Sluggo said:
Go rent a cat for a while.
+1 on the cat. Being a cat lover, I cannot say enough how great they are.
Around here in Texas, snakes and field mice run rampant. The snakes do an okay job, so it is always best to have an outdoor cat who can keep all those critters away. Something about a cat living on your property which makes it HIGHLY unattractive to snakes, possums, skunks, etc.
Indoors, a good mouser cat is invaluable.