Report a dead animal

You can use the above action to report a dead animal you find on the road or in a public space to us. This includes wild animals like badgers, foxes and birds, as well as domestic pets such as cats and dogs.

If you find a dead wild animal on your domestic premises please double bag it and put in your black bin or bag with household waste.

For dead wild birds on your domestic premises, please follow the instructions below. 

Report an injured animal

You can report an injured animal to the RSPCA in England.

Telephone: 0300 1234 999

Website: www.rspca.org.uk

Instructions for dead wild birds on domestic properties which may be affected by Avian flu

There are cases of avian flu in birds locally so please follow these instructions from the government website if you have any dead wild birds on your domestic property.

After contacting the Defra helpline on 03459 335577 to report dead wild birds, if they are not required for surveillance purposes, follow the advice below for their disposal.

Disposal in household refuse:

• if possible, wear disposable protective gloves when picking up and handling dead wild birds (if disposable gloves are not available, a plastic bag can be used as a make-shift glove). When the dead wild bird has been picked up, the bag can be turned back on itself and tied. It should then be placed in a second plastic bag, tied and disposed of in the normal household waste (lidded bin outside)
• place the dead wild bird in a suitable plastic bag, preferably leak proof. Care should be taken not to contaminate the outside of the bag.
• tie the bag and place it in a second plastic bag
• remove gloves by turning them inside out and then place them in the second plastic bag. Tie the bag and dispose of it in the normal household refuse bin.

Burial:

• the dead wild bird can be buried, but not in a plastic bag
• the depth of the burial hole must be sufficient to prevent animals scavenging and gaining access to it - at least 60cm deep is advised.
• location must not be near any watercourses, or likely to contaminate local water supplies

Avian influenza in non-avian wildlife

There has been coverage in the media on avian influenza 'spilling over' into mammals, including otters, foxes and seals. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published their report on this topic last year and the evidence suggests no increased risk to mammals.
In England, reports of dead wild mammals (two or more dead mammals in the same location, nervous disease or other unusual mortality) should be reported to the relevant local Animal and Plant Health Agency Veterinary Investigation Centre.

For further information, please visit the government's website.