Trained dogs sniff out bed bugs

New Haven (WTNH) - Mike Morin and Don Frey from Bed Bug Finders LLC, along with Ruby the bed bug-finding dog, were here this morning to talk about the growing issue of bed bug infestation and their unique solution to the problem.

Bed Bug Finders LLC is a Stratford-based company that uses dogs to detect bed bugs in all kinds of buildings.

Ruby and her fellow bed bug-finding dog Pasha are rescue dogs that were specifically trained for almost five months to detect bed bugs. They, along with their handlers, are tools to quickly verify if a building has bed bug problems and identify the specific location of the infestation.

"Sometimes we can localize it to even a telephone book or a clock radio," said Morin.

"Without having the dog, it's like finding a needle in a haystack," Morin said. "The dogs have an accuracy rate of about 96 percent, versus the human eye, [which is] less than 30 percent."

After locating the problem, Bed Bug Finders develops a specific integrated pest management program to get rid of them. Bed Bug Finders produces quicker results, significant savings and little or no chemical agents being dispensed into the environment.

Bed bugs have been documented since the 17th century and caused significant problems in the 1950s and 1960s. During that time DDT was made available and this problem rid itself.

With the increase in travel throughout the world, bed bugs have come back significantly in the past few years. In fact, New York City had over 9,200 reported complaints logged into its 311 hotline, over 35% more than 2007.

If you think you have bed bugs in your home, don't wait to take action. The longer you wait, the larger the problem grows. Seek professional advice and don't let your emotions take over! Don't throw out household items unless it is verified you have a bed bug problem and seek economic alternatives first. If you travel, take special steps on your return by drying your clean and dirty clothing and spraying down your luggage and placing it into a sealed plastic bag.

For more information, visit Bed Bug Finders LLC's website at www.bedbugfinders.net