PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — John Ross didn’t know what to do when he found a dead, stray cat at the bottom of his steps, leading up to the porch of his West Philadelphia rowhome Friday morning.
“The first thing I thought was to call the city, call 311, or somebody – they would have something ready and somebody would just come by and just pick it up, but when I did, it wasn’t their problem as far as they were concerned,” Ross said.
“If it was in the street, where the traffic is, they would send the streets department, eventually, someday. But since it’s on the sidewalk, it’s our problem. But they didn’t tell me where to put it.”
The City of Philadelphia’s website says the Department of Streets will not remove a dead animal from private property, including sidewalks, and that it’s the property owner’s responsibility for removing any dead animals from their land.
They advise against burying dead animals, and instead suggest residents put the animal in a sealed garbage bag and place it in the trash.
But Ross’s trash pickup isn’t until Tuesday and, as a former science teacher, he not only had health concerns, but questioned the disposal process.
“I don’t want that thing in the house or in the yard,” he said.
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“There should be a place to put organic matter, like dead things, that is not in a dump somewhere underground that is producing methane eventually. It’s not a good idea to even put garbage underground, so why would I put a cat in a bag underground? It's just going to bubble up methane.”
Property owners can also bring the dead animal to ACCT Philly, the city’s open intake facility, for disposal of the body. And that’s exactly what Ross ended up doing.
According to ACCT, there is a $10 fee for communal cremation. If the animal is a stray, it is free.
If a dead animal is found on the street, people can place removal requests by calling 311 or submitting a form on the city’s website.
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