Local plumbing service uses service dog to sniff out water leaks

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - You’ve seen K9 drug detector dogs go to work or maybe even dogs sniffing around luggage at the airport, but what about a dog that can sniff out water leaks?

Bama Leak Detection LLC has a dog named Kona that can do just that.

“‘Hey, when you get this blue collar on it’s time to work,’” co-owner of Bama Leak Detection LLC David Hammond said. “‘Whenever you take this off, you can be a pet.’”

Kona is a four-year-old dog that Hammond adopted when she was four months old and had her as a pet before training her to be able to detect water leaks in residential and commercial buildings.

She is trained to smell the chlorine in treated water, and when she locates it Kona lays on top of the spot to let Hammond know. It might take her anywhere from five to 30 minutes to locate a leak, but 40 minutes is the longest she’s ever taken to find one.

“It’s amazing to me, watching her as a pet where she was tearing up my carpet, and sleeping on my laundry, and doing all the things that a pet does to going out and being a professional detection dog,” Hammond said.

There are just two dogs in the United States that Hammond is aware of that have the capability to locate water leaks. Kona is one and the other resides in Arkansas. Bama Leak Detection LLC is also in the process of training another dog named Baron who will team up with Kona in the field.

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