“I started this business as a solo entrepreneur; I was just a guy in a truck,” recalls Daine Patton. “With five full-time employees now, this success all goes back to my first customers and their word-of-mouth referrals … I find it fulfilling as I drive around town, I can point to a great number of houses that we’ve helped over the past nine and a half years.”

 

As the proud owner of Bats to Rats Wildlife Control and Prevention, Daine’s statewide business continues to thrive from its base in Lincoln, with big expansion plans on the way.

 

A Lincoln native, Daine has been in the pest control industry since 2007.

 

“I started in the industry because I wanted to work outside; I just didn't want to do construction,” Daine explains. “After a couple years of treating bugs though, I realized I did not love the use of all those chemicals and decided I liked sealing houses up for mice and bats more.”

 

Daine went to work for a larger wildlife company and discovered his true calling. Five years later, he left to start Bats to Rats and business quickly boomed. Within two years, he was joined by his cousin, Aaron Dreeszen, who is now his lead wildlife technician.

 

Now with four full-time technicians, Bats to Rats provides essential services ranging from bat and rodent exclusion to nuisance wildlife removal and animal damage repairs. Whether it’s raccoons, snakes, squirrels, birds, or even muskrats, Daine’s team is ready to handle it all without the use of harsh chemicals, ensuring a more humane and environmentally friendly approach. They even travel, servicing the entire state of Nebraska, as well as parts of Kansas, Iowa and Missouri.

 

“After about two years of being on my own, the amount of people calling and wanting help was getting to the point where I had no extra time for anything else,” Daine remembers. “Aaron decided to come work with me and he is still here today; we also have John Lorenz who has been a wildlife tech for the last 2.5 years and Louis Morley and Adrian Nissen are our newest technicians in training. Maria Milam started as my office admin part-time in 2019 and now has been our full-time office manager since 2020.

 

“There just aren’t too many companies that do what we do, and do it well, and are also willing to travel,” he continues. “Within 24 to 48 hours, we can respond to a call. When I was just starting out by myself, it would take three or four weeks to schedule an appointment because I was booked out.”

 

For Daine, the most rewarding aspect of his job is solving unique problems for people while educating them and resolving the issue with the least amount of stress possible. The only thing that tops that feeling, Daine adds, is when he reads a great Google review and realizes it was one of his team members who was responsible for providing the service.

 

“I find great joy in seeing my team solve problems and create solutions for clients without me being directly associated with the job,” he affirms. “Not only do we provide services for ongoing or current issues, but we can provide inspection services on properties and also provide preventative measures so homeowners have less things to worry about in the purchase or selling of a property.”

 

Bats to Rats continues to set itself apart by leading with education and transparency rather than fear, while also providing a warranty for their work. This approach not only builds trust but also ensures that customers are well-informed about the services they are receiving.

 

“We give a one-year guarantee on all the exclusion work that we do,” Daine emphasizes. “We also are big on communication and answer our phone or call you back if you continue to have issues.”

 

“I wish we could take care of every issue 100 percent of the time, but I understand that is not always possible,” he adds. “I make sure that we communicate as much to our customers as possible and will try our best to make things right if problems continue.”

 

Moreover, Daine’s passion for helping others solve problems extends beyond wildlife control. He also participates in a coaching group for small business owners through Roomful of Masters. By sharing his experiences and insights, Daine offers invaluable guidance and support to new entrepreneurs, helping them navigate the challenges of running a business.

 

“We lead to the level we’re at. I try to provide advice for people just starting out in business when I was in their shoes nine years ago,” he shares.

 

When he’s not busy removing nuisance wildlife, Daine enjoys spending quality time with his loved ones, hitting the gym regularly, and coaching others. Married to wife Lena for 13 wonderful years, the couple have three sons — Charles (19), Harvey (11), and Franklin (7) — that keep them occupied driving from one event to the next.

 

Despite everyone’s busy schedules, the Patton family loves to travel together and has exciting plans to look forward to this summer, with a trip to Utah in the works.

 

Looking to the future, Daine is also excited about the growth of his company. One immediate goal is establishing a physical location in Omaha by the end of the year, with more offices servicing more states over the coming years.

 

“We are trying to put the right pieces and processes together for continued growth to be able to serve more people at the highest level,” Daine concludes.

 

“I am very grateful for this community and the opportunities it has provided my family, my team, and myself,” he continues. “Without a strong word of mouth presence this company would not be where it has grown to. I do not take that for granted and make sure to try my best to provide everyone who calls with the best service we can.”