Inspiring Conversations with Sam Ramirez of Humane Pest Control

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Ramirez.

Hi Sam, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Many years ago, I started out as a carpenter apprentice following in my uncle’s footsteps. One of my uncles was an electrician and the other was a carpenter, both were doing very well for themselves. One day while working on my boss’ neighbor’s house, the neighbor who worked for the Department of Fish and Game, came up to me and asked me if I was open to helping her friend do humane exclusion locally. Her friend, Rebecca Dmytryk, lived up North and she needed someone in the LA Area to assist her. At the time, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, but I was always open to new opportunities. After being guided on the first couple of inspections, I started to understand the ultimate goal – to exclude wildlife with care and compassion, while doing repairs to the home in an orderly fashion to secure the area and keep wildlife out. As time went on, I was doing humane pest control after work and on the weekends. It got to the point where I was getting calls all day while at work. I finally decided to pursue a different path after becoming a Journeyman Carpenter in the Union and do humane pest control full-time. The more jobs we did helping our clients resolve their wildlife situations, the more I felt like I was making a real difference.

As an animal lover myself, it wasn’t just a job, it was also rewarding to help clients and animals at the same time. I learned that by finding any other potential hazards around the client’s home, like exposed electrical or disconnected ducts, demonstrated to our clients that we had their best interest at heart. After a short time, I noticed that no one was doing pest control humanely like we were. Not only were we protecting wildlife, but we also took pride in our work and the repairs being done. With over fifteen years of construction experience, it only made sense to pursue my general contractor’s license, since most of the work and repairs were home maintenance. My current goal is to share these humane techniques with the community and inform them on the impact of using a standard pest control company. A standard pest control company’s main objective is to get you on a monthly plan and unfortunately, their method is to simply exterminate the animals, not address the underlying issues. There are also many downsides to using pesticides/rodenticides. Not only do they cause excruciating pain to rodents after being ingested, but there is also a chain reaction that affects the surrounding wildlife. Sadly, using pesticides/rodenticides can cause unnecessary casualties and contamination of the environment well after the rodent(s) have been exterminated. I take every opportunity I get to educate someone on why it’s important to exclude wildlife humanely by showing them the difference between a typical pest control company and us. When people become informed, they make more educated decisions allowing them to share that information with others.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As with any upcoming business owner, you take a lot of falls before you can get your footing right… I don’t regret not one of those falls because it has turned me into the person I am today. The biggest struggle was having the strength to do both my regular job as a Union Carpenter and doing humane pest control at the same time. The turning point was getting the gratification of helping clients and seeing their appreciation for the work I was doing, which I wasn’t getting while working in the Union.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Humane Pest Control, Inc.?
Humane Pest Control, Inc. is an eco-friendly company that specializes in humane exclusion of wild animals without the use of harmful pesticides or lethal trapping. We are one of the leading companies in the US dedicated to 100% NO KILL removal while always keeping safety and compassion for animals first. Specializing in Humane exclusion of Rodents, Coyotes, Raccoons, Opossums, Skunks and much more.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There are many people throughout the years that have played a role either by supporting me, giving me pointers, and even those that said I would never make it that have contributed to my success. My mom plays the biggest role by supporting any idea I ever had. Win or lose, she was always there to help me see it through. Rebecca Dmytryk who taught me all the tips and tricks of the wildlife trade and how to make this a service. All of the clients that I’ve helped throughout the years who have been hopelessly looking for me and the services I offer, but a big part goes to my team who help me push out my ideas and make them come to life while also taking pride in the work we do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://humanepestpro.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humanepestcontrolinc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumanePestPro/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/HumanePestPro
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUduJQ0yCz92S0ph2AlbukA
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/humane-pest-control-glendale
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@humanepestcontrol

Image Credits
Credit to Carlos Dubon, Sam Ramirez, and Jesse Illescas