1. Walk the space
A cleanup technician checks the attic, crawl space and walls near the smell, looking for fluid stains and flies.
Highland, Austin, TX · Travis County
Smell something dead in your Highland home? Do not touch it. Call (877) 812-4220 any hour and get a cleanup team to find the animal, remove it, disinfect the area and treat the odor.
If anyone is in danger, call 911 first. For a suicide crisis, call or text 988.
A dead animal in a wall is one of the harder cleanup problems, because the animal cannot be seen and the smell spreads. Crews follow the odor, open a small section if needed and remove the carcass.
In Highland, a dead animal is both a smell problem and a health matter for you and your household. Call Highland Biohazard Cleanup Help for help anywhere in Travis County. Crews use protective gear, remove contaminated materials and check the area before handing it back.
Summer highs near 96 degrees in Highland speed up decomposition, so a dead animal in an attic or crawl space can become a strong smell within days. Most housing in Austin is occupied, with a vacancy rate of about 6%, so a smell is usually noticed quickly, but wall voids and crawl spaces still hide carcasses.
A typical dead animal removal & cleanup job includes:
A cleanup technician checks the attic, crawl space and walls near the smell, looking for fluid stains and flies.
The team sets up protective equipment and creates safe access, using a camera or a small opening when the animal is hidden.
Stains and fluids are cleaned, hard surfaces are scrubbed and disinfected, and soaked porous materials are discarded.
Surfaces are disinfected and odor is treated, so the space is comfortable to use again.
Expect dead animal removal & cleanup in Highland, Austin, TX to cost roughly $150 to $250, with the final price set after an on-site assessment.
Odor treatment needs vary. A closed room is simpler to treat than a house where the smell has spread through ducts and vents.
| Type of job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Dead animal removal | $150 - $250 |
| Dead animal removal | $150 - $250 |
Estimates only, not a quote. Sources: Bob Vila, HomeAdvisor. Price drivers include where the animal is, whether walls must be opened, size of the animal, odor and cleanup afterward. Call (877) 812-4220 to talk through the job.
Rules vary by city and county. Animal services or public works often remove animals from public roads and property, while private property is usually the owner's responsibility. Call your city or county animal services to learn what applies.
Dead animals can carry bacteria, parasites and viruses that pass to people and pets through touch or contaminated surfaces. Wild animals may also carry illnesses such as rabies. Avoid contact and let a cleanup team handle removal.
Do not touch it bare-handed. Wear heavy gloves, place it in a heavy bag, seal it and dispose of it according to local rules. Wash your hands well afterward. If it is large or you are unsure, call for help.
Eventually it fades, but that can take weeks, and fluids that soaked into insulation, carpet or wood keep releasing odor. Removing the animal and treating the area is much faster than waiting.
The crew follows the odor, checks vents, attic access and crawl spaces, and looks for flies and stains. Sometimes a small camera or a small opening in drywall is needed. Once the animal is found, it is removed and the area is cleaned.
It is not a good idea. The odor can last for weeks, flies and other pests may follow, and fluids can stain drywall and insulation. Removal and cleanup are safer and faster than waiting.
See all biohazard cleanup services in Highland, Austin, TX →
Do not tear open walls. A cleanup team can find the source safely.
Call (877) 812-4220