Can You Bury Your Dead Pet In The Backyard In Chicago

It’s a tough subject, but one that many of us unfortunately face. The short answer to the question of whether it's legal to bury pets in your yard is yes, it is legal.

Let's not get to much in the weeds with this topic since it's so tragic. First the overall Illinois laws are simple.

The Pet Burial Laws In Illinois

This is the basic state law,

By law the burial must be on the premises owned and operated by the owner of the dead animal. Producers must ensure appropriate burial depth as well as distance from streams, potable water supplies and residences and all other rules found in the Illinois Dead Animal Disposal Act Section 90.110, On-The-Farm Disposal.

Illinois is a bit stricter compared to other states like Iowa. Honestly, Iowa is very simple and basic. The state requires the disposal of any dead animal within 24 hours of its death as well. You must do one of the following, according to an ISU write-up on the matter:

The disposal can be by composting, cooking, burying, or burning or by disposing of it to a person licensed for disposal of animals.

Yes, you read that right — cooking. As mentioned earlier, if a pet passes away, the owner is required to properly dispose of the deceased pet within 24 hours of becoming aware of its death. You can find more information about the DADA here.

The Pet Burial Laws In Chicago

It should be noted that a city or town may have additional ordinances that regulate or prohibit burial within the city or town limits. You can learn more about Illinois here. In Chicago it appears that you can bury a pet, but it must be your property.

You must bury your pet at least 200 feet from any residence that you don't own or occupy.

Hopefully your pet can have a beautiful burial, and be remember for the great pet they were.