He may not be A&E’s Billy the Exterminator decked out in black leathers laced with studded spikes from head to toe, but Jeff Anderson, owner of San Francisco and Oakland’s Critter Control, does pretty much the same thing—he solves peoples’ issues with uninvited guests called critters.
His daily work orders involves critters such as cute woodchucks, squirrels, raccoons, moles, possums, bats and birds to creepy snakes and alligators; just not insects. Those tormented by wasp and ants – maybe call The Orkin Man, or some other pest control service.
Owner of the Oakland franchise since 1996 and the San Francisco location for the last two years, Anderson’s team includes his daughter Jaime and her husband Dale Eagles. Together they service homeowners, industrial and commercial clients and business owners throughout Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and Marin counties.
A retired IBM employee, Anderson decided to direct his second career towards the outdoors with something that involved animals. “I grew up in Minnesota and as a youngster I trapped mink. It was back in the 50’s,” said Anderson.
Instead of trapping for pleasure, his family protects people, property and wildlife by trapping for safety and peace-of-mind. Teaching is also part of their job. “Part of our inspection is not only finding out what type of animal it is, but also making habitat modifications so they won’t have the problem again. We educate our clients on what they need to do in order to keep the critter from coming back.”
Featured on Discovery Channel’s MythBusters a couple of times, Anderson talked about how to remove, as-best-as-possible, the liquid arsenic sprays of a skunk. “I was once sprayed in my face by a skunk. I used a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and liquid dish soap to neutralize the smell,” said Anderson.
Critter Control, the franchise, began in Detroit, Michigan in the 80’s, and today has over 100 offices throughout the United States and in Canada. Owner-operators must have special licenses to do their job. Anderson has a license with the Department of Fish and Game (needed for trapping wildlife), a pest control license and also a contractor’s license, since some of his work involves fixing property damage.
On call 24/7, 365 days a year, Anderson says at times it’s like being a private investigator. “You have to be like a detective because you have to figure out what is going on, what type of animal it is, what damage they’ve done and how to fix it,” he said. Sometimes you have a bad smell and it turns out to be a plumbing issue.”
While the Department of Fish and Game does not allow wildlife relocation (unless the animal is released on the same property), sometimes Anderson’s job is not a happy one, when he has to put the animal to sleep. His best tip for homeowners involves prevention. “Don’t leave any pet food out at night for your cats and dogs and don’t feed wildlife,” said Anderson, who has given educational talks at schools. “While you may enjoy that particular animal, your neighbors may not.”
He also encourages his clients to inspect their attics and foundations, because rodents view cracks and crevices like celebrities view red carpet galas. “They use the storm sewers as highways; they rip up yards and vents and nest in attics and under houses,” said Anderson.
Costs for Anderson’s services vary greatly depending on the size of the home or business and the type of problem. Anderson’s scariest moment was when he came face-to-face with a rattle snake.
“I pulled a rattle snake out of a coke machine,” he said. “But to this day, I have not been bit by one yet!”
For more information, visit their website at www.crittercontrol.com.
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