54-744 Dead animals; carcasses; manner of disposition.
54-744. Dead animals; carcasses;manner of disposition.(1) Except as set out insubsections (2) and (3) of this section and section 54-776, it is the dutyof the owner or custodian of any dead animal to cause such animal, withinthirty-six hours after receiving knowledge of the death of such animal, tobe:(a) Buriedat least four feet below the surface of the ground or completely incineratedor composted on the premises where such animal dies or on an adjacent propertyunder the ownership and control of the owner or custodian. Any vehicle usedby the owner or custodian to transport such dead animal shall be constructedin such a manner that the contents are covered and will not fall, leak, orspill therefrom. Violation of this subdivision is a traffic infraction asdefined in section 60-672; or(b) Transported by a licensed rendering establishmentto either a rendering establishment licensed under the Nebraska Meat and PoultryInspection Law or to a facility with a permit to operate as a landfill underthe Integrated Solid Waste Management Act. The operator of a landfill is notrequired by this subdivision to accept dead animals.(2) TheDepartment of Agriculture shall regulate the composting of livestock carcassesand shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations governing the same. Any person incorporating livestock carcassesinto a composting facility shall follow the operating procedures establishedby the Department of Agriculture in consultation with the University of NebraskaInstitute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.(3) An animal carcass or carcass part may be transported bythe owner or the owner's agent to a veterinary clinic or veterinary diagnosticlaboratory for purposes of performing diagnostic procedures.(4) In addition to methodslisted in subsections (1) and (2) of this section, animal carcasses or carcassparts may be disposed of by a veterinary clinic or veterinary diagnostic laboratoryby alkaline hydrolysis tissue digestion. For purposes of this section, alkalinehydrolysis tissue digestion means a process that utilizes an alkaline agentand heat to catalyze the decomposition and reduction of biological tissues.This section shall not exempt the products of alkaline hydrolysis tissue digestionfrom any applicable law, rule, or regulation governing disposal of wastes.(5) Carcasses disposed ofin compliance with this section or section 54-744.01 are exempt from the requirementsfor disposal of solid waste under the Integrated Solid Waste Management Act. SourceLaws 1927, c. 12, art. VIII, § 3, p. 92; C.S.1929, § 54-940; R.S.1943, § 54-744; Laws 1993, LB 267, § 9; Laws 1999, LB 870, § 4; Laws 2001, LB 438, § 8; Laws 2009, LB99, § 19; Laws 2010, LB882, § 1. Cross ReferencesIntegrated Solid Waste Management Act, see section 13-2001.Nebraska Meat and Poultry Inspection Law, see section 54-1901.