Has anyone seen anything on this? There was an article in my local paper over the weekend about a dog being trained for Mold Detection. Now, if Mold is hazardous to our health to inhale...would it not be just as hazardous to a dog?? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Here's the article

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/1915553

I'm not an expert, but in my opinion, I would not trust this. Mold is basically everywhere floating around in the air. You can probably locate mold anywhere where the climate is humid and hot, even inside the most clean building, so what's the point really? I might have mold growing on bread in my refrigerator, but it doesn't mean that I am going to die from "toxic mold." I am extremely skeptical.

Also, doesn't it say that the guy in the article has an MBA? Does he have medical qualitifications also? Is he trained in industrial hygiene or professional air sampling? Is he an environmental engineer who specializes in air sampling? I don't know, but these are questions I would ask before paying a lot of money.

I could be wrong, but this is just my opinion. If I wanted to find mold in my house, I would look for any water damage or water stains and then investigate. This is what I would look for if I wanted to locate where mold could be growing. Before I paid someone I am not familiar with a lot of money, I would research this topic, checking web sites like the Centers for Disease Control and other sites to find more information.
I hope this is helpful. Like said I am no expert, but I am extremely skeptical since different types of mold are just about everywhere. If that weren't the case, why would our bread mold when we can't see an obvious source from which the mold came?

Lorene <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I guess we should all clear out our pantries and refridgerators before having a mold detecting dog come over. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Seriously though-it's the big thing around Houston now-Toxic Mold. People in the last few years have been moving out of their houses to have the house totally repaired due to toxic mold damage...companies are making mega $$ treating homes for mold so it seems only natural for someone to come up w/ a mold sniffing dog-I'm sure they can charge alot more for services now. I still am left wondering why the news is constantly telling us how horrible and deadly toxic mold can be to our health-yet it's okay for a dog to sniff it as a career.

I think being a police dog is probably just as dangerous, if not more so. Chasing armed suspects? Or trying to sniff out and locate cocaine? I totally support the use of working dogs. There is a risk to most things in life, but some risks are worth taking. A dog may be in just as much or more danger riding in your car considering how many traffic accidents there are in this country.

I think the media likes to follow the story of toxic mold, first because they may truly be interested in educating the public so that the public can protect their health, and second, because it sells. They have air time to fill up and sponsors to attract. People may not be as familiar with mold as they are with other things in their life. The unknown is always scary. It's human nature. The best thing we can do as consumers is educate ourselves and try to separate the truth from the hype.

As for lots of money and mold, lots of money always raises a red flag for me. I know that wherever there is lots of money involved, lots of people of all types will be attracted. I think Ed Frawley said that when buying a GSD, "buyer beware." This seems to carry over to all areas of life. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for pointing this article out. It's interesting. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />