Dead animals

Dead animals include dead cats, dogs (under the remit of the Environment Health Services), badgers, foxes and larger animals, such as deer (see below for more information), which we aim to remove within 48 working hours of being reported.

When you report a dead animal to the appropriate authority please ensure you have the following information ready:

• location (e.g. an adjacent/nearby address) of the dead animal(s)
• brief details of the animal, such as type, colour, size; and
• the time/date at which you saw the animal.

Fallen Livestock

If a fallen livestock (e.g. horse, cow, sheep, pig, goat, etc,) is found on a public highway or private land - the person reporting it should contact the Animal Health Officer at East Sussex County Council's Trading Standards. They can be contacted on 01273 483153. They will attempt to find the owner of the fallen livestock. Failing that the following applies:

• Where livestock has died or is dumped on private land the responsibility for disposal rests with the landowner.
• Where stock has died or been dumped elsewhere, including on public land or highways, and ownership of the carcass cannot be ascertained, our Environment Health Services will arrange for the fallen livestock to disposed off by an approved/licensed contractor.

Injured Deer

If a deer is found injured – the RSPCA should be contacted on their 24-hour national cruelty and advice line on 0800 1234 999.

Dead Deer on Public Highways

If a dead deer is found on a public highway – this could cause a hazard to road users and therefore the person reporting it should immediately contact East Sussex Highways on 0845 6080193. The highways personnel would normally move the dead deer at least away from the road and place it on the side of the road rendering it safe for our street cleaning staff to collect.

Dead Deer on Public Highways including Rights of Way

A dead deer found on public highways including bridleway, foothpath, by-ways and RUPP (Road Used as Public Paths) will be collected by our street cleaning staff with an aim to collect within 48 working hours.

Dead Deer on Private Land

If the deer has been found dead or has been put down due to a severe injury and is on a private land e.g. the back garden, etc, we may be in a position to assess the practicability of collecting the dead deer. The practicability will be based on the size/weight of the deer, accessibility, availability of staff/vehicle and other health and safety factors (foot and mouth disease), etc. However, the person reporting the incident must be aware that, because it is on private land, it is the responsibility of the landowner to have it removed properly.

If the dead deer cannot be collected by us then the landowner will need to be advised to contact the specialist animal waste disposal contractor who will collect and may make a charge. Alternatively they may be able to get the local Hunt to collect. The Animal Health Officer at ESCC Trading Standards holds contact details for kennels and Knackers’ Yards. They can be contacted on 01273 483153.

Alternatively they can contact the National Fallen Stock Company on 0845 054 888 or go online at www.nfsco.co.uk/ to search for a registered/licensed collector in the area.

Dead Deer in Woodlands/Forest/Farmland/Parks

If the deer has been found dead in the woodland, forest, farmland, park – the person reporting it will need to establish the ownership of the land in question and contact them. Certain parks in the Lewes District are owned by Lewes District Council and if so this should be reported to the Parks Manager at Community Services.

Dead Deer in Watercourse

If a deer has been found dead in a watercourse, the person reporting it must contact the Environment Agency on 0800 807060 to report an environmental incident. They have their own contracts in place to remove dead animals from watercourses (see below for watercourse definitions).

What is a Watercourse?

A watercourse is defined as any channel through which water flows and can be open or enclosed underground as a culvert. Watercourses may be classified as either main rivers or ordinary watercourses.

Dead Deer & Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) – Private and Public Land

If the person reporting a dead deer suspects that the deer was infected with FMD or is on FMD protection/surveillance zones (see below for more information) he/she must report it to the Divisional Veterinary Manager (see below).

The same applies for known/suspected cases of Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) and other infectious diseases outbreaks.

Divisional Veterinary Manager
Reigate Animal Health Office
Liberty House
105 Bell Street
Reigate
Surrey
RH2 7JB

Email:  AH.Reigate@animalhealth.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone:  01737 242242
Fax:   01737 241189

A Protection Zone (PZ) extends for at least 3km around the infected premises and a Surveillance Zone (SZ) extends for at least 10 km around the infected premises.

Cetaceans and Large Marine Life

Where large marine life, such as whales, dolphins, other porpoises and seals are washed on to the local shoreline please call (giving an exact location with reference to maps and local landmarks and features where possible);

If it is ALIVE;
BDMLR (British Divers Marine Life Rescue) on 01825 765 546
Or
RSPCA on 0870 5555 999
If it is DEAD;
Natural History Museum on 0207 942 5155

Dead Birds

If you find:

a) 3 or more dead wild birds (including seagulls)/garden birds or
b) 5 birds all with different species together in the same place

do not touch it – contact DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) via their helpline on 08459 335577.

They may wish to have the birds examined for signs of specific diseases. They may advise you on what action you should take if required.
The current DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) helpline opening hours are Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 8.00 pm and Saturday and Sunday 9.00 am to 6.00 pm.

Contact

By e-mail: customer.services@lewes.gov.uk

By telephone: 01273 484999

Or follow the online 'Fault Reporting' link below.