All in a Day’s Work
An inside look at a man battling Lane County’s rodent problem.
Bug Zapper pest control technician Gary Allin crawls through sewage in the crawlspace of a Eugene home, his yellow DeWalt headlight illuminating the dark abyss while he lays rat traps. In order to venture into what he calls “one of the worst crawl spaces” he’s been in, Allin is covered in protective gear. A respirator, a white body suit, and bright blue shoe coverings are just part of his battle armor.
He may encounter a variety of squeaky friends on the job: rats, possums, he’s even seen his share of raccoons. After what feel like never-ending minutes, his 5-foot-4-inch frame resurfaces through the tiny 2-by-2 opening in the floorboard.
Rodents, particularly rats, have become more abundant in Lane County during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, data from the city of Eugene Public Works shows that service requests for Rat activity in the city’s sewer system have increased by more than 30% in the last year.
Bug Zapper President and CEO Jacob Lander calls Lane County’s ongoing rodent problem a surprising development, as it wasn’t nearly an issue of this magnitude years ago.
“It’s an accelerating issue,” Lander said. “It seems like practically every call we get is rodent issues. The phone rings and we almost know what to expect before we answer it.”
The increase in rat activity is partially due to Oregon’s restrictions on indoor dining, which prevent rats from feasting on their usual scraps in Eugene restaurants. This mass displacement has forced them to scavenge for food elsewhere, meaning you could very well find them setting up shop in your backyard or wandering into small cracks in your home.
The city of Eugene suggests taking small steps like removing excess backyard debris and keeping pet food enclosed in a rat-proof container to get rid of rodents. If the problem escalates, it may be time to call in professionals like Allin. But how much do you really know about the people doing one of the dirtiest jobs imaginable?
Allin, 56, says he “never expected” to be working in pest control. But he loves it and is nearing two years on the job.
Now in 2021, it feels like a lifetime ago that he was winning hardware after being named a national champion bodybuilder. Allin showed off his shredded 174-pound physique in Miami, flexing his massive arms with veins bulged up against his skin. His chiseled body, made up of 3% bodyfat, separated him from other middle-weights at the 2006 National Physique Committee Amateur Bodybuilding Show.
His remarkable victory is part of a long list of fitness achievements. Those achievements also include proudly running his own health food store, J&J Health Foods, during his rise to the professional bodybuilding ranks.
That was before pest control. Now, he’s a different kind of superhero, ensuring that people feel safe in their own homes.
Allin is one of Lander’s technicians who excels in a variety of jobs ranging from ant infestations to rodent removal. The owner calls Allin remarkable and says that he always has a smile.
Lander recalls a specific occasion just weeks ago when Allin had to miss work and a customer was due for service. Like any good boss, Lander was ready to adjust and send another technician in his absence. The customer, who was excited for Allin’s visit, had something else in mind.
“The customer wouldn’t have it,” Lander said. “We tried everything, and they would not have it. They were gonna wait however long they had to wait to get Gary back.”
Most people just want the job taken care of, but Allin’s level of care and warm personality make it tough to let just anyone in. In fact, that’s one of his favorite parts of the job, entering into someone’s home, and over time their life, and building a relationship.
He bends over backward for the customer, even working when he isn’t scheduled on a weekend. When they’re worried about the creepy crawlers that threaten to overrun their home, Allin is there to assure them.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got a special cocktail for that,” he tells the customer as he mixes up a spray of chemicals to rid the home of unwelcome visitors.
The rave reviews don’t end with customers, as Allin’s compassion and charisma have stood out to coworker Jennie Drummond, who manages his daily schedule and inputs customer feedback for Bug Zapper.
She calls him “a man of men.”
His character was on display when a woman from the neighboring company berated Drummond at the office over a parking spot in a shared lot. Allin had already moved his car to fix the situation, but he wasn’t about to let Drummond get laid into.
“That’s how Gary is,” she said. “He was standing up for me. What’s right is right, and I know for a fact Gary would stand up for anybody.”
When he’s not jamming himself into dark and dirty crawl spaces, Allin likes to relax by working on improving his home with his wife Nichole. She’s been with him since his bodybuilding days, cooking meals to meet his strict diet, and is his number one fan.
After living a regimented life and pushing his body to the limit, Allin has learned to enjoy each day and time with family. But make no mistake, his inner competitor can’t be tamed. That’s evident, as the ever-evolving challenges of his work continue to serve as part of his driving force.
Reflecting on a career that has taken him to places he’d never anticipated, Allin is starting to rattle around the idea of retirement. He’s learned that in order to live a good life, one that makes him the happiest, he needs to prioritize what matters most.
“Having that time to enjoy the important stuff,” he said. “and the important stuff is not stuff. The important things are people.”
He gets to enjoy that “important stuff” every day. Driving around in his blue Ford pickup truck, meeting and helping new people, all while exploring beautiful Oregon.
