor approaches. Dead black bears should be reported to NCWRC at 866-318-2401 — biologists are actively collecting biological data from bear carcasses statewide. Private property: licensed Wildlife Control Agent.
- Fayetteville (Cumberland County): Fayetteville’s Solid Waste Division collects dead animals on roadways and at residences placed along the curb (910-433-1FAY or the FayFixIt app). NCDOT handles I-95 and US-401. Rental and military-transient housing is a large share of the market here — tenants should route requests through their landlord or property manager. Private property: licensed Wildlife Control Agent.
- Wilmington (New Hanover County): New Hanover County animal services plus city services. NCDOT handles I-40 and US-17. Coastal humidity accelerates decomposition, so odor complaints escalate faster here than inland. Private property: licensed Wildlife Control Agent.
- Charlotte (Mecklenburg County): Charlotte Solid Waste Services collects dead animals from streets, the right-of-way and residences when placed curbside; interstates and parks are excluded. Mecklenburg County Animal Care & Control covers animal control county-wide. NCDOT handles I-77, I-85, and the I-485 outerbelt. Private property: licensed Wildlife Control Agent.
Municipal and county policies change. Statewide facts on this page (NCWRC responsibility, the NCDOT 877-368-4968 road debris line, the bear reporting program) are sourced from the NCWRC Wildlife Problem FAQ. Confirm city-specific cart rules with your municipality before disposing of a carcass yourself.
Who Picks Up Dead Animals in North Carolina — FAQ
Will the city pick up a dead animal from my yard?
Who handles dead deer on North Carolina roads?
Is dead animal pickup free in North Carolina?
How fast will the city or a private operator respond?
What if it's a rabies-vector species (raccoon, skunk, bat, fox)?
Who handles a dead cat (stray, owner unknown)?
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.
- N.C.G.S. § 106-403 — Disposal of dead domesticated animals — burial at least three feet deep within 24 hours of knowledge of death, a 300-foot setback from flowing streams and public water, and the duty placed on both the owner and the operator of the premises
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission — Wildlife authority; § 106-403 governs domesticated animals and does not reach wildlife
- NCDOT — Contact Us — 1-877-DOT-4YOU (1-877-368-4968), weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Highway Debris/Dead Animals is a listed problem category
- CDC — Rabies — Federal guidance on handling animals that may be rabies vectors
Accuracy and review
- Last reviewed
- Reviewed against
- North Carolina General Statutes · NC Wildlife Resources Commission · CDC
- Editorial process
- See our methodology and correction process
This page is general information for North Carolina 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. N.C.G.S. § 106-403 covers “domesticated animals” and expressly includes poultry; wildlife falls outside the section. It also places a duty on each municipality and county to designate someone to remove dead domesticated animals where the owner cannot be determined.
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 (919) 642-1013. Corrections to law or agency contact details are reviewed and, where verified, applied and dated.
If no public agency covers it
Calls route to an independent operator covering your county. North Carolina Dead Animal Removal is an advertising service, not a removal company. Where a city, county or state office does cover it, the routes above are free — try them first.