Name: William C.
Status: educator
Age: 50s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 7/24/2003
Question:
Dear Scientists,
My wife recently began work at a county animal control shelter here in Oregon. Among her new
duties is the handling and disposal of animal carcasses - mostly dog and cat - in the
incinerator. The animals are left on an open-to-the-air loading dock for several days
prior to disposal with predictable consequences.
Is there a way to prevent the infestation of maggots while the bodies are waiting on
the dock? They do not run the incinerator daily, but only when there are enough bodies to warrant
a "run," usually within 72 hours.
Replies:
A simple low-tech solution is to put them in plastic garbage bags and tie tightly. I do not know
if you could then put the bags in the incinerator, if not, it might be too much trouble to unbag
them again. Also if scavengers can get to the carcasses while waiting they could tear open the
bags and defeat the purpose.
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