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WCOs and Dogs

WCOs and dogs may seem like a strange topic but a few moments of reflection would suggest otherwise. Wildlife Control Operators (WCOs) visit the homes of clients.

Sign warning people about dogs. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.
Sign warning people about dogs. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.

Lots of clients have dogs and dogs can bite. According to the Dogs Bite.org, between January 1 2005 and December 31, 2017, at least 433 people died from dog attacks in the United States. Granted 48% of the deaths were of children less than 9 years of age. Makes sense, children are more vulnerable. But don’t let your guard down. people in older groups including adults have been killed by dogs. Deaths are only part of the story as most incidents involve bodily injury, some quite severe, meaning that the victim required medical treatment.

Bottom line. WCOs need to be on the look out for more than just slippery sidewalks. They need to be paying attention to whether a domestic animal is on location and whether it can pose a threat to the WCO’s personal safety.

WCOs should protect themselves by following these suggestions:

  • Ask clients whether they have a dog on the premises when hired. Make it part of the phone inspection process.
  • Keep an eye out for signs of dogs when driving up to the job site. Are there dog food dishes present? What about dog toys? Is there a fenced area that seems quite secure? Is the grass destroyed by that fence line suggesting a dog spends time monitoring that fence?
  • Do you hear barking when you arrive?

Once you see a dog, don’t assume it’s friendly. Keep away from it unless the client suggests otherwise. The Centers for Disease Control has many more suggestions on how to prevent dog bites. I suggest reading their tips to keep you safe. If you have employees, take the opportunity to train them. A few minutes of training can save hours of lost work, pain, and expensive medical bills.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications along with several books (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

 

 

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Bat Bites

Bat Bites

Bat caught in a blind that could have bitten a person in the room. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel
Bat caught in a blind that could have bitten a person in the room. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel

A 6 year old child died from contact with a rabid bat. According to the news, the boy was awake and put his hand on the bat. He wasn’t taken to the hospital for prophylactic rabies shots. Ultimately, that decision seemed to have cost the child his life. Learn more at 6-year Old dies of rabies. The key here is that bat bites are serious. While a person should certainly know if he/she was bitten while they were awake, frequently bat bites occur when the person is sleeping or under the influence. Parents and caregivers should be particularly concerned about children or the mentally disabled as they may lack the awareness or ability to know or express that they have had contact with a bat.

Take the presence of a bat inside the living space seriously. Capture the bat safely and without harming its brain. Then contact your local health department and have them discuss with you whether rabies testing of the bat and/or whether any family members or pets need to obtain rabies prophylaxis treatment.

Learn more about rabies by visiting CDC.gov and about bats in structures at Management of House Bats

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications along with several books (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

 

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Gloves

Gloves

Gloves. Sure they can be a pain to carry around, putting on and taking off but they are a necessary piece of equipment for the wildlife control operator (WCO) or anyone dealing with wildlife. One of the unfortunate realities in wildlife control is that WCOs can get careless about their safety. Sure, everyone working at a job for a certain length of time begins to cut corners. But I am talking about cutting corners that threaten one’s own safety. I have been disappointed by the number of WCOs who have decided that they would take pictures of themselves holding wildlife without appropriate protection. 

Gauntlet welding gloves, latex gloves, and rubberized palm cotton gloves
Gauntlet welding gloves, latex gloves, and rubberized palm cotton gloves. All these gloves can help protect users.

Sure it’s macho to grab animals by hand, rather than using a tool like cat graspers or tongs. Sometimes, it is even faster to capture an animal by hand. But one would think that wearing gloves would be at least smart. Granted, most gloves won’t protect people from a bite by a determined animal. But gloves can protect against ineffective bites and scratches. Plus gloves can protect the WCO from coming into contact with ectoparasites and feces contaminated fur. 

I wonder how many insurance agents, assuming these WCOs actually have insurance, such as liability or health, are checking on the Facebook pages or other social media posts of their clients. I suspect they aren’t. But I would wager that if they did, these agents would have a chat with their clients or possibly recalculate the insurance premium. 

Bottom line. Be safe out there. Don’t get careless. Wear gloves. Your job is already dangerous enough. 

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, helps people restore balance with nature through speaking, training, publications, and web access.