I’m not just a pest control professional — I’m a landowner, a smallholder, and someone who understands what it means to care for the land.

I farm 18.5 acres organically. I’ve seen firsthand how pest problems, left unchecked, can threaten not just livelihoods, but entire landscapes.

Several years ago, rats drawn to our chickens began burrowing into the flood protection river banks surrounding our land. We’ve experienced devastating flooding before — in 2015, our land and business were put 1.5 metres underwater. The damage was catastrophic. I had to take control of the situation.

Another species that can cause flooding are moles. We had lots and had tolerated them for years not understanding the damage they could do to the flood banks that proteced our farm. When they came onto my radar I became a mole catcher eliminating 38 over five weeks. 

When you are faced with an existential crisis, you have to act. The last thing I was interested in was killing animals. I’ve spent years creating an environment rich in wildlife that also functions as a business, but the thought of losing our business to another flood was too hard to bear. 

I knew I had to act — but I couldn’t bring myself to use poisons that would harm the very wildlife we’ve worked hard to protect. Our land is home to barn owls, buzzards, kestrels, tawny owls, little owls, and sparrowhawks — all of them rely on a healthy, balanced ecosystem. It isn’t only rats that eat poison. University backed environmental research on our land proved a massive population of mice, voles, and shrews existed.

I made the decision to take action, knowing I had to do it right. I never want any creature to suffer unnecessarily. The end needs to be quick, decisive and as pain-free as possible. So, before I took my first shot at a live creature, I undertook a long period of target training. I didn’t want to shoot at anything unless I was as certain as I could be that its end would be as quick and painless as possible.

I believe pest control should be about restoring natural balance, not creating further harm. My methods are quick, humane, and leave no toxic legacy behind — because I know what’s at stake.

That’s why I founded LivingCycle.uk.

If you would like to discuss your pest problem or get a quotation, please complete and submit the form below.