What do you do when you find a dead animal in a public area in the Federal District? This is the question many residents ask when they encounter lifeless animals in public places. In the federal capital, there are two bodies responsible for collection. Most of them are carried out by the Urban Cleaning Service (SLU). However, when there is an epidemiological risk or any vulnerability to human health, the removal process is carried out by the Environmental Surveillance Directorate of the DF Health Department (SES).
Most dead animals found in public areas are collected by the Urban Cleaning Service (SLU). Photo: Disclosure/SLU
SLU collects small, large and medium-sized animals, through an outside company that this year made 99 trips for the service. Very small animals, such as rodents and birds, are collected by urban cleaners themselves. They are all sent to a landfill where they are buried. According to the agency, porpoises and dogs, which are usually victims of run-overs on defense zone roads, are the species most collected by specialists.
The application is submitted by the residents themselves by calling 162. It is necessary to report the location and type of the animal. “What we ask is that residents help us with as much information as possible upon activation, with the exact location and even with photos. All of this makes our service easier,” reveals the Special Advisor of the Urban Cleaning Department of SLU, Everaldo Araujo.
SLU has two dedicated service teams. Each has a truck and two professionals who work Monday through Friday, 8am-12pm and 2pm-6pm, and Saturdays, 8am-12pm.
Epidemiological care
There are two species that require a different collection process, carried out by the Environmental Monitoring Directorate through the Rabies and Yellow Fever Surveillance Programme: bats and non-human primates, such as monkeys and tamarins. This year, the agency collected 85 bats, six of which tested positive for rabies, and 28 non-human primates.
He added: “It is important that these epidemic animals are subject to the environmental monitoring program, because we monitor them with referrals to diagnose the yellow fever and rabies viruses, so that health teams, in the event of a positive case, can take the necessary measures to close the area and work to treat it.” “Raising awareness and stimulating vaccination and detection measures,” explains biologist Gabriela Toledo, from the SES’s Environmental Surveillance Department for Zoonotic Diseases.
Due to their danger to human health, the Environmental Control Directorate is removing two species: bats and monkeys, such as monkeys and tamarins. Photo: Lucio Bernardo Junior/Brasilia Agency
Monitoring procedures are carried out by contacting residents by calling 3449-4432 and 3449-4434 or via email at [email protected]. “We advise residents not to handle these dead animals. If possible, just isolate the area and contact us as soon as possible. “The faster we can reach the animal, the better the sample and diagnosis will be,” comments the biologist.
Location, photos and type of animal are essential information for care. Calls can be made by phone Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, which is the same as pick-up time. During non-service times or on weekends, we recommend that you contact us by email.
