Is It Legal to Bury a Pet in Your Yard in Michigan

The good news is that here in Michigan, it`s perfectly acceptable to drop your pet in a grave on your property, but the caveat to this law is that you need to do it pretty quickly. If you have further questions about animal and property law or need legal representation, please do not hesitate to contact the experienced lawyers at Kershaw, Vititoe & Jedinak PLC today. But is it legal to bury pets in the yard? Yes, in most states it is legal to bury pets in the yard. However, many states have rules and regulations that you must follow when burying your pet. Even if burying your pet is permitted by state law, your city or town may have passed a local ordinance limiting or prohibiting the burial of a pet or other animal on your property. Some towns and villages may use it due to concerns about public health risks, risks associated with excavations (such as underground wires and pipes), or the possibility that heavy rain or flooding could cause excavation and body washout. Depending on the municipality, the penalty for violating these orders can range from a civil offence punishable by a fine to an offence punishable by imprisonment. You may want to consider other options, such as burying in a pet cemetery, cremating your pet, or creating a pet memorial on your property. While you or your parents may have good memories out of 4. In July by shooting fireworks in your backyard or doing tricks or treats on Halloween, many local communities now dictate if, when and how these activities can legally take place. The same goes for the act of burying a dead pet in your yard or on land you legally own. If you`ve just lost your beloved pet, you may want to remember it by burying it in the yard. All dead animals must be disposed of within 24 hours of death.

The following disposal methods are permitted by law: landfilling, incineration, composting or rendering. You can also contact your local landfill to see if they accept dead animals. Yes. If you bury or leave the carcass of a dead animal in a lake, river, stream, meadow or other public place, or within 1 mile of someone else`s home who does not consent to the burial or abandonment, you are guilty of a misdemeanor. If you decide to bury the carcass of a deceased animal on your own property, you must bury the carcass at least 4 feet underground. You can be guilty of a misdemeanor every 24 hours if you allow an animal carcass to be on your property, which is against this rule. Most states have a minimum depth at which you must bury your pet. This usually ranges from 3 feet to 5 feet deep. This would be measured from the tip of the animal. A small animal like a fish or a small cat wouldn`t need to be as deep as a big dog. If you`ve experienced the death of your beloved pet and are wondering if you can legally bury it in your yard or on other property you legally own, the reality is that you might have a hard time complying with the laws that govern the burial of pets in your state. county or community.

For many reasons, including your personal safety, the welfare of others, environmental concerns, and the like, many local and/or state governments now regulate whether/when/how you can bury your beloved pet`s remains in your backyard or on property you legally own. In some states, the burial of pets is illegal or partially illegal. These conditions are as follows: This is a great way to remember all the happy moments you and your pet spent together. This article will help you decide if it is legal in your particular state to bury your pet in your yard and the many considerations you need to consider when deciding on your furry friend`s final resting place. After the death of your pet, you are faced with the difficult decision of how to treat the remains. If you choose not to cremate your pet or bury it in a public pet cemetery, you`ll probably want to keep it close to you and bury it somewhere in your backyard. There are many different options you can choose for your deceased dog. You can bury them at home if allowed, bury them in an animal cemetery, have them cremated, or have the body disposed of by your veterinarian. Do not assume that burying your beloved pet`s body in your yard or any other property you own is legal. According to Nursing Pets in Michigan, your pets should be buried or disposed of within 24 hours. In addition, you must bury them at least 2 feet deep and 2.5 feet from other animal graves.

Also, be sure to bury them enough from a water source. Yes, usually, your pet`s ashes can be buried with you. This is due to each funeral directory, which you can put in the coffin with your loved one. Most have no problem putting your pet`s ashes in the coffin. This Washington State law not only mandates approved methods that owners can use for the final physical disposal of a dead pet/livestock (such as dumping, burning, composting, rendering, burial, or any other approved form), but in the case of burial, it determines how/where residents can legally bury their animals. There are legal realities that you should consider after the death of your dog, cat, bird, snake, gerbil, hamster or other furry, flying or feathered non-human companion. This includes whether it is legal to bury a dead pet in your yard or on any other property you legally own. Simply put, yes, it`s legal to bury your pet on your property if you live in Michigan. However, there are a few rules you need to follow. There are significant differences between the laws and regulations governing the burial of a pet or dead animal on private property.

Before attempting a pet burial, you need to do thorough research and understand all the laws that apply to your property. It is best to bury your pet in some kind of biodegradable bag or box. Plastic can take years to completely decompose. Many pet coffins are made of wood or cardboard, which degrades much faster than plastic and are environmentally friendly. The laws and regulations governing the removal or disposal of your pet and whether it is legal to bury a dead animal on your property may vary by state, county or municipality. Therefore, before attempting a pet burial on land that you legally own, you need to do thorough research and understand all the laws pertaining to your property. Always check with your local government before burying an animal on your property. If a funeral is not available, you may want to consider internment in an animal cemetery, cremation, or delivery of the body to your veterinarian or animal control organization. However, those who insist on burying a pet on their property might still struggle to comply with state law, as the Missouri DNR also requires the following for such graves, among other things: Although there are many different ways to do with our pet`s body, One of the most popular options is to bury our furry friends at home. Home burials are private, personal and less expensive than other alternatives. While probably nothing will stop you from burying your deceased pet on your private property at this point, all it takes is a complaint from a neighbor to local authorities to trigger fines and/or jail time for violating your local law. Did you know that burying your pet is not legal in every state in the country? In fact, some parts of the United States will not allow it.

What about Michigan? Most states require that you bury or dispose of your pet within 24 to 48 hours of your pet`s death. If you have your pet buried in a pet cemetery, local authorities will allow you to keep it a little longer, as it may take a few days to arrange the funeral. It`s sad enough when your «good old boy» crosses the rainbow bridge, so you certainly don`t need any additional grief from the law. DISCLAIMER: Pet burial law differs from state to state and sometimes even each city has its own laws. In this article, we summarize the laws that each state has to bury pets at home. However, it`s best to check with your local authorities (details in the resources section at the end of this article) to see if there are any regulations and requirements that supersede these laws. In Michigan, residents generally have to dispose of pets/dead animals that are «not intended for human consumption» much faster (within 24 hours), but are legally allowed to bury the animals at the less gruelling depth of (at least) 60.96 centimeters (2 feet) below the earth`s «natural surface.» I grew up in the countryside and we never hesitated to bury our pets in the yard. All the animals we have owned are buried on my parents` property. It is basically a pet cemetery that is over 40 years old. Full pet burial rules for the state of Michigan can be found here. And I`m sorry to hear of your loss. While this is legal in most states, there are rules and regulations to follow.

There`s nothing worse than losing a pet, it`s like losing a family member and it`s horrible. Growing up in Calhoun, Louisiana, Sara attended Louisiana Tech for her undergraduate studies and then St. George`s University to graduate as a veterinarian. After graduating from veterinary school, Dr. Ochoa moved to East Texas to work in a small animal, an exotic veterinarian. She lives happily with her husband Greg and their babies Ruby the Schnoodle, Monkey the turtle and Oliver James «OJ» the cat. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling around the world with her husband, cooking and shopping Ruby. Dead animal disposal laws in Washington State not only determine what a «dead animal» is (fish and other primarily aquatic animals are not included), but also dictate how quickly the owner of the animal or the owner of the property where the dead animal is found must properly dispose of the body (within 72 hours). Among other things, a minimum of 91.44 centimetres (3 feet) of soil covering «every part» of the animal is required, and the cemetery must be more than 30.48 metres (100 feet) «from any well, spring, stream or other surface water.» According to the Dead Animal Bodies Act, Public Law 239 of 1982: In New York and New Jersey, cremated human remains can be buried with their pets, but only in animal cemeteries.