Infectious risk of animal carcasses in natural disasters

The AVMA recognizes that animals that die from injuries, including massive animal deaths in cases of natural disasters, generally do not represent an infectious health hazard for humans. The presence of animal carcasses that result from a disaster, without the presence of another risk factor, is not a cause for the spread of infectious disease and should not be considered hazardous waste.

​Related policy

Appropriate animal carcass disposal