IDAPA 02.04.17
All livestock producers, other animal owners and persons transporting dead animals.
In order to ensure the proper movement and disposal of dead animals and to protect the natural resources and waters of the state, this rule governs the management, movement and disposal of dead animals.
This rule implements the following statutes passed by the Idaho Legislature:
Idaho State Department of Agriculture 2270 Old Penitentiary Rd. Boise, ID 83712 P.O. Box 7249 Boise, ID 83707 Phone: (208) 332-8500 Fax: (208) 334-2170 Email: rulesinfo@isda.idaho.gov Webpage: https://agri.idaho.gov/main/
This rule chapter will be reviewed in compliance with Section 67-5292, Idaho Code, and in accordance with the 8-year rule review schedule linked here.
02.04.17 – Rules Governing Dead Animal Movement and Disposal
000. Legal Authority. ... 3
001. Scope. ... 3
002. Incorporation By Reference. ... 3
003. -- 009. (Reserved) ... 3
010. Definitions. ... 3
011. Exclusions. ... 3
012. -- 019. (Reserved) ... 4
020. Abandonment Of Dead Animals. ... 4
021. -- 029. (Reserved) ... 4
030. Disposal Of Dead Animals. ... 4
031. -- 039. (Reserved) ... 5
040. Movement Of Dead Animals. ... 5
041. -- 049. (Reserved) ... 5
050. Dead Animal Emergencies. ... 5
051. -- 999. (Reserved) ... 6
This chapter is adopted under the legal authority of Sections 25-203 and 25-237, Idaho Code. (4-6-23)
These rules govern the management, movement and disposal of dead animals. (4-6-23)
The following documents are incorporated by reference into this chapter: (4-6-23)
01. Livestock Carcass Composting Best Practices. 2022. This document can be viewed online at https://agri.idaho.gov/main/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dead-Animal-Composting-BMPs-final-6.13.22.pdf. (4-6-23)
01. Abandon. To desert or intentionally leave a dead animal without proper disposal as provided in these rules. (4-6-23)
02. Air Curtain Incineration. A mechanical process of incineration by which super-heated air is continuously circulated to enhance combustion. (4-6-23)
03. Burning. The act of consuming or destroying by fire with or without the use of an accelerant. (4-6-23)
04. Composting. The biological decomposition of organic matter under controlled conditions. (4-6-23)
05. Dead Animals. Carcasses and parts of carcasses from domestic livestock including, but not limited to: bovidae, suidae, equidae, captive cervidae, camelidae, ratitidae, gallinaceous birds and captive waterfowl. (4-6-23)
06. Decomposition. The decay of dead animals under natural conditions. (4-6-23)
07. Digestion. A process by which organic matter is hydrolyzed. (4-6-23)
08. Harvested. Domesticated livestock killed by a person if any portion of the carcass is salvaged. (4-6-23)
09. Incineration. The controlled and monitored combustion of dead animals for the purposes of volume reduction and pathogen control. (4-6-23)
10. Pets. Cats, dogs, and other non-human species of animals that are kept as household companions. (4-6-23)
11. Rendering. The process or business of recycling dead animals and animal by-products. (4-6-23)
12. Sanitary Landfill. A solid waste disposal site permitted or approved by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. (4-6-23)
The following establishments and animals are excluded from the provisions of these rules. (4-6-23)
01. Slaughter Establishments. Establishments that slaughter livestock for human consumption. (4-6-23)
02. Free-Ranging Wildlife. Non-captive wildlife or wild fish. (4-6-23)
03. House Pets. House pets less than one hundred (100) pounds in weight. (4-6-23)
04. Pets Buried in a Licensed Pet Cemetery. Pets of any weight buried in a licensed pet cemetery.
(4-6-23)
No person who owns or is caring for an animal that has died may abandon the dead animal. Animals that are being disposed of by decomposition in accordance with these rules are not considered abandoned. (4-6-23)
Dead animals shall be disposed of within seventy-two (72) hours, by one (1) of the following methods, after knowledge of the death of the animal or as provided by the Administrator. No person shall dispose of a dead animal on the land of another without the permission of the property owner. (4-6-23)
01. Dead Animals on Federally Managed Land. Animals that die on federally managed rangeland from causes other than significant infectious or contagious diseases or agents shall be disposed of as provided by the regulations of the responsible land management agency. (4-6-23)
02. Disposal Methods Determined by the Administrator. The Administrator may determine the appropriate method of disposal for animals that die of significant infectious or contagious diseases or agents. (4-6-23)
a. The owner of any dead animal known to be infected with a prion disease must notify the Administrator prior to disposing of the carcass. (4-6-23)
03. Rendering. If a licensed and approved rendering facility accepts the dead animal, rendering is an approved method of disposal. (4-6-23)
a. When carcasses are held for pickup, the site shall be screened from public view, in a dry area and not in a water runoff or drainage area. (4-6-23)
b. Run-off from the holding area must be contained. (4-6-23)
04. Burial. Dead animals shall be buried to such a depth that no part of the dead animal may be nearer than three (3) feet to the natural surface of the ground. Every part of the dead animal shall be covered with at least three (3) feet of earth. The location of a burial site shall be: (4-6-23)
a. At least three hundred (300) feet from any wells, surface water intake structures, and public or private drinking water supply lakes or springs. (4-6-23)
b. At least three hundred (300) feet from any existing residences. (4-6-23)
c. At least fifty (50) feet from property lines. (4-6-23)
d. At least one hundred (100) feet from public roadways. (4-6-23)
e. At least two hundred (200) feet from any body of surface water such as a river, stream, lake, pond, intermittent stream, or sinkhole. Elevated or up-gradient surface waters are not subject to this setback. (4-6-23)
f. Burial sites shall not be located in low-lying areas subject to flooding, or in areas with a high water table where the seasonal high water level may contact the burial pit. (4-6-23)
05. Disposal in an Approved Sanitary Landfill. Arrangements shall be made with a city, county, regional, or private landfill official in order to dispose of a dead animal in a city, county, regional, or private landfill. (4-6-23)
06. Composting. (4-6-23)- a. Composting of dead animals may be allowed in a manner approved by the Administrator. (4-6-23) - b. No composters that have been approved by other agencies shall begin composting dead animals without the approval of the Administrator. (4-6-23)07. Digestion. Digestion of dead animals may be accomplished in a properly designed and sized dead animal digester approved by the Administrator. (4-6-23)08. Incineration. (4-6-23)- a. Incineration of dead animals shall be accomplished in an approved incineration facility, or by a mobile air curtain incinerator at a site approved by the Administrator. (4-6-23) - b. The incineration shall be thorough and complete, reducing the carcass to mineral residue. (4-6-23)09. Burning. Open burning of dead animals is not allowed, except as authorized by the Administrator, in coordination with the Department of Environmental Quality. (4-6-23)10. Decomposition. Animals that die on private or state rangeland, except domesticated livestock that are harvested, from causes other than significant infectious or contagious diseases or agents may be left to decompose naturally provided that they are at least one thousand three hundred twenty (1,320) feet from any surface water (public or private), wells, springs, public roadways and residences. (4-6-23)031. -- 039. (RESERVED)040. MOVEMENT OF DEAD ANIMALS. No dead animals may be loaded into the same vehicle with live animals. (4-6-23)01. Vehicles Used for Transporting Dead Animals. Vehicles used for transporting dead animals shall be constructed and maintained, or be prepared prior to receiving dead animals into the vehicle, so that no liquid or fluid from the dead animals is allowed to drip or seep from the vehicle during transport. (4-6-23)02. Dead Animals Concealed from View. Dead animals shall be concealed from public view during transportation. (4-6-23)03. Direct to Destination. Vehicles hauling dead animals shall travel to their destination directly. (4-6-23)04. Disinfection. Vehicles that have hauled dead animals off an owner's property shall not be used to haul live animals, feeds or similar commodities to the property of another person until they have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. (4-6-23)05. Transport of Dead Animals. No person may transport a dead animal across or through the property of another person without the landowner's permission. (4-6-23)041. -- 049. (RESERVED)050. DEAD ANIMAL EMERGENCIES. Dead animal emergencies are those situations involving dead animals that have been determined by the Administrator to require extraordinary disposal measures. (4-6-23)01. Situations Requiring Extraordinary Disposal Measures. These situations include, but are not limited to, the following: (4-6-23)- a. Situations where one (1) or more animals die of an infectious or contagious disease or agent that
may pose a significant threat to humans or animals; (4-6-23)
b. Situations wherein the number of dead animals is large enough to require extraordinary disposal measures. (4-6-23)
02. Administrator to Determine Disposal Methods. The Administrator may employ exceptional or extraordinary methods of dead animal disposal as necessary to protect the health and welfare of the human and animal populations of the state of Idaho. Such methods may include, but not be limited to: (4-6-23)
051. -- 999. (RESERVED)