Automatic Trap Company Helps Pest-Control Professionals Move Beyond Poison As California Tightens Rodenticide Restrictions
Veteran rodent-control expert Eric Dismuke says Automatic Trap Company’s self-resetting A24 helped reduce a “rampant”
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SONOMA, Calif., Aug. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As California continues to restrict the use of anticoagulant rodenticides, pest-control professionals are facing a growing challenge: how to control persistent rodent populations while reducing reliance on poison. Automatic Trap Company (ATC) is helping professionals make that transition with self-resetting, poison-free trapping technology already being used in the field.
For Eric Dismuke, founder of MyRodentGuy and a rodent-control professional with more than 35 years of experience, the transition began years before California’s latest restrictions.
Dismuke began working with Automatic Trap Company approximately six years ago, incorporating the CO₂-powered A24 self-resetting rat and mouse trap into his outdoor rodent-control programs.
“Over my years in the industry, I have learned that rodent behaviors adapt, so our company has adapted too,” Dismuke said.
California’s Rodent-Control Landscape Is Changing
California has progressively restricted anticoagulant rodenticides because of concerns about their effects on wildlife and other non-target animals. Most uses of several second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides have been prohibited in the state since 2021, and legislation that took effect January 1, 2025 expanded restrictions to include most uses of the first-generation anticoagulant rodenticides chlorophacinone and warfarin.
For pest-management professionals, the changing regulatory environment is increasing the importance of effective alternatives that don’t depend on toxic bait.
“Pest-control professionals still have to solve the rodent problem, even as the tools available to them change,” said Blair Calder of Automatic Trap Company. “What Eric’s experience demonstrates is that moving away from poison doesn’t have to mean stepping back from effective rodent control. Technologies like the A24 give professionals another way to provide continuous control while eliminating rodenticide from the equation.”
From a “Rampant” Rodent Problem to “Almost Non-Existent”
One recent MyRodentGuy deployment illustrates how the technology can work in demanding real-world conditions.
Dismuke installed the A24 at a food shelter experiencing what he described as a “rampant rodent problem.” After deploying the trap, he said rodent activity dropped to “almost non-existent.”
The A24 is designed for ongoing rat and mouse control. Powered by a CO₂ canister, the trap automatically resets after each activation and can deliver up to 24 strikes per canister without requiring the operator to manually reset the device after each strike.
Because the system does not rely on rodenticide, it also eliminates the possibility of secondary rodenticide poisoning associated with the trap itself — an important consideration for properties where predators, pets and other non-target animals may encounter poisoned rodents.
For Dismuke, that distinction matters to customers.
He said the A24 has proven to be a strong fit for certain outdoor environments, particularly when customers are concerned about accidental poisoning of predators or the broader environmental impact of conventional rodenticides.
A Different Model for Long-Term Rodent Management
Rather than positioning a single method as appropriate for every infestation, ATC sees self-resetting trapping technology as another important tool for pest-control professionals adapting their integrated pest-management strategies to changing regulations, environments and customer expectations.
The A24 combines several features intended to support longer-term rodent management:
- Poison-free control: The trap does not depend on anticoagulant or other toxic rodenticides.
- Automatic resetting: After activation, the CO₂-powered mechanism resets itself for the next rodent.
- Up to 24 strikes per CO₂ canister: Reducing the need for technicians to manually reset conventional traps after every activation.
- Indoor and outdoor capability: Weather-resistant construction allows the trap to be deployed in a variety of environments.
- Long-duration attractant: Automatic paste pumps can dispense attractant over a period of up to six months.
- Professional and consumer applications: The technology can be incorporated into professional pest-management programs as well as property-level rodent-control strategies.
“Rodent control is evolving,” Calder said. “Regulations are changing, customers are asking harder questions about poison, and pest-control professionals need solutions that can work continuously without creating another toxic exposure pathway. We believe self-resetting trapping technology is going to become an increasingly important part of that future.”
For Dismuke, the objective remains straightforward: control rodents effectively while selecting the method that best fits the property, surrounding environment and customer’s priorities.
That philosophy has kept MyRodentGuy adapting for decades — and reflects the broader change Automatic Trap Company is seeing across professional rodent management.
About Automatic Trap Company
Automatic Trap Company (ATC) is the North American distributor of Goodnature self-resetting trapping technology, providing poison-free rodent-control solutions for homeowners, pest-control professionals, land managers and conservation organizations. ATC’s trapping systems use automated technology to provide ongoing control of rats, mice and other targeted pest species without relying on toxic rodenticides. Automatic Trap Company serves customers throughout North America. Visit https://www.automatictrap.com/ to learn more.
About MyRodentGuy
MyRodentGuy is a rodent and wildlife-control company founded by Eric Dismuke and serving customers in California and Nevada. With more than 35 years of industry experience, Dismuke provides outdoor rodent control, trapping, rodent proofing and urban rodentology services, matching control strategies to the conditions and needs of individual properties. Visit https://myrodentguy.com/ to learn more.
Media Contact
Richard Cao, Digital Marketing Manager
Automatic Trap Company
(877) 992-8868
