Termite-sniffing pooch helps detect destructive pests early

STATESBORO - Zoie is a working girl with a nose for household pests -- namely, termites. <br> <br> The three-year-old Australian shepherd is works for Orkin Pest Control, sniffing out the gases termites emit. Her training allows her to detect the destructive critters earlier than conventional methods allow. <br> <br> Zoie has been in middle Georgia for about two months, having worked for a year with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture sniffing termites there. <br> <br> Zoie&#39;s owner Dan Rustin said Zoie sniffs all around the house to find termites behind walls, in crawl spaces and wherever else they might be lurking. <br> <br> When Zoie sits, lays down or paws at a certain area, Rustin knows ``it&#39;s a hit.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Rustin said he knows of only one other termite-detecting dog in the country, who is owned by an Orkin franchisee in College Station, Pennsylvania.