Deer recovery
A deer died on your property
Dead Deer Removal in Allentown
A deer is the largest carcass most Allentown homeowners will ever have to deal with, and the one where the question of whose job it is causes the most confusion. Allentown Dead Animal Removal takes the private property side of that, including the disposal.
The first question
Where the animal came to rest decides everything
Deer struck on a road frequently travel some distance before they drop. That is why so many end up on the wrong side of a property line from where the collision happened, and why the answer to who removes it changes street by street.
On your lawn, field edge or driveway
Start with the Game Commission dispatch centre on 1-833-PGC-WILD, which is staffed around the clock and can say who covers your location. Where nobody is collecting from private ground, that is our call.
In a city street
Public right of way. Allentown publishes 610-437-8729 for the Office of Animal Control, weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the 311 Citizen Problem Reporter carries a Dead Animal option.
On a state highway shoulder
State roads are PennDOT rather than the city. PennDOT asks for 1-800-FIX-ROAD for a dead animal on a state road or bridge.
Just inside a treeline or on vacant land
Usually still private ground, and usually the point where a homeowner discovers the animal by smell rather than by sight.
Why deer are different
A regulated animal, not just a large one
Under 34 Pa.C.S. section 102 the whitetail deer is a game animal, and so is the groundhog; the raccoon and the opossum are furbearers. Almost everything on this site is regulated wildlife of one kind or another. What actually separates a deer is the weight, the disposal, and the fact that the Game Commission runs a dedicated line for reporting them.
Carcass disposal is regulated under 25 Pa. Code section 243.11, which is the reason we handle disposal as part of the job rather than leaving you with a bagged animal and a question. To confirm anything here independently, the Game Commission is the authority on game species and the dispatch centre on 1-833-PGC-WILD can tell you who covers a given location.
The work
What recovery involves
Access first
Gates, fence lines, slope and how close a vehicle can get set the approach. It is the first thing we ask about on the phone.
Two person lift
Adult deer are heavy and awkward. Attempting it alone is how people injure their backs and contaminate their vehicle.
The ground underneath
An animal that has been down for several days leaves a saturated patch. That gets treated rather than covered over.
Disposal
Handled by us under the state disposal rules, so the last step is not left with you.
For smaller animals outdoors, the carcass pickup page covers the more routine version of this work.
Straight answers
Common questions
A deer died in my yard. Who removes it?
Try the Game Commission dispatch centre on 1-833-PGC-WILD first. It is staffed around the clock and can tell you which authority covers your location. Where nobody is collecting from private ground, that is the situation we handle.
What about a deer on the road?
Report it rather than handling it yourself. On a state road or bridge PennDOT asks for 1-800-FIX-ROAD; for deer specifically the Game Commission dispatch centre on 1-833-PGC-WILD is staffed around the clock and can point you to the right authority for that spot.
Are deer treated differently from other animals?
Yes, though not in the way people assume. Pennsylvania regulates most wildlife: under 34 Pa.C.S. section 102 the groundhog is a game animal alongside the whitetail deer, and the raccoon and opossum are furbearers. What sets deer apart is size, disposal, and the fact that the Game Commission runs a dedicated reporting line for them.
Can I bury it on my own land?
Do not assume so. Pennsylvania regulates carcass disposal under 25 Pa. Code section 243.11, and the requirements depend on the animal and the situation rather than on preference. We handle disposal as part of the job so the question does not fall to you.
How big a job is this?
Larger than any other call on this site. It is a two person lift in most cases, and access matters a great deal. A deer at a treeline behind a fence is a different job from one on an open lawn.