Lewes District Council

Injured & Dead Animals

Should you come across an injured or dead animal, please report it to one of the organisations who can help. We are responsible for arranging the removal of certain wild and domestic dead animals from public highways and rights of way.

Dead or Injured Dogs

If a dog has been involved in a road traffic accident or other incident:

Contact our Animal Warden - 01273 484472
Provide exact location details so we can respond as quickly as possible.

Injured dogs will be taken to a local vet for treatment and then placed in suitable kennels. Attempts will be made to locate the owner. However, if after 7 days they have not been located, the dog will be re-homed.

If the incident has resulted in the dog's death, the wardens will collect the animal and take it to a local Veterinary Surgery. Attempts will be made to locate the owner but if this is not possible we will, after 7 days, organise suitable burial arrangements. If the owner is located we will seek to retrieve any costs incurred.

Removing dead animals

Our Waste & Recycling services aim to remove dead animals within 48 working hours of being reported.

Customer Serivces
01273 484999
customer.services@lewes.gov.uk

Dead animals include dead cats, dogs, badgers, foxes and larger animals such as deer.

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

Where it is
Brief details about the animal, such as type, colour, size
The time/date at which you saw the animal.

Fallen livestock

If a fallen livestock is found on a public highway or private land, please report it.

East Sussex County Council - Animal Health Officer
Telephone: 0345 60 80 197
Website: East Sussex County Council's Trading Standards

They will attempt to find the owner of the fallen livestock. This may be a:

horse, cow, sheep, pig, goat

However, please not 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 be disposed of by an approved/licensed contractor.

Injured deer

Injured deer should be reported to:

RSPCA
0800 1234 999
RSPCA webiste

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 it should be reported to:

The highways team 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.

A dead deer found on public highways including bridleway, foothpath, by-ways 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

Dead deer on private land is the responsibility of the landowner to remove. However, we may be able to remove it where practicability possible. Alternatively the National Fallen Stock Company has registered and licensed collectors 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. If the park is owned by us, please report this to:

Dead deer in a watercourse

If a deer has been found dead in a watercourse, it is an environmental incident and must be reported to:

Environment Agency
0800 80 70 60 (freephone, 24hr service)
Website information

Dead Deer and Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD)

If the person reporting a dead deer suspects that the deer was infected with FMD or is on FMD protection/surveillance zones, they must report it to the Divisional Veterinary Manager. 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

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.

Whales, Dolphins and other large marine life

Where large marine life, such as whales, dolphins, other porpoises and seals are washed on to the local shoreline:

If it is alive, contact:

If it is dead contact:

Natural History Museum
0207 942 5155

Please give an exact location with reference to maps and local landmarks and features where possible.

Dead Birds

If you find 10 or more dead wild birds including seagulls or garden birds please do not touch them. Contact:

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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.

Do It Online

Report It

Apply For It

Find It

Pay It

Have Your Say

Search the site

Contact Us

See Also

External Links