Virginia, by area

Who handles a dead animal in Virginia's larger counties and cities

A street, a park and a state road each belong to somebody, and that somebody is a public agency. A yard, a garage, a crawl space or the gap under a deck belongs to the property owner, and what the owner can expect from the locality varies. Below is what 12 Virginia counties and cities publish, from their own pages, grouped into 3 areas. Where a jurisdiction's pages are silent, the entry says we found no published position, which is not the same as a refusal.

On your own property and not covered below? Calls route by ZIP where an operator covers the address. Whether one is available for yours is settled on the call.

Call 804-597-0205

Northern Virginia

Fairfax County

On a street or public land: Fairfax County's Animal Protection Police page says VDOT picks up animal remains found deceased on the road. The county's carcass page tells residents to report one on a state road to VDOT at myVDOT or 1-800-367-7623, regardless of the size or type of animal.
On private property: Fairfax County Animal Protection Police "does not pick up deceased animals found on public or private property, unless there is a suspicion regarding rabies". The county's carcass page, written for county trash-collection customers, says "Fairfax County DOES NOT pick up animal carcasses". For animals of 25 pounds or less the county's guidance is to double-bag and use regular trash. For larger animals it says to bury on private property or call a veterinarian or rendering company.
What that means for you: A yard carcass stays with the resident under the county's own pages, and rabies suspicion is the one exception the Animal Protection page names. A state road goes to VDOT.

Sources: Fairfax County: Animal Carcass Disposal; Fairfax County Animal Protection Police (read 2026-09-30)

Northern Virginia

Prince William County

On a street or public land: We found no county page that names a dead-animal route. VDOT takes reports for state-maintained roads at my.vdot.virginia.gov or 1-800-367-7623.
On private property: We found no county dead-animal service. The county's nuisance wildlife page lists sick or injured wildlife, wildlife inside the living area of a home, and exposure of a person or domestic animal, and we found no mention of carcasses on it. The county landfill's rules of operation say "Dead animals, other than small carcasses such as dogs and cats" will not be accepted.
What that means for you: Because no page states a position, call Prince William County Animal Services at 703-792-6465 and ask whether the county handles a carcass before arranging anything else.

Sources: Prince William County: Nuisance Wildlife; Prince William County: Landfill Rules of Operation (read 2026-09-30)

Hampton Roads

Virginia Beach

On a street or public land: Virginia Beach's city code, section 31-32, says dead animals, except marine life, "may be collected and disposed of by the city bureau of animal control". That sentence does not mention streets or public land, and it is discretionary ("may be collected"). The city's animals page tells residents to report an animal that appears to be dead to the appropriate authorities. Animal Control is reached through 757-385-5000, the police non-emergency line. We found no page describing a Public Works dead-animal request.
On private property: Animal Control's FAQ lists removal of an owner's deceased pet and says the city provides a disposal service for it at a $20 fee. That fee applies to an owner's pet only and is not a wildlife service. The same FAQ says officers cannot go into attics, under houses, climb ladders or disassemble structures to remove animals. We found no page saying whether officers lift a dead raccoon from a yard.
What that means for you: Since the city's pages do not answer it, call 757-385-5000 and ask whether Animal Control picks up a dead raccoon from a yard. Under a house or in an attic, the FAQ says officers do not go there.

Sources: Virginia Beach Animal Care and Adoption Center: Enforcement FAQs; City of Virginia Beach: Animals and Pets (read 2026-09-30)

Richmond area

Chesterfield County

On a street or public land: We found no Chesterfield County page that names a dead-animal route, and the Animal Control reporting page has no carcass statement. VDOT takes reports for roads it maintains at my.vdot.virginia.gov or 1-800-367-7623.
On private property: We found no county service for dead animals on private property. County Code section 4-1 puts cremation or burial of an animal that has died on that animal's owner. We found no county text applying it to a wild carcass.
What that means for you: No published position exists to quote, so ask Chesterfield County Animal Services directly before assuming the county will or will not handle a carcass.

Source: Chesterfield County Code of Ordinances, section 4-1 (read 2026-09-30)

Northern Virginia

Loudoun County

On a street or public land: Loudoun County's FAQ says that if a dead animal is on or next to a public roadway, submit a work request to VDOT. The wildlife page says the same for a carcass on a road or shoulder.
On private property: The county's FAQ says "Homeowners are responsible for deceased animals located in their yard". The wildlife page says "LCAS does not pick up or remove carcasses" and that if the carcass is not on a road, it is the property owner's responsibility to have it removed.
What that means for you: A road or shoulder goes to VDOT through a work request. A yard carcass is the owner's under the county's own wording.

Sources: Loudoun County: FAQ on dead animals; Loudoun County: Wildlife (read 2026-09-30)

Richmond area

Henrico County

On a street or public land: Henrico's county FAQ answers "Where do I call concerning a dead animal in the road?" with the police non-emergency number, 804-501-5000. VDOT's contact page says that, in general, it does not maintain roads in Henrico County except interstates and major primary roads.
On private property: We found no county page that offers dead-animal pickup from private property. The FAQ entry we read is limited to animals in the road and says nothing about yards.
What that means for you: For a dead animal in the road, the county FAQ's number is 804-501-5000. For a yard, we found no published position, so ask the county before you pay anyone.

Sources: Henrico County: Pets and Animals; VDOT: Contact Us (read 2026-09-30)

Hampton Roads

Chesapeake

On a street or public land: Chesapeake's Public Works collects dead animals in the City's right-of-way. To report one, call the Customer Contact Center at 757-382-2489 or submit a request online.
On private property: The city's page says "The City will not enter private property to remove dead animals". It adds that animals, pets or otherwise, should not be buried on private property because of potential groundwater contamination.
What that means for you: Right-of-way reports go to 757-382-2489. A carcass on private property is not something the city's page offers to collect.

Source: City of Chesapeake: Dead Animal Removal (read 2026-09-30)

Northern Virginia

Arlington County

On a street or public land: Arlington maintains its own county roads. Its Environmental Health page lists calls for Animal Control at 703-931-9241, including a deer blocking traffic in a County right-of-way. Deer on state roads go to VDOT.
On private property: Arlington County's page says to call Animal Control for a dead raccoon, fox, bat, groundhog or skunk, and it states no location limit. It also says Animal Control does NOT pick up squirrels, rabbits, mice, rats, chipmunks or birds other than eagles, which the resident bags for an outdoor trash can. The Animal Welfare League of Arlington says removal of a deceased deer from private property is not part of its county contract. We found no statement on carcasses under a deck or in a crawlspace.
What that means for you: For one of the five listed species, call 703-931-9241 and ask whether your location is covered. For squirrels, rabbits, rodents and birds, the page says the resident bags them. A deer on private property is, per AWLA, not part of its county contract.

Sources: Arlington County: If You Find a Dead Animal; Animal Welfare League of Arlington: Animal Laws and Ordinances (read 2026-09-30)

Richmond area

Richmond

On a street or public land: Richmond's RVA311 entry "How to Request Dead Animal Removal" says to contact Richmond Animal Care and Control at 804-646-5573. The city's Animal Care and Control page lists removal of killed or injured animals and wildlife among its services.
On private property: We make no claim either way. We found no Richmond page that states whether Animal Care and Control collects a carcass from a resident's yard, from streets and public property only, or for certain species.
What that means for you: The city's request line is 804-646-5573. Ask whether a dead animal in your yard is covered, because no page we read answers it.

Sources: RVA311: How to Request Dead Animal Removal; Richmond Animal Care and Control: About Us (read 2026-09-30)

Hampton Roads

Norfolk

On a street or public land: Norfolk's Waste Management page says "The city will only dispose of dead animals that are located on the street or on the curb line" and to call 757-664-6510 to report a collection.
On private property: The page covers only animals already on the street or at the curb line. City Code section 41-28 says animals that do not qualify for collection are removed by a private contractor paid for by the owner. We found no page that offers pickup from a yard, and the code's fee schedule entry for private-property removal is not tied to any service we could confirm.
What that means for you: Call 757-664-6510 for a street or curb-line animal. Anything in a yard, under a deck or in a garage is outside what the page says the city collects.

Sources: City of Norfolk: Dead Animal Collection; Norfolk City Code, sections 41-22 and 41-28 (read 2026-09-30)

Hampton Roads

Newport News

On a street or public land: The city's former Animal Welfare page, archived in March 2025, said the division picks up dead animals on roadways and city rights-of-way. The live page has been removed, so this is not current policy.
On private property: The archived page said a dead animal on private property, other than a dog or cat that does not belong to the occupant, could be buried or placed in the resident's trash container. We found no current Newport News page that states a position.
What that means for you: With the live page gone, ask the city which office handles a dead animal now. VDOT takes reports for interstates at 1-800-367-7623.

Source: Newport News Animal Welfare (archived 22 March 2025) (read 2026-09-30)

Northern Virginia

Alexandria

On a street or public land: We found no Alexandria page that names a street dead-animal route. Animal Services' dispatch number is 703-746-4444.
On private property: City Code section 5-1-32 lists dead animals among the items that "will not be collected by the city" in its solid-waste service. We found no city service for a dead wild animal on private property.
What that means for you: A yard carcass is not covered by the solid-waste service under the code. For anything else, Animal Services at 703-746-4444 is the office to ask.

Sources: Alexandria City Code, section 5-1-32; Alexandria Animal Services (read 2026-09-30)

Not listed here? Virginia has many more counties and independent cities than these 12, and we have not read their pages. Your city or county may treat an accumulating carcass as a nuisance, so ask your locality. The statewide guide covers the state roads and the rules that apply everywhere.