[Urban Wildlife Control Issue] Money Matters

As the proliferation of wildlife and urban sprawl continues, more homeowners and property managers are coming into contact with wildlife. Animals once associated with being “out in the country” are now commonly found in structures, yards and parks in both urban and suburban areas.

Bats, birds, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, deer, feral cats, skunks, opossums, Canada geese, coyotes and others are not only a nuisance to consumers but also can destroy property and transmit diseases including rabies, Hantavirus, West Nile virus, histoplasmosis and Lyme disease.

PMPs often receive the call from an exasperated consumer looking for someone to remove the raccoons out of the chimney or relocate the snake that has entered the garage or storage shed. The National Wildlife Control Association’s Jason Reger estimates 60 percent of pest management professionals are interested in learning how to add wildlife services to their lineup because of the demand from customers.

Wildlife control, however, is not as cut and dry as it might appear, and it is a service PMPs should carefully research before deciding to enter. Noted wildlife control expert and author of the Mallis Handbook of Pest Control chapter on vertebrate pests, Scott McNeely, McNeely Pest Control, Winston-Salem, N.C., says PMPs should “start small” and incrementally build wildlife service offerings to coincide with their firm’s structure and goals.

As is the case with traditional pest management services, training and education — especially animal biology and behavior — are key elements in controlling wildlife.

And while PMPs enjoy hearing from their customers on a regular basis, the call, e-mail or text informing them that the raccoon or skunk they had come out to service two weeks ago is back and up to its old tricks is not a welcome message.

Callbacks in wildlife control are an issue for pest management professionals engaged in trying to wrangle in crafty four-legged creatures but they do not have to “trap” your company’s sales.
 

Sean Gilbert, wildlife manager for Northwest Exterminating in Atlanta, Ga., spoke earlier this year at the NWCOA/NPMA Wildlife Expo in New Orleans on the topic of callbacks and offered fellow PMPs some sage advice.

“The leading reason for callbacks in wildlife control is usually due to an inadequate inspection,” says Gilbert. “It can be something as simple as overlooking a vent with the screen missing that was covered by a shrub or not looking on the underside of a bay window and spotting an opening.”

That’s why Gilbert’s wildlife control team is in no hurry to rush through the initial inspection of a customer’s home and property, taking at least an hour to examine every nook and cranny. Knowing what you are looking for and looking at also helps reduce wildlife control callbacks. Knowing what type of roofing materials are used, the type of roof design (i.e., a gable roof) and other basic construction practices will help PMPs design and implement more effective prevention and control programs.

Gilbert recommends not only focusing on obvious areas like screens, doors and windows but to work off the roof lines of the structure to identify openings where wildlife can gain access. For example, while the gap where the roof meets the gutter attachment is a prime entry way for roof rats into a home or business, the hidden gaps in eaves and soffits also provide an easy way indoors.

“When you are working with wildlife you have to use all your detective skills to identify where they are accessing the structure,” says Gilbert.

The 14-year veteran says it is important to understand that for the wildlife seeking food or shelter, it is not simply a way to pass the day — it is life or death. “Animals will aggressively fight to survive and that survivalist instinct tells them to identify more than one way in or out of a structure,” he says. “They will identify alternate escape routes and that is why the inspection and observation process is so critical.”

Know Your Adversary. Properly identifying exactly what animal is making noises up in the attic is another important element to successfully delivering a wildlife control job. Misidentification can lead to an incorrect treatment recommendation and the wrong products being applied.

For example, removing a family of raccoons from an attic requires a different set of procedures and products than dislodging roof rats. “It all goes back to the initial inspection and gathering the correct information in order to identify the wildlife or pest species you are dealing with and taking the proper corrective action,” says Gilbert.

Another important part of successfully servicing homes and businesses for wildlife is having the proper tools at your disposal, including ladders with stabilizers; compact drills; hardware (screws, zip ties, etc.); heavy-duty, cut-resistant gloves; eye protection; and bright flashlights.

Gilbert says a common mistake for firms new to wildlife control is using exclusion materials that are not sturdy enough to stand up to the aggressive animals seeking to gain access to the structure.

In addition to conducting a proper inspection, correctly identifying the animal and taking corrective action, you must ensure your technicians have the proper training. “If your company decides to add wildlife services to its lineup make sure you are committed to learning how to do the job right,” says Gilbert, whose wildlife division at Northwest has grown from three people to a staff of 30 since it was formed. “It takes a specialized group with a specific skill set to get the job done.”

Callbacks in wildlife control often take place when expectations aren’t met and that is typically the result of not enough communication during the initial inspection and proposal presentation. “You have to spend more time with the customer than you might for general pest control work,” says Gilbert. “Wildlife issues are not typically eliminated immediately on the day of service and it can take a few weeks to fix the problem completely. They may still hear noises in the attic but that doesn’t mean the program isn’t working.”

The author is a partner of B Communications. Email him at jfenner@giemedia.com.