Better a dead rat than a live one. I always kick or thump the compost bin a couple of times, then wait a moment to let any inhabitants know I'm coming before I take off the lid. I've been surprised in the past.... Serpiously though, I wouldn't worry about it. Rinse off your produce before you eat it. You are in more danger from supermarket stuff. How do you know that the last person who touched that apple washed their hands after using the restroom?

Hey ! Perhaps I have an answer to this question. Causes Before dealing with any unpleasant action of your pet, you need to consider the features that can lead to such action. There are several reasons for wallowing in moldy stuff and garbage. Nice Smell It may seem strange, but dogs perceive scents in a very different way than humans. The pleasant smell of flowers for us may not cause them any emotions, but the smell of garbage is just as pleasant for them as perfume. Therefore, the desire to fall in rotten meat can be dictated by pleasant sensations. Instinct They inherited this habit from their ancient relatives – wolves. Before hunting, they often smear themselves in such things to disguise their scent. When the prey does not smell the predator, it is much easier to catch it. That is why the desire to wallow in the trash is often more acutely felt by hunting dogs. Stress, Strong Emotional Upheavals Sometimes dogs want to avoid unpleasant situations in this way (in this case, the procedure of dumping in the garbage acts as a disguise). The pet may be trying to avoid encountering an unpleasant animal or going to the veterinary clinic.

Was there a recent divorce at your home? If so, here's a possibility' : On the first day, he sadly packed his belongings into boxes, crates and suitcases. On the second day, he had the movers come and collect his things. On the third day, he sat down for the last time at their beautiful dining-room table, by candle-light; he put on some soft background music, and feasted on a pound of shrimp, a jar of caviar, and a bottle of wine. When he'd finished, he went into each and every room and deposited a few half-eaten shrimps dipped in caviar into the hollow center of the curtain rods. He then cleaned up the kitchen and left. On the fourth day, the wife came back with her new boyfriend, and at first all was bliss. Then, slowly, the house began to smell. They tried everything; cleaning, mopping, and airing-out the place. Vents were checked for dead rodents, and carpets were steam cleaned. Air fresheners were hung everywhere. Exterminators were brought in to set off gas canisters, during which time the two had to move out for a few days, and in the end they even paid to replace the expensive wool carpeting.. Nothing worked! People stopped coming over to visit. Repairmen refused to work in the house. The maid quit. Finally, they couldn't take the stench any longer, and decided they had to move, but a month later - even though they'd cut their price in half - they couldn't find a buyer for such a stinky house. Word got out, and eventually even the local realtors refused to return their calls. Finally, unable to wait any longer for a purchaser, they had to borrow a huge sum of money from the bank to purchase a new place. Then the ex called the woman and asked how things were going. She told him the saga of the rotting house. He listened politely and said that he missed his old home terribly and would be willing to reduce his divorce settlement in exchange for having the house. Knowing he could have no idea how bad the smell really was, she agreed on a price that was only 1/10 th of what the house had been worth ... but only if he would sign the papers that very day. He agreed, and within two hours her lawyers delivered the completed paperwork. A week later the woman and her boyfriend stood smiling as they watched the moving company pack everything to take to their new home . . . . . . and to spite the ex-husband, they even took the curtain rods!

My cat alerted me to it. He sat by the wall for days. In another house I purchased, it smelled like something died. Checked the crawl space, they had put lime down, then heavy plastic (ever watch CSI? Lime dissolves bones/bodies). They also had Febreeze sprayed through out the house. Since we tear all the bathrooms & kitchen out anyway....when doing a whole house remodel, I wasn't worried. Got a great price, saying "no inspection". :0) In that house, someone had installed a dishwasher and did NOT put water down the p trap or cap it off. It was easily fixed.....nothing dead.