Can you bury your beloved pet in your yard in Illinois? Here’s what the law says
Deciding what to do with the body of a beloved pet after their death can be a difficult decision. Planning for that time and knowing all the legal options available can make the process a bit less daunting.
Pet owners have a variety of services they can choose from, including pet cremation, interment at a pet cemetery or landfilling.
Vets will typically offer communal cremation for owners who don’t want to keep their pet’s ashes but also don’t want their bodies transported to a landfill intact.
But if you want to keep your pet close to home, is it legal in Illinois to bury it on your property? The short answer: yes, but…
What’s the law on at-home pet burials in Illinois?
According to the Illinois Dead Animal Disposal Act, pet burial is legal but with caveats as outlined in Section 90.110 — On-Site Disposal.
Animals must be buried at least 200 feet away from any residence not owned or occupied by the owner of the animal, per Illinois law. That means if your neighbor lives closer than about the length of a hockey rink, a property burial is not legally permissible.
To prevent contaminated runoff into bodies of water, animals must also be buried at least 200 feet from a stream, private well or any other potable water source. Restrictions on distance away from community wells, ponds and lakes also apply.
If you live in an area where you meet these criteria, there are rules that must be followed when preparing and burying the animal.
There must be at least six inches of compacted soil on top of the body, and in large animals, a hole should be made in the abdominal cavity to allow the escape of gasses produced during decomposition.
Other rules, such as maximum allowable burial sites on an annual basis and pound of animal per square foot, may be relevant if you own many animals you intend to bury. You can read more about those criteria here.
Local ordinances may apply.
