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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, ACE, 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 (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel) along with several books (https://wildlifecontrolconsultant.com/store-2/). Listen to his podcast at PestGeek Podcast (https://pestgeekpodcast.com/). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com. 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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M-44s and Domestic Dogs

M-44s are devices that eject sodium-cyanide into the mouth of canines that pull the device. They are outstanding tools for the control of coyotes (Canis latrans) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes). While important tools for wildlife damage management, M-44s do have a draw back, namely M-44s and domestic dogs can be a lethal combination if domestic dogs happen to interact with them.

M-44 to the left of the bleached bone. Photo by Anonymous.
M-44 to the left of the bleached bone. Photo by Anonymous.

Now all legal users of M-44s want to reduce/eliminate non-target kills. In fact the label requires applicators to follow stringent and somewhat restrictive protocols in the use of M-44s. There are several strategies to prevent domestic dogs from interacting with these devices.

  1. Instruct the landowner to restrain his/her dogs during the time the M-44s will be in the pasture.
  2. Place the M-44s in areas removed from where the dogs normally roam.

Now those are common sense suggestions. But there is another option. It’s not a perfect solution but just another technique. What you do is insert capsaicin tablets in the M-44s. The dogs that bite and pull the devices will get a mouthful of bitter capsaicin. This difficult experience is enough to train dogs to avoid the devices in the future.

Note, it’s not a guaranteed solution but it can be a helpful one to offer a landowner who is resistant to restrain his/her dogs.

Stephen M. Vantassel is certified in the use of M-44s.

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Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) Control

Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) Control

A Canada goose (Branta canadensis). Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.
A Canada goose (Branta canadensis). Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.

You have seen them around, you may have even admired them. But in recent years they have become a big problem. Golf courses, beach front property owners and community parks have been fouled with goose droppings. A Canada goose (not Canadian goose), while a majestic bird, can deposit about a half a pound of fecal material on your grass each and every day. The problem of course is how to get rid of them.

Canada geese are protected under the North American Migratory Bird Treaty which was ratified in the early 20th century. Essentially it provides legal protection of birds that migrate across national borders of Mexico. The treaty allows the birds to be killed during either a regulated hunting season or when they are committing property or crop damage.

The trouble is while you might think that you are suffering property damage, the government requires that non-lethal options be tried first. Only after non-lethal options have been tried will the government give you a permit for lethal control.

Strategies for  Canada geese (Branta canadensis) control.

*Hazing: Hazing consists of harassing the birds so that they no longer will frequent your water front property. The best way this is accomplished it to setup a dog run parallel to the water. Let the dog chase and bark at the geese. The key is to find a dog that loves to chase geese and is not intimidated by them. Note, it’s illegal to haze geese when they are in the molt (i.e. flightless).

*Pyrotechnics/sonic devices: These are exploding devices that are shot from a 12-gauge shot gun. They cause a loud bang when they are fired and when they explode some thirty yards away. They can be very effective when used as soon as the flock begins to use the pond or property. But if they become established its effectiveness is lessened or may be only temporary. The problem with these devices is the legal restrictions on their use on account that they are considered firearms. Before you buy them be sure to check with your police department to see if they will permit its use.

*Fencing: Placing a three foot high fence along the edge of the water can be a very effective method of preventing geese from defecating on your lawn.  Geese like being able to have free access from the water to the lawn and vice versa. The fence doesn’t have to be pretty, expensive or even permanent. You can even use chicken wire.

*Landscaping: Planting shrubs on your property near the water line can be a great method of discouraging geese. Geese prefer open grass so that they can easily see their predators. Placing shrubs around the edge of the water helps reduce their line of vision making them more vulnerable to natural predators and more nervous.

If you would like further assistance with applying these methods contact me.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a Certified Wildlife Control Operator (CWCP®) who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. His latest books are the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition and The Practical Guide to the Control of Feral Cats. He can be contacted at wildlifecontrolconsultant at gmail dot com.

If you would like your publication, video, or product reviewed, please contact the author at the e-mail above.

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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Feral Dog Control

Feral Dog Control

My wild ones.
My wild ones. (Photo credit: This Year’s Love)

Feral and free-range dogs are more of a problem in the U.S. than one might think. Sometimes predation that is blamed on coyotes was actually committed by free-range or feral dogs.

The first 2 links are to publications designed for Australia, but they should still contain some helpful tips for wildlife control operators in the U.S. The last link is to a website with guidelines for policies and practices related to feral dogs and their control.  Thanks to the lady who directed me to the site.

 

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a certified wildlife control operator who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. His latest book is the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition. He can be contacted at stephenvantassel at Hotmail dot com.

If you would like your publication, video, or product reviewed, please contact the author at the e-mail above.

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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Rabies

Rabies

Patient with rabies, 1959
Patient with rabies, 1959 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For years, rabies was considered incurable. Sure the disease could be prevented from occurring (via rabies shots) but once the disease manifested itself symptomatically, rabies was considered terminal.  But several years ago, a Wisconsin girl, who contracted rabies by picking up an infected bat, was successfully treated. An article in Scientific American http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=jeanna-giese-rabies-survivor reviews the case.

Not only did she survive the infection, but she has recovered to “normal” function. More recently, a California girl, also recovered (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm6104.pdf)

Rabies and You

I have two main points with this post. First, we continue to learn more about this ancient zoonotic disease. Second, don’t assume that becuase progress toward post exposure treatment has occurred that we can be less vigilant about protecting ourselves from this infection.

The fact is for 99.99% of the cases, rabies is terminal.  So employment of the following strategies will go a long way in protecting you and your family from this infection.

1. Vaccinate all pets. While many people do vaccinate their dogs, for some reason people are less responsible about their cats. A quick look at the Centers for Disease Control’s map comparing the rabies cases of dogs (yellow) and cats (red) in the U.S. (2009) is somewhat startling http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/resources/publications/2009-surveillance/cats-and-dogs.html but not unexpected. House cats are allowed to free-range more than dogs due to owner complaincency and the view that cats don’t pose a public health threat (an idea shown to be a myth by toxoplasmosis).

2. Avoid Wildlife. Most exposures to rabies are NOT initiated by the infected animal. It is the human that approaches the animal. So the idea that rabid animals are hunting people to infect is simply false. Many exposures are caused by people looking to “help” the animal.

3. Be Aware of Crypto Exposures. Crypto exposures are hidden or unknown expsosures. Bat bites are the most common form of crypto-exposures to rabies. Protect yourself and your family by being familiar with the protocols for handling bats found inside the “living space” of your home (living space is different than your attic and walls).

4. Get Treatment. If you think you were exposed to a bite or found a bat in your living space, contact medical authorities. Rabies is preventable when treated.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a certified wildlife control professional. He specializes in wildlife damage management issues and is available for articles, interviews, research, and educational events. He may be contacted via e-mail  stephenvantassel(at)hotmail(dot)com

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About Stephen

Stephen M. Vantassel MNI, CNI, CWCP, ACE Bio Stephen M. Vantassel is the Vertebrate Pest Specialist for the Montana Department of Agriculture (2015-present). Formerly, he was the Program Coordinator of Distance Education-Wildlife Damage Management for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources from 2004-2014. Stephen filled the position vacated by Dallas Virchow, who … Learn More

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