Is It Legal to Bury Your Pet in Lubbock?

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I'm sorry that someday your pet will die. I'm also sorry I had to type that.

Someday your pet is going to cross the rainbow bridge and you're going to be left with its earthly remains. You then have to make a decision about what to do when you're already upset. All this sucks, right?

It almost seems like the natural thing to do: bury them close by in your backyard. Well, I'm sorry to tell you that that's not just bad, it's also illegal in Lubbock.

Here's the Lubbock law:

Unlawful disposition of waste. It shall be unlawful for any person to dump or place on any land or on any water or waterway within the city any dead animal, butcher's offal, seafood or any waste, vegetables, animal matter or any food products whatsoever.

You have to remember that as your pet decomposes, some of it could get into the city's (and other people's) groundwater. I'm personally surrounded by people with wells, but I never really gave this much thought.

You may also think that disposing of a dead animal in a dumpster is a bit of a shortcut because, after all, you didn't ask for that possum to turn up in your backyard. But you really can't do that either. Here's that law:

Sec. 22.06.011     Disposal of dead animals

It shall be unlawful for any person to place dogs, cats or any other small dead animals in garbage containers. The dead animal pickup service of the animal shelter will, upon notice, remove such small dead animals. Large animals shall be removed by the owner or his agent. (Ordinance 777, sec. 9, adopted 5/23/1946; 1959 Code, sec. 14-17; Ordinance 5973, sec. 15, adopted 11/12/1970; 1983 Code, sec. 23-11)

You could call a private burial place and/or have your animal cremated. You could also just take call the City Of Lubbock's Animal Control people. These hard-working folks deal with deceased pets all the time. These people are professionals and they understand that this is a bit tough for you. I've found them to be professional, courteous and even quick to respond. After all, they partially exist to make sure that dead animals don't become a health hazard.