§19-9-34. Disposal of carcass of diseased animal.
Whenever it is necessary to destroy or dispose of the carcass of any animal to prevent the spread of disease, the destruction or disposal shall be made by one of the following methods designed to be protective of human health and the environment: (a) Complete cremation of the entire carcass with all its parts and products; (b) boiling the carcass and all its parts and products in water or heating the same with steam at the temperature of boiling water, continuously during at least two hours; (c) disposing of the carcass and all its parts and products in a solid waste landfill permitted and approved by the Department of Environmental Protection; (d) burial of the carcass and all its parts and products in a place that will not be subjected to overflow from ponds or streams, and which is not less than one hundred feet from any watercourse, well, spring, public highway, house or stable. If buried, the carcass shall be covered with quicklime to a depth of not less than three inches, and the top of such carcass shall not be within two feet of the surface of the ground when the grave is filled and smoothed to the level of the surrounding surface; (e) rendering by a licensed facility; (f) composting; and (g) such other method as the commissioner may prescribe. When an animal infected with a communicable disease dies or is euthanized, the owner of the animal shall destroy or dispose of the carcass in the manner provided in this section. It shall be unlawful to sell any such carcass, any part of it, or any hide or offal from it. If the owner of such animal does not dispose of the carcass within twenty-four hours as provided by law, the commissioner or the commissioner's agent shall destroy or dispose of the carcass according to law, at the cost of the owner. The expense of destruction or disposal may be collected from the owner as debts of like amount are by law collectible.

Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2012 1st Special Session