Who to call by state
Florida
In Florida, state-highway carcass issues run through the Florida Department of Transportation, while wildlife disease, bird die-offs, and deer-rule questions are handled by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. For county or city streets, responsibility usually depends on which local government owns the road and whether it uses public works, road maintenance, or animal control services.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Report on a state road
- Official page →
- Road-killed deer salvage
- FWC says road-killed deer are excluded from statewide bag and possession limits and do not require harvest reporting, but FWC hunting rules also say taking wildlife from rights-of-way of federal, state, or county-maintained roads is illegal.
- Report dead birds or sick wildlife
- Official page →
Official resources in Florida
Use this FDOT portal to submit a request or report an issue on the state transportation system.
FDOT’s contact page points road-related issues to district offices and local maintenance contacts.
Use this FWC page to find official reporting channels for wild bird die-offs and other wildlife emergencies or disease events.
FWC’s wildlife health page links Florida residents to species-specific reporting instructions for sick or dead wildlife.
This FWC page states how Florida treats road-killed deer for bag, possession, and harvest-reporting purposes.
Key facts for Florida
- FDOT says its Customer Service Portal can be used to submit a request or report an issue. (FDOT Customer Service Portal)
- FDOT’s contact page sends road-related field issues to district offices and local Maintenance Offices. (FDOT Contact Us)
- FDOT maintenance materials treat dead animals as roadside litter or debris, and a district Road Ranger guideline says FDOT Maintenance removes dead animals. (FDOT maintenance guidance)
- FWC’s incident-reporting page says wild bird die-offs should be reported online. (FWC Incident Reporting)
- FWC says other wildlife disease or mortality events can be reported through its wildlife health reporting channels. (FWC Incident Reporting / Wildlife Health)
- FWC deer FAQs say road-killed deer are excluded from statewide bag and possession limits, and harvest reporting does not apply. (FWC Deer FAQs)
What to do next
- If the carcass is on a Florida state highway, file it through FDOT’s Customer Service Portal and include the road number, nearest intersection or milepost, and travel direction.
- If the animal is on a county or city street, contact the local government that owns the road first; in Florida that is commonly public works, road maintenance, or animal control.
- For dead birds, bird die-offs, or sick wild animals, use FWC’s reporting pages rather than moving the animal unless local officials tell you to.
Helpful guides
- Who removes dead animals on roads?
- Dead animal on private property: whose job is it?
- Dead deer removal: roads, yards and salvage permits
- Dead animal under a house or in a wall: finding it and the smell