33 Dead Deer Found Dumped Along Interstate 35

Transportation officials are blaming bad weather for some dead animals dumped along the highway in Clay County.

KMBC's Bev Chapman found about 33 dead deer and one dead dog dumped in a gulley on Interstate 35 north of Kearney.

The Missouri Department of Transportation said crews have been so busy plowing highways and plugging potholes this winter that they haven't had time to bury the dead.

"We've had a lot of snow removal, pothole patching -- public safety comes first," MoDOT's Steve Porter said.

Porter said the dead animals were brought to the gully from all around the area.

"When we have wet weather like this and the ground stays cold for some time, we can't get the equipment out and get that done," Porter said.

He said they plan to bury the animals soon.

Meanwhile, MoDOT wants drivers to watch out for deer.

"We want people to slow down because if you see a deer, don't assume that's the only one. That's not the one you're going to hit," Porter said.

If you hit a deer, call the local sheriff's department, highway patrol or MoDOT at 888-275-6636.

Officials will try to remove the animal as soon as possible, but with 7,000 miles of highway in the Kansas City metro area, it may take some time.

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• dead
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• Interstate
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• MoDOT