Rising Stars: Meet Rebecca Dmytryk

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Dmytryk. 

Hi Rebecca, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in Bel Air in the ’60s and moved to Malibu Canyon (Monte Nido) in the early ’70s. My parents were in the film industry. Kind of a crazy Hollywood family, so I was drawn to the uncomplicated and always truthful voices of nature. At an early age, I was riding bareback and barefoot into the Santa Monica Mountains reading Alan Watts and E. O. Wilson. I’d be gone – immersed in the natural world for hours and hours. It was then I vowed my allegiance to wildlife and wild places. 

In the early ’80’s I co-founded an animal rescue organization in Thousand Oaks and later, in 1996, founded what is now the California Wildlife Center in Malibu Canyon. 

For better and worse, I was ousted as the organization’s leader through an ugly coup in 2000. Worse for the Center but actually a blessing in disguise for me, personally and professionally, because it freed me to do more things. Greater things. 

I organized a new nonprofit (Wildlife Emergency Services) through which I continued rescuing animals in distress, and I began offering trainings. Then, it dawned on me, my experience and skills were somewhat unique, as was the concept of a wildlife paramedic. So, I wrote a book. In 2012, Wildlife Search and Rescue: A Guide for First Responders (Wiley Blackwell, 2012) was published! 

Around that same time, my husband and I started taking on more nuisance wildlife calls. People complaining about animals in their yards, rats in walls, raccoons in attics, skunks under houses. After a few years of dabbling in this field, we officially opened for business – Humane Wildlife control Inc. was founded. 

Today, we’re probably one of twenty or so companies (that I know of) in North America that offer exclusively humane solutions to wildlife problems. No trapping, no relocating (which is a death sentence), no poison. We resolve wildlife problems by focusing – not on the animal, but the actual source of the nuisance – human behavior. 

Whatever the complaint, we can usually trace it back to something a person is doing – like, leaving pet food out, or a birdseed feeder, not closing the garbage can tightly. Very simply, the animals – their presence, is a symptom. The actual problem is what’s attracting them. Food. 

Trapping and removal of the animals does nothing to solve the conflict because new individuals quickly fill the vacancy in the hospitable habitat. What works is removing the attractant – the food on which they depend upon. It is truly that simple. 

While there are more complicated scenarios, like dealing with a lawn full of gopher holes or a pasture overrun with ground squirrels, these situations can still be dealt with in a humane and respectful way, even when utilizing lethal measures. 

It comes down to respect and compassion. Being willing to accept other beings for their intrinsic value. To honor their existence, their experience, their journey. 

More and more we’re finding people don’t want to kill an animal if they can avoid it – they just want their problem solved. Now they have options. There are experts around the country that can help resolve problems ethically, even when it comes to getting rats out of a house. 

For example, when we’re resolving a rat or mouse “infestation”, we seal up entry points on the exterior of the house then live-catch the rodents and release them right outside. It’s not just the ethical thing to do, but it is the only way to test the repairs. Letting the rats and mice try to find their way back tells us if the rodent-proofing was sufficient, or if we missed a spot. It’s a brilliant strategy. One of many we’ve discovered over the years. 

So, today, in addition to being called on for difficult and technical rescues, my husband and I are getting called to help resolve wildlife issues throughout the country. It’s an honor, yes, indeed, but it also shows there’s a growing need for additional service providers. 

I feel lucky to have ended up here – making a living saving wildlives and teaching people how to live harmoniously with their wild neighbors, and where I can, I hope to inspire others to consider this as a career. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Yes, there were challenges, but looking back they forced me to push harder, and those triumphs empowered me for the nest hurdle. Always a gift. 

Contact Info:

• Website: humanecontrol.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humane_wildlife_control/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humanewildlifecontrol
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Humane_Wildlife
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/humane_wildlife_control
• Other: https://humanecontrol.com/blog/