5 questions with Brett Lieberman

Some people adopt pets from an animal shelter. My Pest Pros adopted the entire shelter. Pest Management Professional (PMP) caught up with Brett Lieberman, president of the Vienna, Va.-based firm, to learn more.

1. My Pest Pros has a long history of community involvement, including sponsoring a Little League team and participating in local “free junk removal and shred” events. But “adopting” Homeward Trails Animal Rescue in Fairfax Station, Va., is next-level. How did this come about?

Last July, we were looking for additional community organizations to support. The shelter called us about a mouse problem, and it all clicked. I immediately told them we wanted to do their pest control for free — and they, surprised, immediately said yes.

2. Are the shelter’s pest control problems similar to those of other commercial accounts, like retail or medical facilities?

Yes. The initial mouse problem was solved just by moving some of the dog food and treats into sealed containers. It’s in an old building, so there always will be some rodent maintenance needed. The staff is very good about sanitation, so we use multi-catch and snap traps in rooms where food is stored. We don’t use liquids or dusts, to reduce risk of products spreading or animals coming into contact or contamination. There are no treatments where animals stay or visit, including dog runs. We also have secure exterior rodent bait stations in the parking lot and other public areas.

3. Do you make your partnership with them public?

We go back and forth about how much we want to publicize our involvement with this and similar accounts. We just want to give back to the community, and any publicity is secondary. But Bill Hoffman of Hoffman’s Exterminating in Mantua, N.J., was on a marketing panel at PestWorld, where he explained that a significant portion of his marketing budget goes to sponsorships. Soon after, I was approached by organizers of a local Turkey Trot race. Previously, I would have just written a check, but we decided to also set up a tent along the water route. I was there in a cockroach costume, handing out whiskey shots!

4. What other plans do you have with Homeward Trails?

So far, they’ve just been happy with the donated services allowing them to focus more on their mission. I’d like us to do more — like pet food and bedding drives or encouraging our employees to volunteer at the shelter. The other day, we had an in-house event for which we had leftover boxes of donuts. We dropped them off at a homeless services facility for which we also donate services.

5. What advice do you have for other pest control company leaders looking to get more involved in their communities?

While we cannot support every organization that requests financial assistance or donated services, we try to do what we can. We look for organizations whose missions we like and support. With Homeward Trails, it was a no-brainer. Our resident “Chief Pet Pro,” Harper the mini labradoodle, heartily agrees.