A South Florida pest control company is hitting back after one of its employees found himself at the center of a bird poisoning fiasco in Weston last month. Bill Robles, the owner of AAA Pest Control, defended his worker Thomas Nickerson, 52, who was cited for allegedly using avian poison improperly around an Argentinian restaurant's outdoor dining area. "This was purely unintentional," Robles said in a statement obtained by Local 10 News.
A troubling scene unfolded at Weston Town Center, where shoppers witnessed Grackles in distress, the result of what authorities believe was a misapplication of the bird deterrent Avitrol. Graziano’s, the restaurant in question, confirmed hiring a pest control company to address what they considered problematic birds. However, when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigated, they charged Nickerson with violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In Nickerson's defense, Robles told Local 10 News, "It was not done intentionally. He has been with us for over 25 years. He knows what he's doing. He's a professional and he's also a family man."
The pest control company's use of Avitrol — a product that is supposed to sicken few birds to frighten off the rest — is now under scrutiny. Robles explained to Local 10 News how the product is intended to work, saying, "The way the product works, some birds will get sick and basically scare the other birds away. From what I understand, the birds that were affected were affected temporarily and came back to life. One bird was hit by a car is what I'm told." The FWC, however, alleged that Nickerson failed to follow the proper protocol when applying the chemical, which raises questions about the company's methods and the inherent risks involved.
Amidst the investigation and public concern, Robles remained confident in his employee's expertise and character, emphasizing Nickerson's tenure and professionalism. "Hopefully these reports are not going to ruin a family man for our company, We have 22 employees here. It’s an unfortunate situation. We’re in the business of controlling pests," Robles elaborated in a statement to Local 10 News. Nickerson continues to be employed by AAA Pest Control as the allegations are being sorted out.
Robles contested the claims of improper use, as noted on a Local 10 News report, where he shared his doubts about the FWC's findings. "I don’t know what they found. I don’t know what their investigation will show," Robles said. "I don’t see how they could determine it was not used correctly." Meanwhile, a more succinct defense was echoed on the company's behalf on Twitter, with a post stating, ‘We don’t do work that way.’ As the repercussions of the incident continue to ripple, the community of Weston and the implicated parties await final judgment from the FWC's investigation.
