You wake up on a crisp September morning and turn on the keurig. Your neighbor's pomeranian breaks the serene Norman Rockwell-esque moment with his staccato demands to be let back inside. As you pull your fresh brewed cup of coffee to your lips you step out on your deck to greet the morning sun. You take a full breath in through your nose (like your yoga instructor taught you) and it is in that moment you know that something is horribly wrong. 

There is a putrid, yet sweet, stench emanating from the woods behind your meticulously manicured lawn. You notice in the sky above you, the circling of large black shadows looking eerily like the dementor scene in Prisoner of Azkaban. Against your better judgement you put on your boots and go for a walk into the woods. No more than 15 feet past the treeline you scare up a small band of black vultures feeding on what remains of a well decomposed deer carcass.

I hope this story remains for you exactly that, a story, but for the very unlucky few Cincinnati residents each year, this is an all too unfortunate series of events. There are 5 frequent questions homeowners have when it comes to what to do with an animal that has died on their property. This article will help answer those.

Do I have anything to worry about if the animal was sick or diseased?

Animals die for many different reasons. If the animal is ill or diseased, the likelihood of it being communicable cross species is rare. However, if you do have an animal die on property, it is best to keep pets, children, elderly and the immunocompromised from contacting the carcass. Though Huntsman Wildlife does remove the carcass from your property, we are not trained veterinarians and do not perform necropsy services. If you wish to find the cause of death, you will have to contract with a Ohio State University's Veterinary Medical Center - http://shorturl.at/grwU1

Who is responsible for the removal?

This is a difficult question to answer as it differs depending on what part of the greater Cincinnati area you live in. GENERALLY municipal (city or county) responsibility will only apply if the deceased animal is on “public” land. On some occasions that can be the first six feet of your property from the road (easement). In that case, the city/county will dispatch someone to come pick up the animal. The important note with this route, is it is on THEIR time. Be it animal control, general maintenance, or road works, this will be a “low priority” and if it is on a weekend or holiday. GOOD LUCK. You will likely have to cope with the stench and carrion feeders for the day, if not the weekend. If the animal did not die on municipal land, then the responsibility falls on the property owner. It becomes your responsibility to remove the carcass, properly dispose of it, and clean up the site of any “remnants” left from the clean up process.

What happens if I just leave it and “let nature take its course”?

Depending on the location and the size of the animal that dies on your property, it can be a fast and painless process, or it could be drawn out over many days, sometimes over a week. Mother Nature has a very good process for “recycling” her charges. I will spare you the grotesque details, but I will give two likely scenarios.

a.) Dead Raccoon - First will likely be the presence of all life stages of blow flies. These are the green/blue metallic looking flies that are the start of the reclamation process. These flies will start in the mouth, rectum, ears, eyes, and reproductive parts as those are easy access points to soft tissues. Soon after the flies, the carrion beetles arrive. As the day progresses, the flies and beetles will have laid eggs, that will hatch in days and soon will break down the carcass in a few days time. Then, if the animal is in an open enough area, after a day or two the carrion birds such as Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures will arrive and start consuming the carcass. If the animal is not picked clean by the end of that night, then likely a coyote with good fortune will find the remains and have an easy meal for the evening.

b.) Dead Deer - The same process as for the raccoon will occur, but merely due to size, the timeline for all of this is doubled, and sometimes tripled. A strong coyote can carry off a dead raccoon in a night, but even a family of coyotes can not consume and remove an entire deer carcass in one evening. Likely they will focus on the “easy” parts (internal organs and limbs) and leave the body cavity and head for the other scavengers ( vultures, flies, beetles, etc.) This leaves not only a strong odor as the flesh breaks down, but likely there will be a large area of scattered about organs, limbs, fur, and flesh as the large carrion feeders consume only the bits they prefer.

Are there any problems with “just leaving it” for nature to take care of?

There are positives and negatives to the decision, again it is really dependent on the size of the animal carcass and where on your property it perished. If it is a small animal (under 20 pounds) far away from the structure or recreation areas, it is likely not going to be a huge concern. A larger animal, near a home or backyard can cause problems for the extent of the decomposition process as well as days after the body has been removed. The first obvious issue is the attraction of scavengers and carrion feeders. The vultures, coyotes, and other recyclers can pose a potential risk to small pets and children left unattended or that curiously go investigate the “weird noises and smell”. These scavenger animals are very protective of their food sources and will defend it with violence if necessary meaning certain injury to those who interfere.  A second often forgotten issue with letting the carcass decompose naturally is the large number of flies and beetles that will be present long after the body is removed. The more eggs that are laid, that turn into larvae, that feed on the body, then the higher the number of pupae that bury themselves in the soil near the carcass to emerge days later. It is quite common to have an “infestation” of flies a week later after the body is “gone” so it is imperative to be prepared for such an event.

Can I hire someone to remove the carcass?

Great news! Yes you can, and Huntsman Wildlife is just the company you should call. We show up within 24 hours of your call to remove the animal from the property. If necessary, we physically break down the animal into manageable sizes, and then place the carcass and corresponding mess in thick plastic garbage bags for safe and easy transport to our vehicle. We do not drag the animal through the yard, across your deck and driveway, and then throw it in the back of our truck leaving a trail of larvae, bodily fluids, and waste throughout your property. We then treat the area the animal died in with a cleaning solution that is a combination disinfectant, sanitizer, and virucide. This product is labeled for exterior applications and once dried poses no known health or safety issues. We then promptly leave, taking the animal, the smell, and the danger far away from your property. We are not being rude, or running away, but the flies will follow the body, and the sooner we get the animal way from your home, the less flies you will have to deal with.

So if your morning routine is jeopardized by the untimely death of a wild animal on your property, you now know your options and can make the decision that best meets your family’s needs. 

Till next time… see ya folks.