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Opossum Removal in Albany
Opossums are less destructive than raccoons but they den in the same places, and they are much harder to smell out until the mess is substantial.
Properties on the rural edge of Dougherty County have outbuildings that a town lot does not: barns, equipment sheds, tack rooms and feed stores. Opossums will take any of them, and they are drawn to exactly the same thing that draws rats, which is spilled feed. Cleaning up the feed is usually more of the solution than removing the animal is.
Opossums in Dougherty County: who does what
The City of Albany Animal Control publishes its remit as dog fighting, inhumane treatment, animals running at large, cruelty, dangerous dogs, bite cases and enforcement of the city animal control ordinance. Wildlife is not on that list at all: the department describes itself as responding to calls concerning domestic animals. There is no municipal service here for an animal in your attic, and no referral published either.
Animal control for both Albany and Dougherty County is the Albany Police Department’s Animal Control unit, one number for both (229-431-2132), which describes its work as patrolling city streets and answering calls about domestic animals.
For identifying an animal or damage before anyone is paid to look, the UGA Extension, Dougherty County office is at 125 Pine Avenue, Suite 100, Albany, GA 31701, (229) 436-7216 (office page).
What Georgia law says about opossums
Opossums share the raccoon’s rules on private land in Georgia: no closed season and no limit. Unlike raccoons they are not a rabies vector species, and Georgia’s Rabies Control Manual says opossum bites and scratches are generally not considered a rabies risk. A licensed operator may hold one for under 72 hours for release into suitable habitat with the landowner’s permission, never onto state property. All Georgia rules →
Sources: City of Albany, Animal Control; Georgia DNR: 2025-26 season dates; Georgia Rabies Control Manual (2024); Georgia DNR: Nuisance Wildlife Control study material (O.C.G.A. 27 and permit conditions). Checked October 2026.
Signs, and why they matter
- Shuffling or dragging sounds under a deck, shed or porch at night
- A strong, musty animal odour near a crawlspace vent
- Droppings and a matted den area under decking
- Heavy faecal accumulation in crawlspaces and under decks
- Fleas, ticks and mites carried into the structure
How removal works
Trapping and removal, then exclusion fencing dug in along the deck or shed skirt so they cannot re-enter: opossums will simply move back in if the gap stays open.
Opossum questions
How much does opossum removal cost in Albany?
$250 – $500 typical, depending on access and whether young are present. After a long stay in an attic the cleanup is often the bigger bill (attic restoration).
Is there a wrong time of year to deal with opossums?
Active year-round in the Southeast. Females carry young in a pouch, so removal timing matters less than with attic-denning species.
Who handles opossums in Dougherty County?
Animal control for both Albany and Dougherty County is the Albany Police Department’s Animal Control unit, one number for both (229-431-2132), which describes its work as patrolling city streets and answering calls about domestic animals.
Request a quote
We read every request and pass it to a licensed wildlife operator covering Albany where one is available. We are still building our list of operators here, so we cannot promise one is available or say how quickly they will respond.