Virginia, private property
Dead Opossum Removal
Virginia has no opossum carcass rule that we could find. The state treats a dead wild animal as wildlife in general, and the pages that matter for an opossum are the ones that apply to any animal found dead on private land.
Before you pay anyone. Check whether anyone or any pet touched it. In the two VDH documents we read, raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats and large rodents are named and the opossum is not, and we draw no conclusion either way. VDH advises against handling dead animals.
What this covers
- An opossum lying in a yard, a garden bed or beside a garage
- An opossum found dead on a driveway or in a carport
- An opossum in an accessible crawl space or open garage
Where the limit is
A live opossum or one stuck somewhere, which is trapping work. Relocating or excluding animals. A carcass inside a sealed wall cavity, which is information and not a service.
Virginia's regulation defines a wild animal to include the dead body or parts, and Β§ 29.1-557 makes wild animals the Commonwealth's property. Neither says what a homeowner may do with an opossum found dead, and we found no DWR guidance on it.
Timing is not stated on this page and is settled on the call.
How a call goes
- Say where the animal is and roughly how large it is.
- Say whether it can be reached without moving anything.
- Give your city or county so the local position can be checked.
Questions about this animal
Does Virginia say opossums carry rabies?
VDH's fact sheet and decision tree name other animals and leave the opossum off both the high-risk and the low-risk lists. We make no statement about it, and the local health department can answer any exposure question.
Does the city pick up a dead opossum?
It depends on the place. Loudoun County's wildlife page says its animal services does not pick up carcasses, while Norfolk's Waste Management page says the city only disposes of dead animals on the street or at the curb line.
Not sure this is the right page? Who removes a dead animal in Virginia works through the public and private split, and the locations page sets out what the larger counties and cities publish.