Technician locating a dead animal inside a roof cavity

Same-day service · Same-day · Sanitised · Odour gone

Dead animal removal
today

The smell is the emergency. A carcass in a wall or roof cavity produces gases that get worse for about a week, draws flies into the rooms below, and does not clear on its own — the source has to come out and the area has to be treated.

Same dayResponse
60 minutesOn site within
SanitisedNot just removed
1,000+Homes served

What dead animal removal actually is

Dead animal removal is the location, extraction and sanitisation of an animal carcass inside a building — usually a possum, rat or bird in a roof cavity, wall void or subfloor. A technician pinpoints the source, removes it under biohazard protocol, treats the area with commercial-grade disinfectant and deodoriser, then seals the entry point. Same-day service, on site within 60 minutes.

  • Day 4–7 odour peaks
  • Rat 1–2 weeks, possum 3–6 weeks to break down
  • Free inspection
  • Insurance report provided

What's included

Removal is
half the job.

Taking the animal out stops it getting worse. Sanitising and treating the odour is what makes the room usable again — both are in the one price.

  • Same-day response
  • Carcass location in roofs, walls and subfloors
  • Full PPE and biohazard disposal
  • Commercial-grade disinfection
  • Odour neutralising treatment
  • Fly and larvae treatment where needed
  • Entry point sealed
  • Written report for insurance

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What you are dealing with

Six signs there's
something dead inside.

01

A sweet, heavy smell

Decomposition odour is unmistakable and gets stronger in warm weather. It usually peaks around day four to seven.

02

Blowflies inside the house

A sudden cluster of flies at a window or light fitting almost always means a carcass in the cavity above or behind it.

03

The smell moves room to room

Odour travels along wall cavities and ducting, which is why the strongest room is often not where the animal is.

04

Staining on a ceiling or wall

Fluid from a carcass leaves a spreading brown mark and will eventually come through the plaster.

05

Noise that suddenly stopped

Scratching or thumping that ended a few days before the smell started is the clearest timeline there is.

06

Maggots or beetles appearing

Larvae dropping from a ceiling vent or downlight mean the carcass is directly above and needs removing now.

Where we find them

The smell is
rarely the spot.

Odour travels along cavities and ducting, so the room that smells worst is often not the room to open. We locate the source before anything is cut.

  • Roof cavities and above ceiling insulation.
  • Wall voids behind kitchens, bathrooms and chimneys.
  • Subfloor spaces and under decking.
  • Ducting, exhaust runs and eave cavities.
  • Chimneys, flues and rangehood ducts.
  • Water tanks, pool pumps and yard cavities.
Technician locating a carcass inside a roof cavity

How we handle it

Located, removed,
sanitised, sealed.

  1. 01

    Locate the source

    Cavity inspection, thermal and probe tools where needed. We find the animal rather than guessing at a wall.

  2. 02

    Biohazard extraction

    Full PPE, sealed containment and correct disposal. Access is made in the least destructive place available.

  3. 03

    Sanitise and deodorise

    Commercial-grade disinfectant on the affected area, then an odour treatment that neutralises rather than masks.

  4. 04

    Seal and prevent

    The entry point that let the animal in gets closed, so the next one is not in there next month.

If you leave it

It gets worse
on a schedule.

Decomposition in a roof cavity follows a predictable curve, and every stage adds to the clean-up.

  1. 24–48 hrs

    First odour

    Faint sweetness in the room below. Easiest and cheapest point to deal with it.

  2. Day 3–5

    Flies arrive

    Blowflies find the carcass and lay. You start seeing them at windows and light fittings.

  3. Day 4–7

    Peak odour

    Gases saturate insulation and plaster. The smell spreads through wall cavities into other rooms.

  4. Week 2+

    Staining and larvae

    Fluids mark the ceiling, maggots drop through downlights, and the plaster may need replacing.

Dead animal removal

The questions
people call with.

How long does a dead animal smell last?

A rat takes roughly one to two weeks, a possum three to six weeks or longer in a hot roof. The odour peaks around day four to seven and does not clear properly until the source is removed and the area treated.

How do you find a dead animal in a wall?

Odour mapping, cavity inspection and probe or thermal tools narrow it to a section, then access is cut in the least destructive place. We repair the access neatly.

Is a dead animal in the roof a health risk?

Yes. Decomposition attracts blowflies and beetles, and the fluids carry bacteria. In an occupied home it should be treated as urgent, especially with children or anyone immunocompromised.

Can I just wait for the smell to go away?

You can, but you are waiting weeks with flies and staining, and the fluids keep soaking into the plaster and insulation. Removal plus treatment is faster and cheaper than replacing a ceiling.

Will you have to cut my wall?

Only if there is no other access. Most carcasses are reachable through the roof cavity or subfloor. When access is needed we choose the least visible spot and make it good.

Does insurance cover dead animal removal?

Some policies cover pest-related damage. We provide a written report with photographs that you can lodge with your insurer.

How much does dead animal removal cost?

Inspection is free and the price is fixed before work starts. Cost depends on how difficult the carcass is to reach and how much sanitisation the area needs.

Do you remove dead animals from under the house?

Yes — subfloor, roof cavity, wall void, chimney, ducting and yard. Anywhere the smell is coming from.

Sources & page details

Last reviewed
Published by
Possum Removal ServicesLicensed in NSW, QLD, ACT and VIC · ABN on request

Legislation and government guidance

Possums are protected native wildlife. Removal must be carried out by a licensed operator under the legislation of the state the property sits in.

Same day · 6am–10pm, 7 days

Smell won't
go away?

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