Dead Animal Removal Services in Austin TX
Professional Dead Animal Removal & Odor Control Serving Austin, TX
Cen-Tex Wildlife Control provides fast dead animal removal for residential, commercial, and industrial properties throughout Austin, TX and surrounding areas. When an animal dies in your attic, crawl space, or wall void, the odor is usually the first sign, and it only gets worse as the carcass decays. Left alone, it attracts flies, maggots, and secondary pests. Our technicians locate and remove the animal, find how it got in, and provide a full inspection and written estimate for permanent repairs so it doesn't happen again. Finding a hidden carcass takes training and equipment, and DIY attempts can expose you to serious health risks. Call Cen-Tex Wildlife Control at 512-800-4483 for same-day dead animal removal in Austin and surrounding areas.
Found, Removed & Deodorized
We remove carcasses from attics, walls, crawl spaces, vents, duct lines, chimneys, insulation, and under decks, as well as from yards, fences, and roadsides. Our experienced technicians can often identify the type of animal, and whether it's dead or alive, just by the smell in your home. Once located, the animal is safely removed and disposed of in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. We then provide odor control, disinfecting, and sanitizing to eliminate bacteria and lingering smells, plus insulation replacement and structural repairs to restore your property. Because dead animal removal means working in tight, hazardous spaces, it's not a safe DIY job.
How can we help you with your dead animal issue?
Dead Animal Removal in Austin, TX: All Wildlife Species
No matter what kind of animal has died on your property, Cen-Tex Wildlife Control is here to help. We provide fast, friendly dead animal removal for homes and businesses throughout Austin, TX and Greater Travis County, and we handle all of the wildlife common to Central Texas, including:
- Dead deer: in yards, along fences, on rural properties, and beside roadways
- Dead raccoons: in attics, chimneys, crawl spaces, and under decks
- Dead opossums: in sheds, garages, and under porches
- Dead skunks: under homes, decks, and outbuildings
- Dead armadillos: in yards, gardens, and beneath foundations
- Dead squirrels: including rock squirrels and fox squirrels, in attics, walls, and soffits
- Dead rats and mice: in wall voids, ceilings, insulation, and duct lines
- Dead bats: in attics, vents, and wall cavities
- Dead birds: including pigeons, owls, and hawks, in vents, chimneys, and attics
- Dead coyotes, foxes, and bobcats: on rural and residential properties
- Dead feral hogs: on ranches, farmland, and large acreage
Whether the animal is large or small, in plain sight or hidden deep inside a wall, our trained technicians locate it, remove it safely, and dispose of it in full compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. We also provide odor control, disinfecting, and sanitizing to eliminate lingering smells and bacteria. Don't see your animal listed? Give us a call. If it's dead and on your property in the Austin area, we can take care of it.
Permanent Prevention After Dead Animal Removal
Want to make sure it never happens again? After your dead animal removal, you can request a full structural inspection and exclusion service from Cen-Tex Wildlife Control. We locate how the animal got in and permanently seal every entry point to prevent future intrusions in your Austin home or business. This is a separate service and is not included with the initial dead animal removal, but it's available whenever you want a lasting solution.
Why Exclusion Is the Most Effective Long-Term Solution
Removing a deceased animal resolves the immediate problem, but it does not address how the animal gained access. Wildlife typically enter through small structural gaps, damaged vents, or deteriorated roof lines, and unsealed entry points will continue to invite new intrusions. Our exclusion service eliminates the root cause by identifying every vulnerable area and sealing it with durable, animal-proof materials. This approach protects your property from repeat odors, recurring damage, and the added expense of future removals, providing lasting peace of mind for your Austin home or business.
Frequently Asked Raccoon Removal Questions
How do I know if there is a dead animal in my house?
The most obvious sign is a strong, persistent odor that worsens over several days — often described as a sweet, sickly, or rotting smell that no amount of air freshener will mask. Other signs include an unusual concentration of flies or maggots near a wall, vent, or ceiling, unexplained staining on walls or ceilings, and in some cases audible buzzing of flies in a confined area. If you notice any of these signs, call Cen-Tex Wildlife Control at 512-800-4483 — in most cases our technicians can smell the air inside your home and diagnose the species and whether the animal is dead or alive before any inspection begins.
Can you tell what kind of animal died in my home from the smell?
Yes — in most cases our trained technicians can identify the species from the odor profile alone. Different animals produce distinctly different decay odors based on their size, diet, and the environment they died in. Rats and mice produce a sharp, concentrated smell. Raccoons, opossums, and squirrels produce a heavier, more pervasive odor. Skunks produce a compound odor that combines decay with their sulfur-based spray. This diagnostic ability allows us to locate the animal faster and get your home back to normal sooner.
Where do dead animals most commonly hide in Austin homes?
The most common locations we find dead animals in Austin homes and businesses include attics, wall voids, crawl spaces, under vapor barriers, inside duct lines and vents, in chimney flues, under insulation, beneath decks and porches, and inside HVAC systems. Wild animals instinctively seek out dark, enclosed spaces when they are sick or injured — which is why carcasses are almost never found in an easily accessible location and almost always require professional equipment and training to locate and safely remove.
Is a dead animal in my home a health hazard?
Yes — a dead animal in your home is a serious health concern that should be addressed immediately. Decomposing carcasses release bacteria including salmonella and E. coli into the surrounding area. The carcass attracts flies that lay eggs and produce maggots, which spread bacteria further through your home. Fleas, mites, and ticks abandon the dead host and migrate into your living space, creating a secondary infestation. In enclosed spaces like wall voids and crawl spaces, accumulated droppings near the carcass can also harbor Histoplasma fungus, the cause of the serious respiratory illness histoplasmosis.
Can a dead animal in my walls make me sick?
Yes. As a carcass decomposes inside a wall void, bacteria and airborne pathogens circulate through your HVAC system and into the air you breathe. Prolonged exposure to decomposition gases can cause headaches, nausea, and respiratory irritation. Individuals with compromised immune systems, allergies, or respiratory conditions are at heightened risk. This is why professional removal, followed by proper disinfection and decontamination of the affected area, is strongly recommended over DIY handling.
Why are there suddenly a lot of flies in my house?
A sudden surge of flies — particularly blow flies or bottle flies — inside your home is one of the strongest indicators of a dead animal in a concealed space. Flies are attracted to decomposing organic matter and can locate a carcass within hours, laying eggs that hatch into maggots within 24–48 hours. If you are seeing large numbers of flies concentrated near a specific wall, ceiling, vent, or floor area, call Cen-Tex Wildlife Control immediately at 512-800-4483 — the faster the carcass is removed, the less secondary infestation and structural damage you will face.
How do you find and remove a dead animal inside a wall or attic?
Our technicians use a combination of odor detection, thermal imaging, and physical inspection to pinpoint the exact location of a carcass — even inside sealed wall cavities. Once located, we access the area using the least invasive method possible, safely remove and bag the carcass, and properly dispose of it in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. We then disinfect and deodorize the affected area, replace any contaminated insulation, and perform a full structural inspection to identify and seal the entry point that allowed the animal in.
Can I remove a dead animal myself?
For animals found in an easily accessible outdoor location — a yard, fence line, or road edge — basic removal with gloves and a bag is possible. However, for any dead animal inside your home, professional removal is strongly recommended. Locating a carcass in a wall void, attic, or crawl space almost always requires crawling into tight, potentially hazardous spaces with proper PPE. Improper handling exposes you to serious bacterial and disease risk, and without professional decontamination, the odor and fly infestation will continue even after the animal is removed.
Fast, Professional Dead Animal Removal in Austin, TX
When a wild animal dies on your property, prompt removal is essential to prevent odors and contamination. Cen-Tex Wildlife Control provides reliable, same-day dead animal removal throughout Austin and Greater Travis County, including odor control, sanitizing, restoration, and optional exclusion.