Wildlife & birds
Dead animal removal in Salt Lake City, UT
A smell that gets worse every day, flies at the baseboard, something in the window well. Finding and removing a dead animal quickly is the only way to stop the odor.
Most active
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
Quick answer
Dead animal removal starts with finding the source: following the odor, flies and stains to a wall void, ceiling, crawlspace, attic, under a deck or a window well. We remove the animal with protective gear, sanitize and deodorize the area, and find the gap that let it in so it doesn't happen again. When an animal is inside a finished wall, a small inspection opening is sometimes the fastest way to reach it.
At a glance
- Best for
- Odors in walls, ceilings, crawlspaces and under decks
- Response
- Call any hour; odor jobs are time sensitive
- Method
- Locate, remove, sanitize and deodorize
- Follow-up
- Sealing the entry that let the animal in
Warning signs
Signs of a dead animal
Sign 01
A strong, worsening smell
A rotten odor that gets worse over a few days, often in one area.
Sign 02
Flies near a wall or vent
Blow flies gathering at baseboards, vents or windows.
Sign 03
Stains on walls or ceilings
Damp spots or discoloration on drywall or ceilings.
Sign 04
Recent rodent control
Rodents dying in walls after bait was used without stations.
Sign 05
Pets acting strangely
Pets sniffing or scratching at one spot.
Overview
Find it, remove it, stop the smell
Mice, rats, squirrels, birds and other animals sometimes die inside walls, ceilings, crawlspaces and attics, or in window wells and under decks. The smell builds for days and draws flies.
The only real fix is removal. Air fresheners just mask it. We trace the odor, flies and any stains to the source, using access from the attic or crawlspace where possible and a small inspection opening in drywall when that's the fastest route.
Once the animal is out, the area is sanitized and deodorized, and we find the gap that let it in. Where rodent bait caused it, we'll suggest a trapping and station program instead.
How the visit goes
How dead animal removal goes
Trace the odor
Follow smell, flies and stains to the source.
Access the area
Through the attic, crawlspace or a small inspection opening.
Remove the animal
With protective gear, bagged and disposed of properly.
Sanitize and deodorize
Clean the area and treat the odor.
Seal the entry
Find and close the gap that let the animal in.
What it covers
Removal jobs we handle
Odor in a wall or ceiling
Tracing and removing animals inside wall voids and ceilings.
Crawlspace and under decks
Removal from crawlspaces, under decks, porches and sheds.
Yard and window well removal
Dead animals in yards, window wells and around the foundation.
Salt Lake conditions
Handling safely
Utah sees roughly one human hantavirus case a year, fatal in up to 60 percent of cases, and state epidemiologists say never to sweep or vacuum rodent droppings, which often surround a dead rodent. Utah agriculture officials also consider raccoons, skunks, foxes and coyotes high risk for rabies. That's why dead animal removal is done with gloves, masks and disinfectant rather than a broom and a trash bag.
If you have to move a small dead animal yourself, use gloves, wet the area with disinfectant first and double-bag it.
Sources: ksl.com, deseret.com
Timing
How long it takes
- Same visitMost animals are found and removed in one visit.
- OdorThe smell fades quickly once the source is out and the area is treated.
- RepairsSmall inspection openings are patched afterward.
- PreventionThe entry point is sealed so it doesn't happen again.
Your options
Access options
| Where it is | How we reach it |
|---|---|
| Inside a wall | From the attic or crawlspace, or a small inspection opening |
| In the ceiling | From the attic, or a small opening in the ceiling |
| Crawlspace or under a deck | Through the crawlspace entrance or deck skirting |
| Window well or yard | Direct removal and cleanup |
Do it yourself?
What you can do
What you can do today
- Note where the smell is strongest and when it started.
- Keep pets away from the area.
- Use gloves and disinfectant if you must handle a small animal.
- Call early; the smell only gets worse.
What to leave alone
- Masking the odor with sprays and fresheners.
- Handling animals bare-handed.
- Using loose rodent bait indoors, which leads to animals dying in walls.
- Cutting into walls without knowing where wiring and pipes run.
Before we arrive
Before we arrive
- Note where the smell is strongest.
- Tell us about recent rodent or wildlife activity.
- Tell us if rodent bait was used.
- Clear access to the attic and crawlspace.
- Keep pets away from the area.
- Point out any stains or flies.
- Tell us about wiring or pipes in that wall.
- Unlock gates if it may be outside.
Wildlife work is mostly exclusion hardware and trapping; product lines like these cover the rodents and insects that follow.
- Protecta
- Contrac
- Temprid
- Tempo
Cost
What dead animal removal costs
Priced by how hard the animal is to reach.
Location
Yard or window well removal is quicker than a wall or ceiling.
Access
Tight crawlspaces and attics take longer.
Inspection openings
Opening and patching drywall adds time.
Sanitizing and odor treatment
Included in most jobs, more for heavy contamination.
Timing
After-hours calls can cost more.
The smell won't wait
Odor gets worse by the day. Finding and removing the source is the only real fix.
Call (801) 516-0135Crawlspaces and wall voids are common places animals die.
FAQ
Dead animal removal questions from Salt Lake homeowners
Still unsure? (801) 516-0135 is answered around the clock.
By following the odor, flies and stains, and checking from the attic or crawlspace before opening any wall.
Only when needed, with a small inspection opening that's patched afterward.
It fades quickly once the animal is removed and the area is treated.
Often rodents that ate bait and died inside, or animals that got trapped.
It only masks the smell. Removal is the only real fix.
Yes, including window wells, under decks and around the foundation.
Use gloves, wet it and the area with disinfectant first and double-bag it.
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