Official Kentucky sources

Kentucky Dead Animal and Wildlife Resources

Every source this site relies on, linked to the agency's own page so you can check it yourself. Retrieved 2026-09-06. Each listing is maintained by the named authority, not by us.

State

State agencies, statutes and regulations

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Policy Manuals Library

The Maintenance Guidance Manual (MAIN-608 "Removal of Dead Animals", MAIN-205 crew duties) and the Field Operations Guide (FOG-508 "Dead Animal Pickup") are here as PDFs. This is the only place Kentucky's statewide dead-animal policy is written down.

transportation.ky.gov

KYTC Highway Hazard Hotline

1-877-FOR-KYTC (1-877-367-5982), 24 hours a day, for maintenance concerns and hazards on state highways. Also links the online Report a Pothole / Hazard form.

transportation.ky.gov

KYTC District 5 (Louisville) and District 6 (Northern Kentucky)

District 5 states the Jefferson County rule: KYTC maintains only the interstates there. District 6 covers Boone, Kenton, Campbell and eight other counties, office (859) 341-2700.

transportation.ky.gov

KRS 257.160, Disposition of carcasses

The livestock disposal statute: domestic livestock, poultry and fish, owner disposes within 48 hours, approved methods listed. Read the scope sentence before applying it to anything else.

apps.legislature.ky.gov

KRS Chapter 263 (263.010, 263.020)

Licensing by the Department of Agriculture of the business of collecting, disposing of and rendering dead animals. A business chapter, not a homeowner rule.

apps.legislature.ky.gov

301 KAR 3:120, Commercial nuisance wildlife control

The wildlife control operator permit and, in Section 8, how a permit holder must dispose of a wildlife carcass. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's operator lookup notes wildlife control is provided by permitted operators and is not a free service.

apps.legislature.ky.gov

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife: chronic wasting disease

The surveillance-zone county list and carcass transport rules. General questions 1-800-858-1549; violations 1-800-25-ALERT.

fw.ky.gov

Kentucky Department for Public Health: rabies

Testing is arranged through the local health department; bats are never handled bare-handed.

chfs.ky.gov

City and county

The pages behind each city

Louisville Metro: Report a Dead Animal (Public Works) and Animal Services

Public Works takes reports of a dead animal in the city roadway through Metro311, 311 or (502) 574-5000. Animal Services states it does not remove deceased animals from the roadway.

louisvilleky.gov · our page

Lexington: Dead animals (Division of Waste Management)

Curb pickup of bagged small carcasses on request through LexCall, 311 or (859) 425-2255; no entry onto private property; large animals excluded; veterinary offices charged $45 per pickup.

lexingtonky.gov · our page

Bowling Green: Public Works Operations Division

Dead animal removal listed under public rights-of-way maintenance; (270) 393-3363.

bgky.org · our page

Covington: Public Works

Dead animal removal in the General Maintenance Division's duties; a dead animal on a street is reported through an iWorQ Citizen Engagement work-order request; (859) 292-2292.

covingtonky.gov · our page

Hardin County Animal Care & Control

Does not pick up deceased animals; refers small animals and pets in the city to local city works or the Kentucky Department of Highways at 270-766-5066, roadside deer to the Department of Highways, farm animals to 270-734-1336.

hardincountyky.gov · our page

Boone, Kenton and Campbell County animal services

All three are domestic-animal agencies: Boone is unable to remove wild animals from residences or businesses, Kenton cannot handle healthy wildlife, Campbell does not provide wildlife control.

boonecountyky.org · our page

Questions

Kentucky resources: questions

Where is the Kentucky rule that says the state removes dead animals from highways?

In the Transportation Cabinet's Maintenance Guidance Manual, section MAIN-608, "Removal of Dead Animals", which says the Department of Highways shall provide for removal from the road or right-of-way as soon as feasible after receipt of notice; MAIN-205 makes it a standing crew duty on the state-maintained system, and the Field Operations Guide's FOG-508 describes the pickup. None of it is on a public web page; the manuals are in the Policy Manuals Library linked below.

How do I report a dead animal on a Kentucky highway?

Through the Highway Hazard Hotline, 1-877-FOR-KYTC (1-877-367-5982), answered around the clock for "maintenance concerns or other hazards" on state highways. The page does not name animals, so report the carcass as a road hazard. Inside Jefferson County, KYTC maintains only the interstates; other state highways there are Louisville Metro's and go through 311.

Where are the chronic wasting disease carcass rules?

On Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's CWD pages. The surveillance zone is 23 counties; whole carcasses and high-risk parts may not be taken out of it, whole carcasses from out of state may not be brought in, and violations are reported to 1-800-25-ALERT. Those rules govern transport and disposal, not who picks a deer up.

Who arranges rabies testing in Kentucky?

Your local health department. The Department for Public Health's rabies page says to contact the local health department to make arrangements for testing, and never to handle a wild bat with bare hands.

Is there a Kentucky statute for a dead wild animal on private property?

Not that we could find. KRS 257.160 covers livestock, poultry and fish; KRS 263 licenses dead-animal businesses; 301 KAR 3:120 governs commercial wildlife control permit holders. The practical rule is the owner's responsibility, shaped by city ordinance and hauler policy.

Rather just call?

Say where the animal is. A public road gets the right agency; private property gets a quote from the operator covering your address, where one does.

📞 (502) 527-2423 Request a quote