Wisconsin company holds annual ‘Running of the Roaches’
NEW BERLIN, Wis. — Cockroaches are the subject of nightmares for some people. But for one Wisconsin company, they’re a sport.
Batzner Pest Management held its 13th annual “Running of the Roaches” on Thursday in New Berlin.
Nine Madagascar hissing cockroaches ran three heats on the custom-built 8-foot-long track. Each roach had an employee guide it with a straw.
Training manager Karl Rowell joked that they separated the roaches at dawn to train so they didn’t “pull a leg.” He says they’re fed dog food and lettuce.
The company is donating $500 to the Fisher House Foundation on behalf of the winning team. The foundation helps families of patients at military and veterans medical centers.
Rowell says the winning team also gets bragging rights, which include putting pictures of roaches on the losers’ desks.
