When Indy, an energetic black Lab from Colorado, was returned to his breeder for being “too active,” he had no idea that life was about to hand him the perfect second chance—and a new career.
Meanwhile, Zaneta Kuzel—a Czech Republic native who moved to Florida in 2016 with her two young sons—had recently purchased a new home in Hobe Sound. During the four-month renovation process, mold was discovered behind kitchen tiles and cabinets. By the time she moved in, Kuzel thought the issue had been resolved. But she soon fell ill, suffering for months with unexplained respiratory issues including a long bout of pneumonia that landed her in the hospital. It turned out that more hidden mold was still in the house, and it was making her sick.
Kuzel had always been passionate about leading a holistic lifestyle, so she began researching mold, its health effects, and how it’s detected, hoping to help others avoid what she’d gone through. When she learned that dogs are used in mold detection, it sparked an idea for a new career path. Kuzel had been struggling to find a balance between her work as a florist and a mom. “I love the flower business, but I was ready to do something else,” she says. “I had to work holidays, and it was very demanding for a mother of two little kids. And it all kind of clicked.”
She found Indy online and flew him to Florida for a three-month training program at the Florida Canine Academy, a specialized dog-training facility in Safety Harbor. There, then-8-month-old Indy became a mold-sniffing machine, learning to detect harmful spores like aspergillus and Stachybotrys (aka black mold) hidden behind walls and under floors. Indy alerts by sitting down and pointing with his nose—earning himself a treat and plenty of praise. According to Kuzel, her pooch is one of only a handful of highly specialized mold dogs in the United States, and his nose is more than 90 percent accurate.
Kuzel officially launched Mold Hunt this past March, and since then she and Indy have been performing inspections at local homes, businesses (and even yachts) all over South Florida. But it’s not all work and no play for Indy. When off duty, he has fun with Kuzel’s sons and lounges around like any family dog. “He’s such a sweet boy, and I just love him so much,” Kuzel says. “He’s like my third child. He’s a part of the family.”
But when his official vest and food-reward pouch come out, Indy knows it’s time to clock in. “He loves his job,” Kuzel says. “When he puts his vest on, he knows it’s time to get in the car and go to work. It’s so funny!”
From almost forgotten to Florida hero, Indy proves that sometimes the most unlikely beginnings can lead to a powerful purpose.
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