EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a true story, with some embellishments.
Following a four-hour search Tuesday, a Faribault man discovered the source of a foul odor inside his Willow Street garage—a dead critter tentatively identified as a shrew. The black mole-like creature was found trapped inside the wall behind a large shelving unit.
The discovery came just as the homeowner was about to request assistance from the Southeastern Minnesota Joint Response Team’s cadaver dog. “The stench was oppressive, more toxic than Canadian wildfire smoke,” the man told a local newspaper reporter.
Local animal control officials declined to comment on the situation, citing data privacy laws. However, a department spokesperson stated that property owners are responsible for disposing of dead shrews, mice, moles and other small animals inside buildings and in their yards when there is no risk to the public.
The homeowner, who wished to remain anonymous, removed the decomposing shrew, doused the deadly scene with bleach, then flung his garage doors wide open. He also used a box fan to circulate the air. “Even after many hours, the place still stunk,” he said. “And my garage is a mess. I had to move everything and crawl on my hands and knees trying to find the dead thing.” Bottle flies eventually helped him pinpoint the location.
“I never want to go through this again,” the man said Wednesday morning as he moved shelves and other items in his garage back in to place. “It’s not like I just have a lawnmower, snowblower, bikes and yard tools. This is a working man’s garage.”
TELL ME: Do you have a similar totally true or embellished true story?
© Copyright 2023 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
🤣 Loved this story! Going to gift it to a friend in Northern MN who has had recent issues with skunks. MN garages are difficult with all the tools needed for 4 seasons.
Oh, your poor friend. I read that skunks are more prevalent this year, for whatever reason. I’ve smelled one several times in the middle of the night in our yard, the scent so strong it could have been strolling through our house.
eek!
I was saying “eek!” also when I moved the recycling bin and the biggest spider I’ve ever seen crawled across the cement. I am generally not afraid of spiders, but this one freaked me out. It is still lurking somewhere.
I totally understand this –
Oh my goodness. Yuck! We have a window well that animals find their way into. We’ve had opossums, muskrats, bunnies, birds, frogs, and most recently a gardener snake. I’m not a fan!
That’s quite a diverse collection of animals. I understand your “not a fan.”
There is nothing worst than a funk you cannot locate – STINKYYYY! I can tell you I will never purchase another home with moth ball scent overload – so hard to remove that scent (plus a toxin) – we had to replace the ducts in the house, wood (i.e., room/closet doors, trim, etc.), carpeting, etc. – it has been a nightmare. I lost count how many cans of Kilz we went through before just removing and starting over. Then you add in the critters that lived in the attic that had to be removed before the house went on the market – we did not find this out until after we got the keys. The critters smell was not as bad as the moth ball scent for some reason. I feel for anyone dealing with DA FUNK and practically having to tear the house inside out to find said FUNK.
That house sounds like an absolute nightmare. I am sorry you had to go through all of this in a home you purchased. The seller should have disclosed.
Our mouse is still uncaptured to my knowledge. I suspect he fled the premises after he scared me. 😂
If mice scared that easily, we would have no mice. I detest them.