Necropsy (animal autopsy or postmortem examination) services are available at each of the Alabama diagnostic laboratories.

Animals should be submitted as soon as possible after death in order to obtain the most diagnostic information from the necropsy. To minimize decomposition, small animals can be placed in a cooler and packed in ice until the animal is delivered to the laboratory.

Euthanasia Policies

The laboratories do not perform euthanasia procedures. Euthanasia will need to be performed by your veterinarian prior to submission at our laboratories.

Handling of Animal Remains

Due to public health and safety concerns, as of November 19, 2012 we will no longer perform cosmetic necropsies or return animal remains. We will still allow cremation service companies to pick up animals for private cremations (except in the case of animals that have tested positive for rabies or otherwise carry an increased risk of disease transmission). Cremation is a separate service offered by outside companies, and will need to be arranged by the animal’s owner before the animal is submitted.

Insurance/Legal Necropsy Policies

It is the responsibility of the submitting party to alert the laboratory to cases involving insurance or potential legal aspects to ensure full documentation. There is an additional charge of $75 for an insurance necropsy.