Rutherford County, TN
Bulk Animal Pickup in Rutherford County
Rutherford County Highway Department vs. Private Removal — Know Your Options
Rutherford County residents have two options for dead deer and large animal removal: the county highway department's road-side service and private wildlife removal companies. Here's what each covers — and when you need to call a professional instead.
Rutherford County Road-Side Animal Pickup
The Rutherford County Highway Department handles dead animal removal on county-maintained roads and rights-of-way. This is a free service for carcasses on public roadways within the county.
The county's service covers dead animals on county-maintained roads and rights-of-way. Incorporated cities — Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, and Eagleville — manage their own road-side pickup through their respective public works or street departments.
How to request county pickup:
Call the Rutherford County Highway Department at (615) 898-7705 during business hours. Murfreesboro residents should contact Murfreesboro Public Works at (615) 893-5210. Smyrna residents should call Smyrna Public Works at (615) 459-2553. La Vergne residents should contact La Vergne Public Works at (615) 793-6295.
Limitations of County Service
- Private property pickups are not provided — the county only removes animals from public roads and rights-of-way
- Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, and Eagleville residents must contact their city public works, not the county
- Response times vary from same-day to several days depending on workload and staffing
- No cleanup, sanitation, or odor treatment is included — carcass removal only
- No treatment for decomposition fluids, maggots, or lingering odor at the site
- Service does not extend to private driveways, yards, pastures, or wooded acreage
- Scavenger deterrence is not provided after removal
When to Call a Private Service
County and city road services are a reasonable starting point for roadside carcasses, but private removal is the right call for residential property, time-sensitive situations, or cases involving decomposition.
- Same-day response — we don't operate on a government call queue
- Private property service guaranteed — your yard, driveway, pasture, or pond
- Full cleanup and sanitation included, not just carcass removal
- Odor neutralization and soil treatment for decomposition sites
- Maggot and fly control at the removal site
- Available evenings and weekends
- NWCOA certified and TWRA permitted — fully legal disposal
Which Service Do You Need?
Use this guide to decide whether to call the county or a private service for your situation.
Dead deer on a county road or highway
For carcasses on county-maintained roads or TDOT right-of-way, the Rutherford County Highway Department or TDOT is the appropriate first call. It's free and it's their jurisdiction.
Dead deer in your yard, driveway, or pasture
The county does not respond to private property calls. For a deer on your own land, a private service is your only option for prompt, professional removal.
Deer that has been decomposing for days
County services remove the carcass but do not treat the site. If decomposition has started, you need cleanup, odor treatment, and soil remediation — services only a private company provides.
Dead deer in a pond, creek, or drainage ditch
Water-adjacent carcasses require careful extraction to avoid contamination. County highway crews are not equipped for water recovery — this requires a private wildlife removal specialist.
Weekend or after-hours emergency
County and city departments operate on standard government hours. If you need same-day removal on a Saturday or Sunday, a private service is your only option.
Vultures or scavengers attracted to the site
Once scavengers are present, the situation requires deterrence treatment after removal. Government services do not provide scavenger management — a private service does.
Can't Wait for the County? We're Available Now.
County response times can stretch to several days. If you need same-day removal in Rutherford County, call us directly.
Looking for full service area info for Rutherford County?
View Rutherford County Dead Deer Removal →Need Same-Day Service in Rutherford County?
We respond fast anywhere in Rutherford County — Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, Eagleville, and surrounding areas. NWCOA certified. TWRA permitted.