Dead Animal on Public Property

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Call 911 to report a dead animal blocking highway traffic that could cause an accident.

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You can report dead animals on a public street or area, on highways, in parks, or in bodies of water. You can also report clusters of dead animals for possible disease testing.

If you see a dead animal on a street or sidewalk, you can report it to the Department of Sanitation (DSNY). DSNY will respond on a priority basis.

You can report a dead animal on the following New York City highways:

  • Belt Parkway
  • Bronx River Parkway
  • Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE) / I-287
  • Bruckner Expressway / I-278
  • Clearview Expressway / I-295
  • Cross Bronx Expressway / I-95
  • Cross Island Parkway
  • FDR Drive (FDR)
  • Gowanus Expressway / I-278
  • Grand Central Parkway
  • Harlem River Drive
  • Henry Hudson Parkway / Route 9A
  • Hutchinson River Parkway
  • Interboro Parkway
  • Jackie Robinson Parkway
  • Korean War Veterans Expressway
  • Laurelton Parkway
  • Long Island Expressway (LIE) / I-495
  • Major Deegan Expressway / I-87
  • Martin Luther King Expressway / Route 440
  • Mosholu Parkway
  • Nassau Expressway / Route 878
  • Prospect Expressway / Route 27
  • Richmond Parkway
  • Sheridan Expressway / I-895
  • Staten Island Expressway / I-278
  • Throgs Neck Expressway / I-695
  • Van Wyck Expressway / I-678
  • West Shore Expressway / Route 440
  • Whitestone Expressway / I-678
  • Willowbrook Expressway

Call 311 for assistance.

You can report a dead animal on Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) property.

This includes:

  • City parks
  • Public beaches
  • Recreation Centers
  • Sidewalks next to DPR property

DPR also responds to reports of dead animals on public property such as:

  • Ponds
  • Streams
  • Small bodies of water
  • Parkways

State and Federal Parks

You can report a dead animal in a park or beach run by New York State or the federal government. Contact the park directly to report the dead animal.

Popular State parks in the NYC area include:

  • East River State Park
  • Jones Beach
  • Hudson River Park

Popular parklands in the NYC area operated by the federal government include:

  • Jacob Riis Park
  • Fort Tilden
  • Gateway National Recreation Area

Fish

You can report large groups of dead fish in the major harbors and bays surrounding New York City, including:

  • Jamaica Bay
  • Sheepshead Bay
  • New York Harbor

Online

Report dead fish in a harbor or bay.

By Phone

  • Agency: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Division: Local Fish and Wildlife Division
  • Phone Number: (718) 482-4922
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM

Birds

You can report a cluster of dead birds to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).

The agency will investigate reports of:

  • 3 or more dead geese, swans, ducks, chickens, or turkeys
  • 10 or more other dead birds

DOHMH may collect some of the animals for West Nile Virus testing. An investigation will determine if the animals will be collected.

Call 311 for assistance.

Other Animals

Small Body of Water

You can report a dead animal in a small body of water, such as a pond or a stream.

Large Body of Water

The New York Police Department Harbor Unit responds to reports of dead animals (except for birds, rodents, or fish) in a:

  • River
  • Lake
  • Bay
  • Sound
  • Ocean
  • Other large body of water

Call 311 for assistance.

You can report a cluster of dead animals to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).

DOHMH will investigate reports of:

  • 3 or more dead geese, swans, ducks, chickens, or turkeys
  • 10 or more of other dead animals

DOHMH may collect some of the animals for testing. An investigation will determine if the animals will be collected.

Call 311 for assistance.

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