Dead animal removal - on City or private property

Notice: May 20, 2025 - Cadaver Pick-up Delays
Due to high call volumes, there may be delays in the removal of animal cadavers. Animal Services will respond as soon as possible.  Should the cadaver no longer require removal, please call back so that the service request can be cancelled. We thank you for your patience and understanding.

A service request for pickup of a dead animal can be submitted by clicking the link below or by calling 311.

• City property: Wildlife cadavers including squirrels will be picked up. Small cadavers such as birds, rodents/mice will not be picked up
• Private property: Only skunks & large wildlife cadavers (raccoons, coyotes, deer, and opossums) will be collected
  • skunks, raccoons opossums, and unowned domestic animals should be bagged and placed at the curb
  • Coyotes and deer do not have to be bagged but need to be brought to the curb for pickup
  • small wild animal cadavers such as rabbits, birds, squirrels, rats mice will not be picked up and should be bagged and placed in the garbage bin
• City parks/beach: Wildlife or domestic animal cadavers in City parks/beach if it is safe for Animal Services to do so.
• Watercourse: For domestic animal cadavers or wildlife cadavers located in a watercourse, contact 311 to be connected with the Parks, Forestry & Recreation. 

The only City division that will pick up dead mice, rats, small birds, and chipmunks, is Solid Waste Management Services, when it is bagged and set out as regular garbage collection. Animal Services will pick up squirrels on city property.

Animal Services will not climb trees, deconstruct decks, fences, porches, or go into a lake or stream to pick up a dead animal. If there is a dead animal under a deck or porch, please call a private company for the removal of the animal.

You can also make an appointment to bring dead animals to a Toronto Animal Services Shelter for disposal

Please identify if this is a large or small animal at the time of making your report, to assist Animal Services in the resources required for pick-up. A large animal is an animal larger than a raccoon or opossum, such as a dog, coyote, or deer). Deceased animals picked up by Animal Services are cremated.

Safety precautions

• Do not touch the dead animal with bare hands. Wear gloves, eye protection and a mask or face shield when handling cadavers, use a double plastic bag to pick it up and place it in another plastic bag. Remember to wash your hands.