RATS CAN BE ELIMINATED FROM MAJOR SPORTS VENUES? ABSOLUTELY

Why Pest Boys Succeeds Where Others Fail

Pest Boys is only company to successfully eliminate rat infestations from major sports stadiums. Over the years, we have eradicated rodents from venues including Texas Stadium, The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas Motor Speedway, and the Frisco RoughRiders Ballpark. Since 1995, Pest Boys has specialized in rodent elimination throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Unfortunately, many of these venues later changed service providers, only to become re-infested because the follow-up companies lacked the knowledge and expertise required to keep them rodent-free.

I have over 31 years of experience eliminating rodents from everything from backyard storage sheds to major league stadiums. When it comes to rodents, I've learned that mice are about as predictable as they come. Even if a snap trap is set incorrectly or fails several times, sooner or later it will catch its target—especially when it's baited correctly. And despite what many people believe, even Tom and Jerry know the best bait isn't cheese.

If a large facility has a mouse problem, it's almost guaranteed that rats are the ones really running the show. As long as food is abundant, rats generally ignore the mice. But once food becomes scarce, the mice go from being fellow scavengers to becoming dinner. Rats will chase down and kill smaller rodents for food and will aggressively compete for territory and mating opportunities.

Every major indoor arena or dome stadium begins its life vulnerable to rodents. If even a single pair of rats gains access during construction or early operation—and they almost always do—that population can grow into hundreds or even thousands over time if left unchecked.

The damage they cause extends far beyond what most people realize. Rats are responsible for tens of thousands of dollars in damage each year to communication wiring, electrical systems, and other infrastructure within these facilities. Yet many venue operators continue to downplay or ignore the severity of the problem. Too often they're told by pest control companies, "It's called pest control, not pest elimination." Unfortunately, most companies have accepted that rodents can only be managed—not eliminated.

The reality is that very few pest control professionals have ever worked in a major sports stadium that was truly free of rats. If you've never seen a rodent-free facility, it's easy to believe complete elimination isn't possible. My experience has proven otherwise.

One piece of advice for those setting snap traps: the traditional wooden Victor® snap traps are excellent for both mice and rats—but only if they do not have the extended trigger. Extended triggers can cause a rat to trip the trap from the edge, resulting in a broken nose rather than a clean capture. The injured rat often escapes, only to die elsewhere, creating an even bigger sanitation problem.

And one final thought: be careful where you eat. That black speck on your salad may not always be ground pepper.

Note: The rats I eliminate in the Dallas/Fort Worth area are primarily Roof Rats. They may be a little less cautious than the rats found in other parts of the country, but they can be just as destructive.

"If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?" — John Wooden

Lary Adkins

Pest Boys Inc