Ben Paraschuk admits the world of pest control isn’t exactly glamorous.
Trapping and removing angry animals or eliminating insect infestations can be tough work that rarely has its red carpet moments. That’s why he was a little surprised when he got a phone call about appearing in the new television series Billy Goes North that stars Billy Bretherton.
Bretherton, who previously was in the A&E program Billy the Exterminator, is a high-energy guy and “quite the character,” according to Paraschuk. He’s known for his love of leather outfits, flamboyant jewelry and his wild hairdos.
“Funnily enough, even before we were working in pest control we had seen his show and we really liked his personality and approach to the animals,” said Paraschuk, who runs Mississauga’s Pest Protection Plus with Anthony Munshaw and Brent Hierons. “It was pretty exciting for us to get a chance to work with him. It’s not a glamorous industry but getting to be on the show with him was great.”
In May, Paraschuk and his team joined Bretherton and the television crew for a day of filming where they visited eight separate raccoon calls in Mississauga and Toronto. It was during a time when raccoons have had their litters of cubs, meaning it’s a busy period for pest companies.
“We had some tight squeezes and had to deal with a lot of angry mothers who are never happy when you’re moving their babies,” said Paraschuk. “But it was fun being around Billy, who’s the Wayne Gretzky of pest control so to speak. We had a great time with him and learned a few of his tips and tricks. It was neat to see how he approached the different situations.”
Bretherton and Paraschuk share similar philosophies when it comes to dealing with animals as they use humane methods to trap the animals before releasing them into the wild.
Meanwhile, Paraschuk hopes his appearance on the show, which debuts this Friday (Sept. 9) on CMT Canada at 9 p.m. with the Pest Protection Plus episode, will also raise awareness among residents about what sort of questions to ask when hiring a pest control company. He said it’s not uncommon to hear of someone removing a mother raccoon but leaving the babies behind, orphaned and alone. That shouldn’t happen when a professional company is hired, he added.
And, while raccoons are undeniably cute to look at, having them living on your property can cause a whole host of problems. Their droppings are harmful to humans and they’re notorious for chewing wires or tearing holes in roofs and walls. Plus, you wouldn’t want your pet fighting with an angry raccoon, he said.
Meanwhile, in the new show Bretherton travels across the country dealing with all manner of animals, from wolves preying on livestock to beavers flooding country roads. He hits big cities and suburbs to small towns, farms and the wilderness in the program.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)