March 3, 2008
Bedbug Sniffing Dogs on the Prowl for Pests
Release the hounds. The latest innovation in bedbug eradication is being brought to you by Advanced K9 Detectives, a company using man’s best friend to sniff out the bloodsucking pests plaguing New York City. Since 2004, complaints about bedbugs to the Department of Housing have soared to 6,889 (up from 537 a year) and 2,008 building owners issued summonses (compared to 82 in ’04).
Carl Massicott, the owner of the six-dog team, says he’s been inundated with calls from some of the city’s top hotels. His hounds are trained with the same techniques as drug and bomb-sniffing dogs: when they find the tiny bugs, they get a treat. The company favors smaller dogs who can negotiate small New York apartments and seek out the bugs in their tiny hiding spaces. Massicott tells the Daily News: “A dog's nose is cutting-edge technology. Our animals are 100% honest, and trained to work for food and love instead of profits.”
The bedbug epidemic is nationwide, and although Advanced K9 is the first company in New York to offer dog sniffing, researchers at the University of Florida have been working to train dogs to find bedbugs and termites for over a year. Since it doesn’t look like the scourge will be eradicated anytime soon, it makes sense there is a documentary about bed bugs in the works – and the filmmaker is looking for testimonials.
Photo of Lady Bug Dog via superterrific.
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The Washington Post had an interesting article recently on Bedbug Hysteria. It seems to suggest that while cases are on the rise, a lot of it is just hype.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/22/AR2008022202678.html
I had ridiculous bug bites on my legs, which I thought were from a nest of insects at a picnic table at a downtown bar (I was the only one wearing a skirt, I was the only one bitten). I called up a number of exterminators and many said it could be begbugs but they would need to do an inspection of the home to make sure -because it could be fleas or something else too.
Anyway, I met with an exterminator who New York Magazine once called one of the best exterminators. The guy looked at my legs and said "Those are DEFINITELY bedbug bites - you need to book an appointment fast." And I was literally on the ledge, freaking out and crying. But as it turned out, they were not bedbugs at all (I wasn't getting new bites, no bedbug signs on my sheets, mattress, floor, etc.) and the bites disappeared after a while.
We dealt with these things for over 7 months and 7 treatments. Our downstairs neighbor never actually got a real exterminator to treat his place, so we're dreading the day when they come back up here.
I had a brush with these things in NYC from a friend. Who lied to me and told me they were gone after I spend the night at his place I developed the same marks he had. I saw one crawling on the wall one day crushed it and blood came out. I left and rarley visited my friend after unless I was walking through.. Whatever it was one came with me and I developed new bites on me at home on the first overnight. I was so scared I sprayed and sprayed. And prayed that this was only one and that it had no mate. the bites took a while to heal and got more the next day. then 2 months passed without incident,. Then agian same bites like 3 of them exactly the same. Sprayed and prayed and thought that it was the beginning of a nightmare hatch. now thankfully the sob is dead because its been a year without any bites. He had them all over his body and had to move. these things are no joke people. like a disease. You think it wont happen to you until it already has.
thanks for bringing back vicious memories. as for the the one who commented: it's a bunch of hype. CALL ME.
go get 'em, spot!