How to Report and/or Remove Roadkill in Indiana – Who You Gonna Call?

It is definitely not the most pleasant experience, but it is nearly unavoidable - if you drive long enough, you are bound to hit an animal from time to time. I've been driving for 30 years, and I have certainly had my share of vehicular encounters with critters - nothing too serious or dangerous though. Honestly, I've never stopped to think about what I should do (if anything) after I hit an animal. Do I need to report it? Is there someone I should call? Should I just keep on driving? I decided to look for answers to those questions, and I was surprised by what I found.

Get our free mobile app

The answer to whether you should or shouldn't call someone after you hit an animal is pretty unclear - I'm gonna say that is up to you. You probably don't "need" to in most cases, when it's a smaller wild animal, like a squirrel, rabbit, or raccoon. I would say you should definitely stop if you hit an animal that appears to be someone's pet - do your best to find and contact the owner. I think the most obvious reasons you would need to make a call are if you hit a large animal, causing damage to your vehicle or property, or if you encounter a large carcass that is blocking the road. In those situations, who you gonna call?

According to in.gov, the Indiana Department of Transportation is who you should contact to report roadkill on state and federal highways. When it comes to city and/or county roads, you need to contact your local public works or sanitation departments to collect wildlife killed on the road. If you want or need to remove a dead animal from private property, you can contact a wildlife control operator or just do it yourself.

If you are going to handle a dead animal, please remember to wear gloves and place small animals in plastic bags or garbage bags (double bagged). You can dispose of those animals in the trash. Other legal disposal options in Indiana include burial, incineration, rendering, and composting.