Missouri, city by city

Who handles a dead animal in Missouri's larger cities

Missouri has no single dead-animal service. Streets, parks and state highways fall to a city, a county or MoDOT. In most of the pages we read, a yard, a garage, a crawl space or the space under a deck falls to the owner. The exceptions are a few curb pickups and a few cities that collect on the property, some for a fee; each is below. Below is what 24 Missouri cities and counties publish, in their own words where possible.

Private property, and your city does not collect? Calls route by ZIP where an operator covers the address, and whether anyone is available for yours is settled on the call.

Call 573-400-4686

St. Louis area

St. Louis (city)

On a street or public land: The City of St. Louis Citizens' Service Bureau takes reports of a "Dead animal in the right-of-way", online or on 314-622-4800. That is the only dead-animal request type in its service catalogue.
On private property: None of the city pages we reviewed describes collecting a dead animal from a yard, from under a deck or from an attic or crawl space, and city yard-waste collection does not include dead animals.
What that means for you: Nothing we found has the city collecting from private property, so a dead animal in a St. Louis yard, under a porch or in a crawl space is the property owner's to arrange unless the city tells you otherwise. One in the street or alley goes to the Citizens' Service Bureau.

Sources: City of St. Louis: Citizens' Service Bureau request types; City of St. Louis: Yard waste collection (read 2026-10-06)

St. Louis area

St. Louis County (unincorporated)

On a street or public land: A dead animal in the street or on an easement in unincorporated St. Louis County can be reported to the county's Highways and Traffic department for removal.
On private property: St. Louis County's Vector-Borne Disease Prevention Program says it does not remove dead animals. For one on private property, it tells residents to bag it and put it in the trash themselves, or to contact a private pest control or carcass removal service.
What that means for you: This is the county's answer for unincorporated areas. Cities inside the county, such as Chesterfield, Kirkwood or Creve Coeur, set their own rules and some are listed below.

Source: St. Louis County: There is a dead animal on my property, what do I do? (read 2026-10-06)

St. Louis area

Chesterfield

On a street or public land: Chesterfield's "Who to Call" list sends a dead animal on a city street to Public Works (636-537-4000), on a state road to MoDOT (314-275-1500), and on a county road to St. Louis County (314-615-8538).
On private property: For a dead animal on private property, the same list says "Call Contractor".
What that means for you: In Chesterfield a dead animal on your own property is yours to arrange, by the city's own published list.

Source: City of Chesterfield: Who to call (read 2026-10-06)

St. Louis area

Wildwood

On a street or public land: The City of Wildwood takes reports of dead animals in the public right-of-way through its MyGov system.
On private property: The Wildwood page we reviewed does not describe removing a dead animal or deer from private property.
What that means for you: A dead animal on a Wildwood property, deer included, is the owner's to arrange unless the city tells you otherwise.

Source: City of Wildwood: Wildlife in Wildwood (read 2026-10-06)

St. Louis area

Kirkwood

On a street or public land: Kirkwood's Street Division takes requests to remove dead animals on city roads, on 314-984-6948 or through the KirkwoodKonnect app.
On private property: The Kirkwood page we reviewed does not describe removing dead animals from private property.
What that means for you: Nothing we found has Kirkwood collecting from private property, so unless the city tells you otherwise, it is the owner's to arrange.

Source: City of Kirkwood: Street Department (read 2026-10-06)

St. Louis area

Creve Coeur

On a street or public land: Creve Coeur Public Works removes dead animals from the street. On state roads in the city, such as I-270, Olive and Lindbergh, the city says MoDOT picks them up (314-275-1500).
On private property: Public Works does not remove dead animals from residential property. The city tells residents to call a private service or bag the animal for regular trash collection.
What that means for you: A dead animal on a Creve Coeur property is the owner's to bag or to have removed privately.

Source: City of Creve Coeur: FAQ on dead animals (read 2026-10-06)

St. Louis area

Manchester

On a street or public land: Manchester Public Works removes dead animals from the street.
On private property: Public Works does not remove dead animals from residential property, with one exception: the city's contracted provider removes dead deer from residential yards. Report a dead deer on 636-227-1385, extension 102. The pages we reviewed do not mention a fee either way.
What that means for you: In Manchester, call the city first about a dead deer in a residential yard. For a raccoon, opossum, squirrel or other smaller animal, the city tells residents to call a private service or bag the animal for regular trash collection.

Sources: City of Manchester: Deer carcass removal; City of Manchester: Animal Control; City of Manchester: FAQ (read 2026-10-06)

St. Louis area

St. Charles County (unincorporated)

On a street or public land: Dead animals on a St. Charles County roadway are reported to the county Highway Department on 636-949-7305.
On private property: St. Charles County Animal Control (636-949-7387) handles stray domestic animals in unincorporated areas, not in O'Fallon, St. Charles, St. Peters or Wentzville. The county's Division of Humane Services says it does not collect wild creatures.
What that means for you: Nothing we found has the county collecting a dead wild animal from private property: its dead-animal answer covers stray domestic animals, and it says it does not collect wild creatures. Unless the county tells you otherwise, a dead raccoon, opossum, skunk or other wild animal there is the owner's to arrange. Cities in the county set their own rules.

Source: St. Charles County: Animal control FAQ (read 2026-10-06)

St. Louis area

St. Peters

On a street or public land: St. Peters Animal Control (636-278-2255) removes roadkill from the roadway.
On private property: The city says a dead animal on your property may be removed by Animal Control for a small fee, without publishing the amount on the page we reviewed. It also says most dead wildlife may be placed in your trash cart.
What that means for you: In St. Peters, ask Animal Control first. The page does not say whether officers go under a deck, into a crawl space or into an attic.

Source: City of St. Peters: Report animal concerns (read 2026-10-06)

Kansas City area

Kansas City

On a street or public land: Kansas City Animal Services says deceased-animal pickup is handled by Public Works through 311.
On private property: City code Sec. 14-37(c) says there is no charge for the occasional removal of small dead animals from other premises, but the animal has to be put at the curb in a refuse bag after the city is notified. Under Sec. 14-37(b), a large dead animal, which the code defines as anything the size of a goat or sheep or larger, wild or domestic, is the owner's to remove within 12 hours, or the city may remove it at actual cost to the property owner. Animal Services officers do not remove wild animals from places like attics, and the city's FAQ points residents to pest control services.
What that means for you: For a small animal you can bag and carry to the curb, call 311 first. A grown deer probably counts as large under the code's size test, and an animal under a deck, in a crawl space or in an attic has to be got out before the curb rule helps.

Sources: Kansas City Code of Ordinances, Sec. 14-37; Kansas City: Animal Services (read 2026-10-06)

Kansas City area

Independence

On a street or public land: Independence Animal Services takes dead-animal reports on 816-325-7205.
On private property: Animal Services says it does not handle wildlife and recommends a wildlife company to remove wildlife from your property. The city's 2026-2027 Schedule of Fees, in effect from July 1, 2026, lists a $50 fee to pick up a small dead animal, $100 for a large one, a $15 disposal fee, and the city's actual expenses for an oversized animal. The schedule does not say where a pick-up is made.
What that means for you: A dead raccoon, opossum, skunk or other wild animal on an Independence property is the owner's to arrange. Ask Animal Services about anything else.

Sources: City of Independence: Animal field services; City of Independence: Schedule of Fees (2026-2027) (read 2026-10-06)

Kansas City area

Lee's Summit

On a street or public land: Lee's Summit Animal Control's FAQ tells residents who find a deceased animal to call Animal Control so it can be removed and disposed of properly.
On private property: The FAQ does not limit that to streets. It says an owner whose pet has died can have it removed for a fee, and the city's fee schedule lists a deceased-animal disposal fee of $26 per animal from July 1, 2026. Whether officers go under a deck, into a crawl space or into an attic is something the pages we reviewed do not say.
What that means for you: In Lee's Summit, call Animal Control first. If the animal is somewhere officers will not reach, the owner arranges the rest.

Sources: City of Lee's Summit: Animal Control; City of Lee's Summit: Animal control fees (read 2026-10-06)

Kansas City area

Jackson County (unincorporated)

On a street or public land: Jackson County contracts with the City of Independence for animal control in unincorporated areas.
On private property: The county's animal-control code requires a property owner to remove a dead animal within 48 hours; if not, the county may have it removed at the owner's expense. Independence Animal Services, the county's contractor, says it does not handle wildlife.
What that means for you: In unincorporated Jackson County the code puts a dead animal on private property on the owner, with a 48-hour window.

Sources: Jackson County: Animal control; Jackson County Code, Chapter 45: Animal Control (read 2026-10-06)

Kansas City area

Raytown

On a street or public land: Raytown Animal Services is responsible for dead animals on public property and thoroughfares. A dead animal on 350 Highway is reported to MoDOT.
On private property: On occupied property, Raytown's Animal Services page says the owner or tenant must bag dead wildlife at the curb and contact Animal Control to dispose of it. Neither page mentions a fee for the wildlife curb pickup. For a dead pet or other domestic animal on private property, the code gives the owner 12 hours, after which the city removes it and charges the cost to the property owner (Sec. 6-71(b)).
What that means for you: In Raytown, a dead wild animal you can bag and carry to the curb goes to Animal Control. The city's page has the resident do the bagging, so one under a deck, in a crawl space or in an attic would have to be got out first unless Animal Services tells you otherwise.

Sources: Raytown Code of Ordinances, Chapter 6; City of Raytown: Animal Services (read 2026-10-06)

Kansas City area

Grandview

On a street or public land: Grandview's Animal Control page does not describe a dead-animal pickup service.
On private property: Grandview's code makes the owner or keeper responsible for removing small dead animals on private property (Sec. 8-9(a)), and city clean-up days do not accept dead animals.
What that means for you: In Grandview, a dead animal on your property is yours to arrange.

Sources: Grandview Code of Ordinances, Chapter 8; City of Grandview: Clean-up and disposal programs (read 2026-10-06)

Kansas City area

Liberty

On a street or public land: Liberty Animal Control picks up deceased animals from residential city streets. Dead deer are reported to police non-emergency dispatch on 816-439-4701.
On private property: Liberty Animal Control does not provide nuisance wildlife removal, and the page we reviewed does not describe collecting from private property.
What that means for you: In Liberty, a dead animal in a yard, under a porch or in an attic is the owner's to arrange unless the city tells you otherwise.

Source: City of Liberty: Animal Control and Shelter (read 2026-10-06)

Kansas City area

Belton

On a street or public land: Belton Animal Control collects deceased animals found on city property.
On private property: Belton Animal Control says it does not collect deceased wildlife from private property.
What that means for you: In Belton, a dead wild animal on your property is yours to arrange.

Source: City of Belton: Animal Control (read 2026-10-06)

Southwest Missouri

Springfield

On a street or public land: Greene County's highway FAQ says to contact the City of Springfield (417-864-1010) about a dead animal on a city-maintained road.
On private property: Springfield's Waste Wizard lists dead animals as landfill waste and tells residents to check with their waste contractor about set-out times. Curbside trash in Springfield is provided by private licensed haulers, not the city.
What that means for you: Nothing we found has the city collecting from private property, so a dead animal on a Springfield property is the owner's to arrange unless the city tells you otherwise. If it can be bagged, ask your own hauler whether it will take it.

Sources: City of Springfield: Waste Wizard; Greene County Highway Department: FAQ (read 2026-10-06)

Southwest Missouri

Greene County (unincorporated)

On a street or public land: Greene County's Highway Department (417-831-3591) handles dead animals on county-maintained roads and county right-of-way.
On private property: The county pages we reviewed do not describe removing dead animals from private property.
What that means for you: Outside Springfield in Greene County, a dead animal on your land is yours to arrange unless the county tells you otherwise.

Source: Greene County Highway Department: FAQ (read 2026-10-06)

Southwest Missouri

Joplin

On a street or public land: A City of Joplin Neighborhood Resource Guide from 2005 says Animal Control will remove dead animals from public streets.
On private property: The same 2005 guide says Animal Control will remove dead animals from private property if the animal is placed on the curb for pick-up. The city's current Animal Control pages do not mention it either way, so whether that is still done today is something we could not confirm.
What that means for you: In Joplin, ask Animal Control whether curb pickup still runs. An animal under a deck, in a crawl space or in an attic has to be got out first either way.

Source: City of Joplin: Neighborhood Resource Guide (2005) (read 2026-10-06)

Central Missouri

Columbia

On a street or public land: The City of Columbia lists dead animals among public-health nuisances.
On private property: Columbia/Boone County Public Health advises avoiding barehanded contact with dead animals and using gloves or double plastic bags to place the carcass in a garbage can. Animal Control's annual report counts "Deceased Animal Calls" without saying what they cover, and the pages we reviewed do not describe the city collecting from a yard or from under a structure.
What that means for you: In Columbia, the health department's advice for a small dead animal is gloves or double bags and the garbage can. For one under a deck, in a crawl space or in an attic, the pages we reviewed offer nothing beyond that.

Sources: Columbia/Boone County Public Health: West Nile facts; City of Columbia: Animal Control (read 2026-10-06)

Central Missouri

Boone County (unincorporated)

On a street or public land: Boone County Road & Bridge (573-449-8515) will remove a dead deer from a county road on request, and pushes a dead animal causing a road hazard into the ditch.
On private property: The county pages we reviewed do not describe removing dead animals from private property.
What that means for you: Outside Columbia in Boone County, a dead animal on your land is yours to arrange unless the county tells you otherwise.

Source: Boone County Road & Bridge: FAQs (read 2026-10-06)

Central Missouri

Jefferson City

On a street or public land: Jefferson City Animal Control collects dead animals from public roadways.
On private property: The city pages we reviewed do not describe collecting dead animals from private property.
What that means for you: In Jefferson City, a dead animal on your property is yours to arrange unless the city tells you otherwise.

Source: Jefferson City: Animal Control (read 2026-10-06)

Northwest Missouri

St. Joseph

On a street or public land: St. Joseph's code (Sec. 5-6) makes the public impounder responsible for removing dead animals found within the city, and Animal Services (816-271-4877) lists deceased animals among the calls its officers respond to.
On private property: The code also requires immediate notice to the health director or the public impounder when an animal carcass is on public or private premises (Sec. 20-193(a)). Whether officers go into a crawl space, an attic or under a deck is something the pages we reviewed do not say, and none of them mentions a fee either way.
What that means for you: In St. Joseph, call Animal Services first. If the animal is somewhere officers will not reach, the owner arranges the rest.

Sources: City of St. Joseph: Animal Services; St. Joseph Code, Sec. 5-6; St. Joseph Code, Sec. 20-193 (read 2026-10-06)

City not here? Missouri has 114 counties plus the independent City of St. Louis, and most local governments publish nothing about a dead animal on private property. A silent city page neither offers a pickup nor rules one out. For state highways and the rules that apply in every county, see the statewide guide.