“Man’s best friend” is a title dogs have earned over centuries, but for a one-year-old black Lab named Indy, finding his purpose was a journey.
He was just a pup when he was returned to his Colorado breeder, a victim of a life that wasn’t a good fit for an active working breed.
He had so much potential, so much energy, but nowhere to focus it.
At the same time, in Hobe Sound, Florida, a female entrepreneur named Zaneta Kuzel was facing a crisis of her own.
After buying her dream home and getting a full inspection, she was living the organic, healthy lifestyle she’d always envisioned.
Then, within two weeks, she started coughing. Her breathing became difficult.
The ER visit was a shock: pneumonia that lasted for a month. The culprit? Hidden mold lurking behind the walls of every single room in her new house.
“I realized how invisible and dangerous mold can be,” Zaneta said, shaken by the experience.
A proper inspection had failed, leaving her to deal with a severe illness.
She knew there had to be a better way, a more reliable way to detect this silent danger, especially in Florida’s moist, humid climate.
Her research led her to a fascinating discovery: in Europe, dogs have been used to detect mold for over two decades.
Their powerful noses are more effective than any machine.
An idea was born, a vision that brought her personal trauma and her new business venture together.
She would start a canine mold detection company. All she needed was a partner.
That’s when she met Indy.
Indy, a black Lab with a keen sense of smell and a calm, focused demeanor, was the perfect match.
In March 2025, they formed Mold Hunt, LLC, a company dedicated to helping others avoid the health crisis that Zaneta had endured. Indy’s unique capabilities were a game-changer.
He was sent to the renowned Florida Training Academy for an intensive, three-month mold detection certification program.
He learned to sniff out all forms of mold, from the blue-green Aspergillis to the toxic black Stachybotrys, providing simple visual cues to signal the exact location of the infestation.
Indy is one of only a handful of such highly specialized mold dogs in the U.S.
His talent allows Mold Hunt, LLC, to provide a more affordable and effective service for homes, businesses, boats, and cars throughout Southeastern Florida.
Indy, once a dog without a purpose, found his calling. Zaneta, once a victim of a hidden health hazard, found a way to help others.
Together, they are not just a business; they’re a testament to the power of a second chance—for a dog who needed a home, and for an entrepreneur who turned her pain into a powerful purpose.
