1. Keep people and pets away
Family members, tenants and animals stay out of the area while the crew prepares to enter.
Chimayo, NM · Santa Fe County
Found a dead raccoon, opossum or rodent on your Chimayo property? Keep pets away and call (877) 812-4220 to get carcass removal, cleanup of the area and disinfection.
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.
Need residential or commercial dead animal cleanup in Chimayo or nearby parts of Santa Fe County? Wherever it is in your property, whether walls, ceilings, duct runs, chimneys, crawl spaces, porches or storage rooms, call Chimayo Biohazard Cleanup Help.
Most housing in Santa Fe County is occupied, with a vacancy rate of about 10%, so a smell is usually noticed quickly, but wall voids and crawl spaces still hide carcasses. About 53% of homes in Chimayo were built before 1980, and older houses often have more gaps, chimneys and crawl spaces where animals can get in and die.
A typical dead animal removal & cleanup job includes:
Family members, tenants and animals stay out of the area while the crew prepares to enter.
Barriers keep odor and dust from spreading while technicians suit up and open access to the space.
The carcass, nest and soaked insulation are packed out, and the area is cleaned to bare structure.
Joists, subfloors and walls are disinfected and deodorized, and the crew lists any repairs for other trades.
Dead animal removal & cleanup in Chimayo, NM typically costs $150 to $250, depending on the size of the affected area and the materials involved.
Insurance may help in some cases, but many homeowners policies exclude damage from animals or pests. Ask your insurer exactly what applies before work starts.
| Type of job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Dead animal removal | $150 - $250 |
| Dead animal removal | $150 - $250 |
Figures are planning ranges from Bob Vila, HomeAdvisor, not a price for any specific Chimayo property. Price drivers include where the animal is, whether walls must be opened, size of the animal, odor and cleanup afterward. Call (877) 812-4220 any hour.
No. Cleanup removes the carcass and odor but does not close entry points. A wildlife or pest professional can seal gaps. Removing odor does help, since scent can draw other animals to the same spot.
For work in an attic or crawl space, many people stay in the home while the crew works with containment. For heavy odor or large animals, you may prefer to be away. The team will say what makes sense for your situation.
Hard surfaces, wood framing and items in sealed containers can usually be cleaned and kept. Insulation, carpet, padding and drywall that soaked up fluids are generally removed. The crew sorts items with you before anything is thrown out.
As an animal decomposes, bacteria break down tissue and release gases with a strong, sickly-sweet smell. In an enclosed wall or attic, that odor has nowhere to go and spreads through the house. Removing the source is the only real fix.
Sometimes, but not always. Many homeowners policies exclude damage from animals or pests, and wording differs. Call your insurer before work starts, take photos and keep receipts, and ask what paperwork it needs.
It depends on where the animal is, its size and how much material must be removed. A pickup in plain sight costs less than a job inside a wall. The team sets the price after seeing the space.
Call (877) 812-4220 any hour and describe the smell and where it is strongest.
Call (877) 812-4220