Georgia, private property
Dead Squirrel Removal in Georgia
Henry County's request page names the squirrel among the small wildlife it does not remove 'regardless of location', although Henry's code (3-4-8) still makes dead animals in county-road rights of way a duty of its Animal Care and Control and county DOT (both read 2026-10-01). We found no current public service that collects a dead wild animal from a yard. Georgia DPH's rabies manual says squirrels are 'almost never infected with rabies'. If the squirrel is in an attic, under a deck or somewhere you would rather not reach, call 404-609-1114 to see whether an independent operator covers your address.
Is a dead squirrel a disease risk in Georgia?
Georgia DPH's Rabies Control Manual says squirrels, rats, mice, chipmunks and rabbits 'are almost never infected with rabies and are not a meaningful contributor to the transmission of rabies to humans.' DPH says hantavirus pulmonary syndrome 'is caused by several hantaviruses, which can be carried by certain mice and rats', and that it is not endemic in Georgia. For a dead rodent, CDC's clean-up steps call for gloves, a disinfectant soak, two knotted bags and a covered garbage can. For an attic, see attic or garage.
Source: Georgia DPH, Rabies Control Manual, checked 2026-10-01.
Before you pay anyone. Check where it is. A squirrel in the street may go to a local road channel, but some take only larger animals (Athens-Clarke: raccoon size or larger; Cherokee: deer or large dogs), and Henry County's request page says it does not remove small wildlife such as squirrels 'regardless of location', although Henry's code (3-4-8) still makes dead animals in county-road rights of way a duty of its Animal Care and Control and county DOT (both read 2026-10-01). From private property, Gwinnett takes only small carcasses, bagged and set roadside, and Atlanta collects at the curb once you carry the animal there.
What this covers
- A squirrel found dead on a lawn, patio or driveway
- A squirrel in an attic reached through the existing hatch or pull-down stairs
- A squirrel in a garage, shed or under a deck where it can be reached without cutting anything
Where the limit is
This page is about squirrels. This site does not list rat or mouse removal, trapping, exclusion, repairs, or any disinfecting or deodorizing work. Nothing routed through this site involves opening drywall, ceilings or floors; a smell from inside a sealed wall is covered in our article on a dead animal smell in a wall. For a live squirrel that seems sick, DNR's line is 1-800-366-2661.
What Georgia law says. Title 27's definitions, as reproduced in DNR's 2008 statute excerpt, list the squirrel as a game animal. We found no statewide rule that sets a deadline for a homeowner to remove a wild animal carcass from their own property, or that requires them to remove it. Your city or county may have its own rules; Sandy Springs and Johns Creek codes, for example, set 24-hour disposal limits.
How a call goes
- Say where the squirrel is, and for an attic, how the attic is reached.
- Give the address or ZIP. Calls reach this site's routing line, which passes them to an independent operator where one covers the area.
- Price and availability are settled on the call. Independent operators set their own prices.
Questions about this animal
Can I get rabies from a dead squirrel?
Georgia DPH's manual says squirrels are almost never infected with rabies and are not a meaningful contributor to rabies transmission to humans, and DPH's rabies page says rabies is rare in small rodents such as squirrels. If someone was bitten, DPH says to report it to the county health department or 1-866-PUB-HLTH (1-866-782-4584). This site gives no medical advice.
What steps does CDC give for a dead rodent?
CDC's How to Clean Up After Rodents page says to wear gloves, spray the dead rodent and the area around it with disinfectant and let it soak for 5 minutes or as the label directs, place it in a plastic bag and knot it, put that bag in a second bag and knot it, and throw it into a covered garbage can that is regularly emptied. CDC also says not to vacuum or sweep rodent droppings, urine or nesting material. These are CDC's federal guidance steps.
Will someone remove a dead squirrel from my attic?
Possibly, where an independent operator covers the address and the squirrel can be reached through the attic's existing access without cutting anything. In the local pages we read, no current government service offers to enter a home for it. Atlanta's ATL311 article says that if the animal is in the house or backyard, the resident is responsible for placing it at the curb.
Where it was found
- In the yardNo current state or local service we found collects a dead wild animal from a yard. Atlanta collects at the curb once you carry it there, and Athens-Clarke's pickup page asks the same, though its FAQ 279 calls an animal off the street or right of way the resident's responsibility and FAQ 142 points private property to a wildlife removal company or the landfill. From private property, Gwinnett takes only small carcasses, bagged and set roadside.
- Under a deck or crawl spaceNo current public service we found goes under a structure. Calls here are for carcasses reachable through an existing opening, with no cutting.
- Attic or garageNo current public service we found removes a carcass from inside a home. Calls here are for attics and garages reachable without cutting anything.
Not sure who is responsible? Who picks it up · How to dispose of it · Dead deer in the yard · Georgia dead animal laws
By area: Atlanta · Gwinnett County · Cobb County · DeKalb County · North Fulton · Cherokee County · Forsyth County · Henry County · Augusta · Columbus · Macon · Athens