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A surge in rodent numbers has left New South Wales charity Iron Dog Rescue fighting a new kind of battle — not for its dogs, but against rats and mice.
The charity, which cares for and rehomes dozens of Rottweilers each year, has seen vital equipment, including freezers and vehicles, damaged by rodents. But a high-tech solution — including smart, smartphone-connected mousetraps — is helping turn the tide in the dog-versus-rat war.
It acts as a contact and liaison point for people wanting to rehome or adopt the dogs. They currently care for 45 Rottweilers and rely on donations to operate, but a rodent problem has been literally chewing through their equipment and funds.
“Our property backs onto a creek, and it's an ideal spot for the rats and mice who are also attracted to us due to the number of animals we have onsite and the amount of food we store.
“They’ve caused serious damage, and cost us precious funds - we’ve had to destroy food after they chewed through our freezer, and rats got into the air conditioning system in our rescue transport vehicle and died inside, causing us massive headaches.”
She says the risks go beyond property damage.
“In the past, we’ve used bait to try to control the situation, but that poses safety risks for our dogs and local wildlife. We’re also constantly worried about baited rodents dying and contaminating our water supply, it’s felt like a lose-lose situation,” she says.
To combat their rodent problem, Iron Dog Rescue has recently partnered with New Zealand-based Goodnature, which has eliminated more than 22 million pests worldwide.
“Our property backs onto a creek, and it's an ideal spot for the rats and mice who are also attracted to us due to the number of animals we have onsite and the amount of food we store.
“They’ve caused serious damage, and cost us precious funds - we’ve had to destroy food after they chewed through our freezer, and rats got into the air conditioning system in our rescue transport vehicle and died inside, causing us massive headaches.”
She says the risks go beyond property damage.
“In the past, we’ve used bait to try to control the situation, but that poses safety risks for our dogs and local wildlife. We’re also constantly worried about baited rodents dying and contaminating our water supply, it’s felt like a lose-lose situation,” she says.
In late 2024, Goodnature launched the world’s smartest mousetrap —a device that kills mice instantly without poison and sends a notification to the user’s phone when a kill occurs.
Since placing the rat and mouse traps around the property, Sue says the impact has been immediate.
Since placing the rat and mouse traps around the property, Sue says the impact has been immediate.
“In the first two days, we killed 17 mice - including one so big it got stuck in the trap. Since then, there have been minimal sightings - it’s been a huge relief knowing that our dogs and local wildlife aren’t at risk of eating any potentially toxic baited kills,” she says.
Goodnature CEO Dave Shoemack says Australia is currently in peak breeding season, and proactive trapping is the best way to control rat and mouse numbers before winter sets in.
“Just five years ago, we saw what happens when things get out of hand, with billions of mice overrunning NSW farms and homes, damaging property and threatening animal and human health. In some areas, farmers reported catching hundreds of mice per night, with one property alone seeing over 100,000 mice killed. Tackling the problem early helps prevent another plague”.
Removing toxins from pest control has been a driving force behind Goodnature’s work over the past 20 years, with the company now helping communities manage pests in more than 60 countries.
“We believe our world would be better off with less pests and toxins, and we want to empower people to solve their pest control problems in humane, smart and sustainable ways. Climate change is already giving mice an extra breeding cycle each year, and rising temperatures will only speed up their population growth,” says Shoemack.
“The pest control industry has relied on the same old solutions for too long.. Eliminating pests without poison is better for our four-legged friends, people, and the economy”.
Iron Dog Rescue provides a safe haven for Rottweilers and offers adoption and education services across the Wagga Wagga region.
Goodnature CEO Dave Shoemack says Australia is currently in peak breeding season, and proactive trapping is the best way to control rat and mouse numbers before winter sets in.
Removing toxins from pest control has been a driving force behind Goodnature’s work over the past 20 years, with the company now helping communities manage pests in more than 60 countries.
“We believe our world would be better off with less pests and toxins, and we want to empower people to solve their pest control problems in humane, smart and sustainable ways. Climate change is already giving mice an extra breeding cycle each year, and rising temperatures will only speed up their population growth,” says Shoemack.
“The pest control industry has relied on the same old solutions for too long.. Eliminating pests without poison is better for our four-legged friends, people, and the economy”.
Iron Dog Rescue provides a safe haven for Rottweilers and offers adoption and education services across the Wagga Wagga region.
To support their work or make a donation, visit Animal rescue | Iron Dog Rescue | Bethungra.
You can follow Iron Dog Rescue on Facebook: www.facebook.com/irondogrescue
About Goodnature
Goodnature is the only B Corp certified pest control company in the world. Established in Wellington in 2005, it believes the world is better off with less pests and less toxins and wants to kill 100 million pests by 2030. It designs and manufactures traps for both inside and outside the home that eliminate pests, including mice, rats and stoats, without toxins. Currently celebrating 20 years of innovation, it released the Goodnature Mouse Trap in 2024 - its first product designed for inside the home. This latest innovation has won multiple awards, including the 2025 iF Design Awards, and was recognised as one of the world’s most innovative consumer and household goods products in the Fast Company Most Innovative Companies List of 2025.
Goodnature is the only B Corp certified pest control company in the world. Established in Wellington in 2005, it believes the world is better off with less pests and less toxins and wants to kill 100 million pests by 2030. It designs and manufactures traps for both inside and outside the home that eliminate pests, including mice, rats and stoats, without toxins. Currently celebrating 20 years of innovation, it released the Goodnature Mouse Trap in 2024 - its first product designed for inside the home. This latest innovation has won multiple awards, including the 2025 iF Design Awards, and was recognised as one of the world’s most innovative consumer and household goods products in the Fast Company Most Innovative Companies List of 2025.
MEDIA RELEASE, Wagga Wagga, 12 May 2025
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