Central Washington · no confirmed operator coverage
Dead Animal Removal in Yakima County
The city tells residents with nuisance wildlife to contact a wildlife control operator, and the county code puts the carcass on the property owner.
Yakima is the most direct jurisdiction in the state on this subject. The city does not hedge about what it will not do, and it names the route it expects you to take instead. The county code puts the duty in writing as well.
Who is responsible for what
| Situation | Who handles it | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Private property | The property owner or tenant | County code holds the owner or occupant responsible for disposing of a dead animal on the property |
| Nuisance wildlife | A private operator | The city states its officers do not respond and directs residents to a wildlife control operator |
| Streets and sidewalks, city limits | Yakima community service officers | Removal from streets and sidewalks inside the city only |
| Public lands or roadways, owner unknown | County road supervisor | County code assigns this and bills the cost back to the animal's owner |
| Disposal | The resident | County landfills carry a deceased animals line on the fee schedule |
| State highway | WSDOT | Via Washington State Patrol or local law enforcement |
Doing it yourself here
Yakima County's landfill fee schedule carries a dedicated deceased animals rate, charged per ton, at Terrace Heights Landfill, Cheyne Landfill and the Lower Valley Transfer Station. Some cities in the county also prohibit burying refuse within city limits, which removes backyard burial as an option inside those boundaries.
Where that leaves wildlife on private ground
The city says it plainly: its community service officers do not respond to nuisance wildlife such as skunks or raccoons, and residents should contact a wildlife control operator. That is a government page naming the private route for exactly the animals this trade deals with.
Questions about Yakima County
Does the county really bill the owner?
That is what the code provides where a carcass lies on public land or a roadway and the animal's owner can be identified. In practice it matters most for livestock, where an owner usually can be found.
What about the Yakama Nation reservation?
Tribal land is a separate jurisdiction and this site makes no claim about rules there. If your address is on the reservation, the tribal authority rather than the county is the right first call.
Is there any free pickup at all?
Only from streets and sidewalks inside the city limits, and only for what community service officers handle. A carcass on your own ground is not part of it.
Sources for this page
- Yakima Police Department, Animal Control · checked 22 September 2026
- Yakima County Solid Waste · checked 22 September 2026