Dead Animal Under My House — What Should I Do?
Keep children and pets away. Do not crawl into the area or touch the animal, droppings, bodily fluids, or surrounding material.
The cause of death may be unknown. Possible causes include injury, poisoning, parasites, or disease.
Where expired animals are commonly found
Most calls involve animals beneath low decks, front porches, or inside attics. Occasionally, an animal expires beneath the house or inside a wall void.
Skunks are the most common species we encounter in these situations.
What to do immediately
- Keep pets and children away.
- Avoid crawling beneath the structure.
- Ventilate the area when safe.
- Photograph the location from a safe distance.
- Contact a wildlife professional.
Pets should not be allowed to roll in or investigate fecal matter or the carcass area.
Avoid direct contact
Never touch droppings or bodily fluids with bare hands. They may carry disease or parasites.
Raccoon feces are especially concerning. Hair, fur, and expired animals may also carry ticks and fleas.
Managing the odor
Ventilate the area when possible.
For attic odors, a heavy-duty air freshener such as Febreeze Heavy Duty may temporarily reduce the smell until the animal can be removed. It will not remove the source.
Why removal can become difficult
Removal becomes more difficult when:
- Decomposition is advanced
- The animal expires within insulation
- The body is inside a wall
- Access beneath a deck or porch is limited
- The location cannot be reached safely
What BTNE provides
BTNE removes the expired animal and can provide deodorizing when requested.
We do not provide routine fecal-matter cleanup.
After removal, we can provide photographs and discuss recommended next steps, including sanitation work or insulation replacement. Insulation replacement may be available on a case-by-case basis.
What does dead animal removal cost?
Dead animal removal may start around $250.
Advanced decomposition, difficult access, wall voids, and contaminated insulation can raise the price.
Service area
We generally work within the Concord–Peterborough–Portsmouth triangle, with Manchester near the center of our service area.
Contact BTNE
Start with the contact form:
Email photographs or video separately to:
Include your name, town, and a description of the wildlife issue.
You can also scan the QR code to save our contact card to your mobile phone:
Bottom line
Do not send a child, pet, or unprotected person beneath a structure to retrieve an expired animal.
Keep the area isolated, ventilate safely, avoid direct contact, and call a professional.
FAQ
Should I remove a dead animal from beneath my house myself?
Avoid entering low or confined spaces when the cause of death and exposure risks are unknown.
Can an expired animal spread disease or parasites?
Droppings, bodily fluids, fur, fleas, ticks, and contaminated material may present exposure risks.
What should I do about the smell?
Ventilate safely. Air fresheners may temporarily reduce attic odors, but removal of the source is still necessary.
How much does dead animal removal cost?
Simple local removal may start around $250. Decomposition, access difficulty, insulation, and wall locations can increase the price.
Does BTNE clean contaminated insulation or fecal matter?
We remove the animal and can provide deodorizing. We can document damage and discuss sanitation or insulation recommendations. Insulation replacement may be available case by case.