Dead Animal Removal Service Geelong

Dead Animal Removal Geelong and Bellarine

Marks Pest Control removes dead possums, rats, mice and birds from roof voids, wall cavities, subfloors, chimneys and sheds across Geelong, Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove and the rest of the Bellarine Peninsula. A technician finds the source of the smell, removes the animal, cleans the area and shows you the gap it used to get in. Call 0482074889 or send a photo for a clear price before any work begins.

Last updated 28 October 2026.

Dead animal removal in Barwon Heads

Barwon Heads homes are often holiday houses and weekenders that sit empty for weeks, which gives animals time to get in, die and go unnoticed until the owner arrives to a strong smell. If you have just opened up a Barwon Heads house and the smell is strong, keep the doors and windows open, keep people and animals out of the room and call us before cutting into any lining. The usual sources are the roof void, the subfloor and the wall cavities near the eaves, and the usual cause is a possum or rodent that found a gap and could not get out again. We service Barwon Heads (3227), neighbouring Ocean Grove (3226) and the rest of the Bellarine.

Where do animals die inside a house?

Animals die where they nest or get trapped, so the source is usually somewhere you cannot see.

• Roof void, often among the insulation
• Wall cavities, after falling in through a gap near the upper end of the wall
• Subfloor and under decking
• Chimneys and flues
• Ducted heating or cooling vents
• Sheds, garages and outbuildings
• Behind kitchen cupboards, dishwasher spaces and fridges

How do I know there is a dead animal in my house?

A sudden, strong smell that grows over a day or two is the clearest sign. Other signs include:

• A smell that is stronger near a ceiling, a wall or a floor vent
• Flies or maggots in one room or around a vent
• A dark stain spreading across a ceiling or wall
• Scratching or thumping that you heard a few days before the smell began
• A smell that gets worse on warm days

If you notice these signs, call before cutting into plasterboard or lifting floor sections.

What should I do while I wait for removal?

Open windows and doors near the smell to let fresh air through, and keep people and animals away from the area. Do not touch the animal with bare hands, because dead animals can carry germs and parasites. Skip air fresheners and sprays that only cover the odour, since they hide the problem without removing it. Note where the smell is strongest and when it started, and take a photo of any ceiling stain, gap at the eaves or the animal itself if it is in plain view. If the animal is small and easy to reach, wear gloves and a mask, seal it in a bag and put it in the outside bin, then wash your hands well. Do not cut into plasterboard or lift floor sections to look for it, because the animal is often a long way from where the smell seems strongest.

How long does a dead animal smell last?

A dead animal smell often lasts from several days to a few weeks, depending on the size of the animal, the warmth of the space and how much air moves through it. A possum in a warm roof void in summer smells stronger and for longer than a mouse in a cool subfloor in winter. Nothing sprayed into a ceiling or wall ends the smell, and the only way to end it is to remove the animal. After removal, odour can stay in insulation, timber and plasterboard for a few more days, so the area is cleaned and the space is ventilated. If the smell is still strong a week after removal, there may be a second animal or soiled insulation that needs to come out, and a follow-up visit finds what is left behind.

What if the dead animal is a bat or a bird?

Do not touch dead or injured bats, because bats can carry Australian bat lyssavirus, a close relative of the rabies virus. Keep people and animals away and call a native animal rescue group. If anyone is bitten or scratched, wash the wound with soap and water for 15 minutes and get urgent medical advice. Sick or dead wild birds can be a sign of bird flu, so do not touch them either. If you find several, or a single swan, pelican, penguin or bird of prey, take photos from a distance, note the location and call the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888, which runs around the clock. Victoria asks people to call about five or more sick or dead wild birds of any kind. Marks Pest Control removes animals from inside buildings, and these animals need the right service first.

Who removes dead animals from roads and nature strips?

Animals on roads, footpaths, nature strips and public land are usually handled by the city or the road manager. For Geelong and the Bellarine, contact the City of Greater Geelong, and do not pick the animal up yourself. An animal that is still alive and injured needs a vet or an animal rescue group, not a pest control visit.

Why do animals die inside roofs and walls?

Most animals that die inside a building were trapped. A possum or rodent that gets in through a gap can fall into a wall cavity and be unable to climb out, and a possum shut in by a sealed roof entry cannot leave. Victoria advises that gaps are blocked only after the possum has gone out for the night, and a hinged metal or perspex one-way flap lets it leave but not return. Brushtail possums in Victoria usually have a single young, so sealing the roof while a mother is out can leave her young behind. Rodents that eat bait also tend to die in hidden spaces such as wall cavities and roof voids. Checking that a roof void is empty before it is sealed costs very little, and skipping the check can cost weeks of smell.

Which Geelong and Bellarine areas do we service?