Can You Bury Your Dead Pet In The Backyard In Wisconsin, Illinois, And Iowa

A bit of a grim topic, but something many of us sadly deal with in our lives. The short answer to a question as grim as burying pets in your yard is yes it is legal. All three states have slightly different rules and laws.

The Pet Burial Laws In Iowa

Iowa's state law is pretty similar to Illions, the state does require the disposal of any dead animal within 24 hours of its death. After that the laws are very relaxed, in fact, according to This ISU source 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."

That's right, unlike the other two states, you can eat your furry best friend... The short answer to the question "Can You Legally Bury Your Dead Pet In The Backyard In Wisconsin" is yes, but there is a bit more to it.

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.

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.

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.

Yep, you read that correctly. They said cooking. As said before, If a pet does pass away, the owner is required to dispose properly of the deceased pet within 24 hours of learning of an animal's death. You can learn more about the DADA here.

The Pet Burial Laws In Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a bit different compared to Iowa and Illinois. The law was a bit harder to wrap my head around. The two nearby states have very straightforward laws.

Who would have thought Wisconsin would have been the one with all the rules?!

Wisconsin has a few different laws when it comes to animal "disposal." The first thing to note is Wisconsin like the other two states has a 24-hour rule,

No person who owns or controls a carcass, or who owns or controls the land on which a carcass is located, may leave the carcass exposed to access by dogs or wild animals for more than 24 hours during the months of April to November or for more than 48 hours during the months of December to March if the person knows or reasonably should know that the carcass is exposed.

Wisconsin also highlights the fear of diseased animals many times. Stating in one part,

Regulation of carcass transportation and disposal. The department may, by rule or order, regulate the transportation and disposal of carcasses to prevent and control contagious and infectious diseases.

So they can look case by case. Wisconsin's law seems to focus more on what you can't do with dead animals.

Carcass transportation and disposal prohibitions. No person may do any of the following, either directly or through an employee or agent:

(a) Transport or dispose of a carcass that the person knows or reasonably should know to be a diseased carcass in a manner that creates a significant and foreseeable risk of transmitting disease to humans or animals.

(b) Dispose of a carcass in the waters of the state. This paragraph does not prohibit the use of farm-raised fish as bait.

Possible Fines