ALLEN ANIMAL CONTROL

Tenants complained about noise--footprints-- in attic. I call Allen animal control and he said the cost would be $290.00 to come out and set traps and $90.00 to remove dead animal if it was a raccoon. Rat traps were set, one on the roof, one on an outside window. None in the attic. After a month and several phone calls to the tenants I was told that the footprints had stopped. (we suspected a cat on the roof). Allen animal control told me all they had caught was one rat, which they removed. No raccoons. No one actually went into the attic. Bill now was $675.00 for one dead rat removal and 'consultations with tenant'. I was incensed and refused to pay the outrageous bill, especially since there never was a raccoon or anything else in the attic. We then agreed to a reduced price of $380.00, which in hindsight is still outrageous. I would NEVER use this person or service again and hope no one else gets scammed like I was.

The main reason I called Joe was for a dead animal smell coming from the attic. Joe arrived in flip flops and climbed halfway into the attic to look around with a flashlight, and then said "I don't see any evidence of an animal being in here." He then poured some deodorizer into tupperware (that we had to provide) and told us to set it in the room with the bad smell. He said, "sometimes you just have to wait out the smell." No attempt at all to actually go into the attic and try to find the source. He then sat in his truck on the phone for the rest of the visit. His partner, who did most of the work, put poison bait in the gopher holes. He also put up some netting around the perimeter of the house to prevent any future animals getting in and cleaned out a bird nest under the tile. He did a fine job and was very nice. Joe quoted me $250 over the phone after a detailed description of the work that needed to be done, and then said it would be $350 after completing the work, then as I was filling out the check said it would be $450. Website says no trip charge or hidden fees, but all he did was tack on more and more fees as I was filling out the check. Very shady. 2 months later the smell is still in the attic and the gophers are still tearing up my yard. Joe doesn't return my calls. Sometimes I catch him when he answers the phone and he says he'll stop by in the next couple days and take a look. No such visit has ever occurred. Never trust an animal control guy who shows up in flip flops. Would not recommend.

I know that Joe Allen worked hard to get a difficult job done, but the loss of a pet is difficult to go through and I wish I had asked better questions and used someone with more cat savvy. The traps could have been covered with blankets to keep them calm, never put outside (stray cats must be confined at all times until they are 12 or so), and most of all the trap should have been securley shut.

They were very vigilant in getting this job done, and they were also very prompt. I thought they did a great job. They were prepared with all of the equipment. They did everything I asked them to do. I would hire them again as well.