Comments on: More on bed bugs at the Montana Rescue Mission in Billings

By: diane

diane — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:13:58 +0000

The bedbug dog is a great idea. It would give people so much more privacy and respect. I went to a shelter in Colorado for the FIRST time. We had to shower and wear their scrubs (that didn’t match or fit) it was so humaliting. WE had to wash all our clothes we brought in ..even clean ones. THE DRYER is all that is actually needed. The people were rude and demeaing and we left without even eating dinner. It would had been so much better to had a dog sniff us and see we didn’t have bugs. BESIDES, if everyone everytime enter the buidling, the person bringing them in could be anyone….not just the person coming in for the first time. Dogs are actually easier trained than it sounds. It would be great public PR. It isn’t a police dog who attacks, so there could be more than one handier.

By: DougSummersMS

DougSummersMS — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:10:12 +0000

Actually the dog would pay for itself by reducing the pest control & laundry costs.

The K9 would need to be full time. The larger expense usually would be the compensation for the handler, but a creative approach like training a volunteer resident or an existing staff member could make the approach affordable. The dog could also be utilized to anchor an interesting public fund raising campaign.

A bed bug dog could be placed into service for ninety days as a demonstration project to explore the efficacy of utilizing a K9 team to achieve bed bug control with a transient population. You could give each resident the option of using a building that is screened with a K9 or a separate dormitory that isn’t being screened.

As NYJamming points out there would need to be strict protocols, but the K9 team screening concept would allow each resident to maintain control of their possessions. A protocol that requires people to surrender their property at the door could create problems.

By: nyjammin

nyjammin — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:15:38 +0000

Doug said “The only practical way to keep bed bugs from being reintroduced into the facility would be to utilize a Bed Bug Dog to screen each guest & their possessions each time they enter the building.” Cities have a hard time financially already getting in exterminators and keeping the shelters open. How are cities going to afford a bedbug dog on a daily basis?

I do not believe that bedbug dogs are the answer. I never agreed with employing a bedbug dog in the first place. I’m against bedbug dogs and feel the money spent on the dogs should be put to better use like trying to find a cure.

An easier and more affordable way to try to keep bbs from being reintroduced is to have strict guidelines as to what can be taken in and outta the facility and washing and drying clothes upon immediate return from outside with showers for everyone. Imagine going to the store, picking up your children from school, etc. and every time you come back to be sniffed by a dog. Showers and uniforms and clean clothes should be implemented into shelters. A protocol, a system, not bb dogs.

By: Doug Summers MS

Doug Summers MS — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:21:13 +0000

The homeless shelters are in the same position as the hotels. New clients check in every day & any of the guests may have bed bugs hitchhiking in with their personal effects. Any pest control measures that are being utilized may be negated by the constant reintroduction of bed bugs that are traveling with the guests.

Care should be taken during the construction of the new facility to make the accommodations unfriendly for bed bugs. As long as a reservoir of bed bugs exists in the community they will continue to be reintroduced into the facility.

The only practical way to keep bed bugs from being reintroduced into the facility would be to utilize a Bed Bug Dog to screen each guest & their possessions each time they enter the building.