Colorado, private property
Dead Animal Under a Deck or in a Crawl Space
Animals that shelter under decks, porches, sheds and houses often die there. None of the Colorado public services we checked that remove animals from private property says it will go under a structure. Jefferson County Animal Control requires the animal to be readily accessible and at ground level, and Centennial's request form asks whether it is in the front or back yard.
Before you pay anyone. Find the access before you call: a crawl space hatch, a section of lattice, a skirting panel, or a gap between the deck and the ground. If the only way in is through a finished floor or wall, say so, because operators do not cut finished surfaces.
What this covers
- An animal under a deck or porch reached from the side or through lattice
- An animal under a shed or outbuilding
- An animal in a crawl space with a working access door or hatch
Where the limit is
An animal that can only be reached by cutting a finished floor, wall or deck surface. If boards have to come up, that is a carpentry decision for the owner first.
Operators work where an animal can be reached without cutting into a finished wall, ceiling or floor: open ground, a crawl space hatch, removable lattice or skirting, an attic access, a garage. They do not open drywall, plaster or other finished surfaces.
This page promises no arrival time. Calls route by ZIP where an operator covers the address, and whether anyone is available for yours, and what it would cost, is settled on the call.
How a call goes
- Describe the structure and how high the gap is.
- Say where you think the animal is and how you know: seen, or only smelled.
- Say what access exists: a hatch, lattice, skirting, or none.
- Where an operator covers the address, the visit and the price are agreed on the call.
Questions about this situation
Will the city or county remove a dead animal from under my deck?
None of the city and county services we checked says it will. Jefferson County Animal Control removes small animals only when they are readily accessible and at ground level, and Centennial's request form asks whether the animal is in the front or back yard.
What if I can smell it but cannot see it?
The smell is usually strongest near the source, so check the openings under the deck, the crawl space vents and the hatch. If the smell is coming from inside a wall rather than a reachable space, read the article on smells inside walls, because a sealed wall cavity is not something operators open.
Not sure this is the right page? Who removes a dead animal in Colorado works through the public and private split, and the locations page sets out what the larger cities publish.