How I Became Kritter Kim 

I was raised in Bloomfield, Iowa but fled to Los Angeles to escape the small town life.  The big city landed me in a 12 step program for alcoholism.  In early sobriety, someone told me that I needed to find something to do so that I could get the adrenaline rush that I craved. She said if I could learn something while I did it, that's even better. 

A friend of mine told me about how he used to catch rattlesnakes. I said, "That would be neat. I wonder if someone would teach me to do that." He shook his head and said, "I wouldn't recommend it." I immediately puffed up, "What? You think I can't catch rattlesnakes?"

I Googled "pest control company" and fired off an email to the first one that came up. I wrote, "Hi. Do you hire and train?". I received an immediate response that they were hiring. I responded that I could interview that day and I did. I was hired on the spot. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I just wanted to catch rattlesnakes. 

I mostly sprayed chemicals which I didn't love, but we did a little bit of animal trapping and that was my jam!  My love of trapping led me to All Star Animal Trapping. When I started that job, I had never picked up a power tool in my life.  I had a real knack for catching animals so I was trained from the ground up on how to remove nuisance wildlife, repair any damage, seal up the entry points, and sanitize contaminated areas. 

I soon became the leading field technician and then the training supervisor and eventually the operations manager.  I loved everything about being the liaison between the Angelinos and the animals.  My specialty was catching critters on the spot using a handheld snare pole. I went under houses after coyotes and skunks, in attics after raccoons and opossums, netted bats and birds,  and chased down my fair share of rattlesnakes. 

In addition to enjoying the thrill of the capture and the kindness of the release, I loved being of service to the community. I got to go into people's homes to remove wild animals and then secure their living space so they could feel safe. For me, there is nothing better than helping people by doing a job that I love. 

However, I grew tired of the rat race. LA is no place to raise children and suddenly Iowa didn't seem so bad anymore. I moved back to the property where I grew up to serve the community that served me so well in my youth even if I didn't realize it at the time.  The best part of having my own little plot of land is that I can bring my work home with me if I want to!

Wildlife trapping slows down in the winter in Iowa so I also work as a reporter for the Bloomfield Democrat and serve as a firefighter on the Bloomfield Volunteer Fire Department.