Mississippi, private property
Dead Opossum Removal in Mississippi
Opossums, called possums by most people, shelter under decks, in crawl spaces and sometimes in attics. When one dies there, the smell is usually the first sign.
Who removes a dead opossum from under my house?
None of the city and county codes and pages we reviewed describes collecting an animal from under a house or from a crawl space, so ask your city whether it has a route. Where an independent operator covers your address, it can remove an opossum that can be reached through an existing opening.
Before you call anyone. Opossums sometimes go still when threatened. Watch for a few minutes from a distance before assuming the animal is dead; a live opossum is not handled through this site.
Cases this page is for
- A dead opossum in the yard, along a fence or by the trash cans.
- An opossum under a house, porch or deck reached through an existing opening.
- An opossum in a crawl space reached through the access door.
- An opossum on the attic floor reached from the hatch.
What falls outside it
Live opossums, trapping, relocation and closing up the gaps they used are not part of this site. MDWFP issues a separate permit for removing live wildlife. Carcasses sealed inside walls are information only here.
Mississippi law classes opossums as fur-bearing animals (Miss. Code Β§49-7-1, as reproduced in the Legislature's 2026 bill text). Through this site the carcass is removed and taken for disposal, and nothing is kept.
An opossum is mid-sized, so its odor can be strong in an enclosed crawl space. How long it lasts depends on temperature, humidity, airflow and location.
From call to removal
- Call, or send the form, and say where the opossum is and which town you are in.
- Describe the access: open yard, crawl-space door, deck gap or attic hatch.
- Where an independent operator covers your address, it agrees the price and timing with you.
- The carcass is removed and taken for disposal.
About this animal
Is an opossum the same as a possum?
Yes. "Possum" is the everyday name; Mississippi law calls it an opossum and classes it as a fur-bearing animal.
Should I handle a dead opossum myself?
The Mississippi State Department of Health advises against handling wild animals that can carry rabies, giving raccoons, bats, skunks, foxes and coyotes as examples. If a person or a pet may have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal such as an opossum, call MSDH's Office of Epidemiology at 601-576-7725.
Can an opossum under a deck be reached?
Often, if there is an existing opening or a board that lifts without cutting. Describe the deck on the call so the operator can judge access.
What if the smell is in a wall?
This site does not pass on work that means opening a wall. The wall-smell article covers what can be checked first.
Where on the property
- Under a house or deckNo city or county page we reviewed mentions collecting from under a structure. If there is an existing way in, a carcass under a house or deck can be removed without cutting.
- In a crawl spaceA crawl space is often the hiding place, and the access door is usually the way in. Removal through this site goes through an existing opening; nothing is cut.
- In the atticAn animal on the attic floor can usually be reached from the hatch. One inside a ceiling or wall cavity is a different matter.
Whose job is it? Who picks up dead animals Β· Deer carcass and CWD rules Β· How to dispose of a dead animal
By area: Jackson Β· Madison County Β· DeSoto County Β· Gulfport and Biloxi Β· Hattiesburg