You found a dead squirrel by the garage or a bird that hit the window, and now you're standing there with a trash bag wondering if this is even legal. It's a fair question — and the honest answer is that Minnesota doesn't have one clean statewide rule. It comes down to your city's solid waste ordinance, the size of the animal, and where it died.
Can You Put a Dead Animal in the Trash in Minnesota?
In most Minnesota cities, small dead animals like mice, birds, and squirrels can be double-bagged in heavy plastic and placed in your regular household trash cart for normal pickup. Larger animals — raccoons, opossums, deer, or anything found on a public street or sidewalk — usually cannot go in residential trash and instead require a call to your city's 311 line or public works department. Because these policies are set locally, not by the state, the exact size cutoff and bagging requirements vary by municipality, so it's worth a quick check of your city's solid waste page before you bag anything larger than a squirrel.
Why the Rules Depend on Your City, Not a State Law
Minnesota's environmental agencies regulate large-scale waste and livestock disposal, but day-to-day household trash rules — including what you can put in a curbside cart — are set by individual cities and counties through their solid waste and sanitation ordinances. That's why a rule that applies in Minneapolis won't necessarily apply in a smaller city an hour away. If you search "can you throw dead animals in the trash" and get a confident one-size-fits-all answer, treat it with caution; the real answer is almost always "check your local ordinance," and most cities post that guidance on their public works or solid waste and recycling web pages.
What Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Similar Cities Actually Say
Larger Minnesota cities generally take one of two approaches for dead animals on private property versus public property:
- On your own property: small animals can typically be double-bagged and set out with regular trash, following the hauler's weight and bag-tie guidelines.
- On a public street, sidewalk, or park: residents are usually directed to call 311 (or a public works non-emergency line) so a city crew can retrieve the carcass, since it's a public right-of-way issue rather than a private trash matter.
That 311-for-public-property, bag-it-yourself-for-private-property split is why the search term "311 dead animal pick up" shows up so often — people assume there's one universal city hotline, when really it depends on whether the animal is on your lawn or in the street.
When You Need Pickup Instead of Bagging It
Skip the trash bag and arrange for pickup or professional removal when:
- The animal is large (raccoon-sized or bigger) and won't fit or seal properly in a standard trash bag
- It's decomposing under a deck, in a wall void, or somewhere you can't safely reach
- It died on a public sidewalk, street, or in a storm drain
- It's a species with disease risk, like a bat (more on that below)
- Multiple animals are involved, which can signal a larger infestation or a die-off worth investigating
If you're not sure how the carcass got there in the first place — attic, crawlspace, chimney — it's worth reading our companion guide on what to do when you find a dead animal in your yard before you touch anything.
Dead Livestock Removal Is a Different Category Entirely
If you're searching "dead livestock removal near me," the household trash rules above don't apply to you at all. Minnesota livestock producers are subject to separate carcass disposal rules overseen by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which generally require disposal through approved methods such as rendering, composting, burial meeting setback and depth standards, or an approved landfill — never curbside household trash. Because acceptable methods and any permitting can vary by county and by animal type (a downed dairy cow is handled differently than backyard poultry), producers should confirm the current approved options with their county extension office or a licensed rendering/disposal service rather than guessing.
Bats Are the One Animal You Should Never Just Bag and Toss
Bats deserve their own callout. If a bat is found in a room with a sleeping person, an unattended child, or a pet, do not simply bag it and put it in the trash — public health guidance treats that as a potential rabies exposure scenario that needs assessment, and the bat itself may need to be tested. Even a bat found dead outdoors with no known human or pet contact should be handled with gloves, not bare hands, since the rabies virus can persist briefly in tissue. This is exactly why "bat removal near me" searches spike — most people correctly sense that bats aren't a normal squirrel-in-a-bag situation, and calling a wildlife control professional or your county public health department is the safer move.
Animal Control Near Moorhead and the ND Border
Cities like Moorhead typically contract animal control services through the city or Clay County rather than running trash pickup for wildlife carcasses. If you're in that area and the animal is on private property, the same double-bag rule for small species generally applies for curbside trash; for anything larger, or animal control matters involving livestock or aggressive wildlife, contact your city's animal control contractor directly rather than assuming it falls under standard sanitation pickup.
What number do I call for dead animal pickup in Minnesota?
There's no single statewide number. In larger cities, dial 311 or your city's public works non-emergency line for animals on public property. For private property, check your city's solid waste page, or call a local wildlife/dead animal removal service if the animal is large, hidden, or hazardous to reach.
Can I put a dead raccoon or squirrel in my trash can?
A squirrel is usually fine double-bagged in most Minnesota cities' curbside trash. A raccoon is borderline in many places due to size and weight limits on trash bags — check your hauler's rules, and if in doubt, call for pickup or a removal service instead of risking a bag failure at the curb.
Is dead livestock removal different from removing a pet or wild animal?
Yes. Livestock carcasses fall under Minnesota Board of Animal Health and MPCA disposal rules (rendering, composting, approved burial, or landfill), not household trash rules, and requirements can vary by county — always confirm current approved methods before disposing of livestock on your own.
This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Trash, sanitation, and livestock disposal rules vary by Minnesota city and county and can change, so confirm current requirements with your local public works department, animal control office, or the Minnesota Board of Animal Health before disposing of any animal carcass.