Southeast Washington · no confirmed operator coverage
Dead Animal Removal in Tri-Cities
Richland publishes the clearest private-operator referral in Washington, naming back yards and under decks as the places a paid operator covers.
Kennewick, Richland and Pasco are three cities across two counties, and they do not answer this identically. Richland in particular has published something no other Washington jurisdiction has: a list of the exact places on your property where a private operator is the answer.
Who is responsible for what
| Situation | Who handles it | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife in the roadway causing a hazard | City streets division | Removed as a traffic hazard |
| Wildlife not in the roadway | The property owner | Richland states property owners are responsible and names private operators as the route |
| Domestic animal in the public right-of-way | Tri-City Animal Services | Public right-of-way only |
| Owned pet on private property | The owner | Richland refers residents to a veterinarian or pet cremation service |
| Disposal | The resident | Horn Rapids Landfill publishes $75 for a small animal and $150 for a large one |
| State highway | WSDOT | Via Washington State Patrol or local law enforcement |
Doing it yourself here
The published landfill rate is the highest documented friction in the state: $75 for a small animal and $150 for a large one at Horn Rapids. That is a real cost for a homeowner doing it themselves and it changes the arithmetic of a paid visit more than it does anywhere else in Washington.
Where that leaves wildlife on private ground
Richland's service directory lists where licensed nuisance wildlife control operators remove dead wildlife from, and the list includes planting strips, sidewalk edges, landscaped right-of-way areas, commercial property frontage and private property, giving back yards, side yards and under decks or porches as examples. It is the most explicit description of this job class published by any Washington government.
Questions about Benton and Franklin Counties
Is Franklin County the same as Benton County here?
Not established. Franklin County publishes nothing about dead animals on its public works, road maintenance or solid waste pages, so this site treats it as unresolved rather than assuming Benton's rules extend across the river.
Why is the landfill charge so high?
It is a published flat rate rather than a per-ton figure, which is unusual. The practical effect is that self-haul stops being obviously cheaper than paying somebody, particularly for a large animal you would have to lift and transport.
Does animal control take wildlife at all?
Only when it is in the roadway causing a road hazard. Kennewick publishes that condition in its own FAQ, and outside that condition wildlife is not an animal control matter.
Sources for this page
- City of Richland, customer service FAQ · checked 22 September 2026
- City of Kennewick FAQ · checked 22 September 2026