Farmer Who Killed 83,000 Rats Awarded Prize From Government

Mokhairul Islam, 40, won a first prize of a color television for killing some 83,450 rats in the past nine months in Gazipur district near the South Asian country's capital, Dhaka. He collected their tails for proof.

"I am so happy to get this honor," he said after receiving a 14-inch television and a certificate amid cheers at an official ceremony packed with 500 farmers and officials. "I had no idea that the government gives prizes for this."

"This is an exciting moment. I will continue to kill them," he vowed.

The award was also for his work to launch a month-long campaign nationwide to kill millions more, to protect crops and reduce the need for food imports.

Officials say the impoverished nation imports some 3 million tons of food annually, while the Ministry of Agriculture estimates that rodents annually destroy 1.5 million to 2 million tons of food.

"We can cut the import of food by at least half if we can succeed in this year's campaign," said Wais Kabir, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council.

He asked everyone, especially farmers, to take on the killing mission as a sport. The government has said it will train mainly farmers and students for this year's campaign.

"Killing rats is not that easy, it needs training," Kabir said.

Islam said he mainly used poison to kill the rats at his poultry farm, and that the cull has paid off as the rodents now scavenged less.

"Previously I needed 33 sacks of poultry feed per week, now I need less than 30," he said.

Fakhrul Haque Akanda, a farmer from northern Bangladesh and the second-prize winner, killed some 37,450 rats mostly with traps, some he invented.

"These bloody rats are my enemy, they destroy my gardens," Akanda said.

"Please pray for me so that I can continue my mission, and teach and motivate others to join me," he told the audience before taking his prize, also a television.

Last year, the U.N. World Food Program launched a monthslong food aid project in the country's southeast after a plague of rats devoured rice crops.

What A Proper Commercial Rodent Treatment Should Look Like

We received a call from a property manager in desperate need for rodent control at one of his Fort Worth facilities. The first question we like to ask is "Do you currently have someone servicing this location?" which he responded "Yes for about a year and the problem just keeps getting worse". An appointment was set and we responded the next day expecting that one or two rats or mice were seen which caused a panic. Nobody was expecting what we were going to find.

After spending about 2 hours inspecting the exterior and interior of the building we had to give the manager some bad news. It turns out the pest control company that he was using was just sending an invoice stating he was checking all Rodent Bait Stations around the exterior and charging him accordingly. Unfortunately, this company hadn't been to the property for about six months and the Roof Rats (Rattas rattas) had now taken over the entire building.

We explained that they didn't have enough bait stations around the exterior for full control and would have to more than double the amount he was using. Also, all drop ceilings on the interior would need to be opened and glue boards and snap-traps would have to be placed and checked every three days and replaced when needed.

The leasing company agreed and decided to use Assassin Exterminating for their pest control needs. This treatment began on November 19, 2009 and was completed on December 17, 2009 with complete elimination success.

Moral of this story: You get what you pay for. Always check references when using an exterminator and make sure the pest control company has experience with treating large scale operations.

Giving Back To The Community

Assassin Exterminating is proud to announce a partnership with Meals on Wheels and the Tarrant County Neighbor Helping Neighbor Program. Volunteers and professionals from neighborhood and church groups, government, businesses and human service organizations work together to provide a variety of services. These services include volunteer transportation, volunteer pest control services, home repairs, shopping assistance, wheelchair ramps, safety equipment, yard maintenance, household chores, visits by phone and in person, and information and referral.

More than 4,000 older adults have been served through Neighbor Helping Neighbor. The program operates in Azle, Central Arlington, Greater Stop Six in Fort Worth, Haltom City, Handley/Meadowbrook, Lake Worth, North Richland Hills, Northside Fort Worth, River Oaks, Sansom Park, Southside Fort Worth, and Western Hills/White Settlement. Three more Neighbor Helping Neighbor areas are being identified to bring the total number to 15 by the year 2010.

So far, we've been able to provide free pest control services to 2 seniors in need and have recently taken on the responsibility and care of 3 other seniors. We couldn't be happier to be a part of this community outreach program.

Special Thanks goes out to Rebecca Williams and Ann-Maree Freeland from Neighbor Helping Neighbor for all their hard work and dedication.

The Holidays Are Here & So Are Our Furry Friends

Rats and mice are the most common rodents, and also the most dangerous ones as far as disease carrying capacity is concerned. They live in sewers, drains, garbage dumps, and other places where the conditions are moist, and there is always a ready supply of rooting food. They are also the most unsanitary of pests -- they urinate constantly, and leave their droppings spread out all over the place. A rodent infested home is almost always susceptible to all the diseases that these rats bring with them from the sewers. If you've noticed a rat in your home or business, rest assured that there won't be just one of them for much longer -- rats multiply at an alarming rate. Call Fort Worth Based Assassin Exterminating & Pest Control today to get rid of your rat problem!

No other pest comes close to the rat in terms of the havoc it can case. Famous for having caused the Bubonic Plague, rats have been responsible for other less devastating, but dangerous diseases like Leptospirosis, which causes liver and kidney malfunctions and rat bite fever which causes a bacterial infection. Besides the number of diseases that they cause, rats also destroy foods in your home, and raid pantries and closets if they can get even the slightest entryway. They are famous for boring and gnawing away at wood to create holes that can give them easy access to the interiors of your cupboards, and can gnaw at wires to cur off electrical wiring and cause short circuits. Act fast if you see signs of rats or mice in your Dallas Fort Worth Home or Business. Call Fort Worth Based Assassin Exterminating & Pest Control today to get rid of your rat problem!

Using poisons and rat control drugs can have only so much effect on rats. They breed fast and can produce as many as 4 litters each year, with 4 to 6 rats in each litter. don't wait for a veritable army of rats to invade your Dallas Fort Worth Home or Business. Call Fort Worth Based Assassin Exterminating & Pest Control today to get rid of your rodent problem!