How the Teachings of Peruyero and Tomeu Have Impacted Trust Pest

ALACHUA, Fla. — After four years of operation Trust Pest owner Roberto Gomez aims to expand canine detection services as a tool for conventional pest control companies.

Gomez is a Venezuelan-trained veterinarian who moved to the U.S. in 2004. He said shortly after his arrival he met his wife Katrina Gomez, daughter of Pepe Peruyero, owner of Pepedogs, who is known for canine detection training in the pest control industry.

“While working as a farrier I saw the devastating impact of rodents, flies, caterpillars and so many more pests on horse farms,” Gomez said. “I was ready for a change and had the great idea to combine everything together to start a pest control company to help people have green options incorporating dogs.”

Roberto Gomez

He said he admired his father-in-law, including his expertise in the industry and his success with a family business for over 30 years. Over the years, Gomez said Peruyero has taught him integrity, professionalism, honesty and being proactive instead of reactive. Another contributing factor to Trust Pest’s success is its partnership with Jose “Pepe” Tomeu, who currently operates as the company’s PCO, Gomez said.

Tomeu is known in the industry for working with Peruyero and others to prove that dogs could differentiate live and dead termites. Tomeu and Peruyero both worked together to train and certify the first termite dog in the industry, while also creating the National Entomology Scent Detection Canine Association, NESDCA.

Gomez said Tomeu’s military background and time spent in the industry helped the company navigate the complex rules and regulations that are crucial in exceeding the standards as a PCO.

Trust Pest has continued the ideas that Tomeu and Peruyero started through the use of canines for pest management.

Trust Pest canines inspect an office space.

“The dogs go through a rigorous training program and are then matched with a handler,” Gomez said. “The team does daily training and quarterly evaluations to maintain the highest level of efficiency. I think one of the things that surprises customers the most is how quickly and efficiently the dogs inspect an area and how cute and personable they are.”

Trust Pest offers its canine inspection services for termites, bed bugs, rats and mice to other pest control companies.

“Dogs can search large areas in a very quick and efficient way, but most importantly can see things that are not available to the naked eye,” Gomez said. “All of their work is based on scent. That’s why we say, ‘Our nose knows best.’”

Over the years, Gomez said there have been several successful instances of dogs detecting an issue that could have gone unnoticed if not for the canine involvement.

Roberto Gomez

“Our canines were brought in after several failures to eliminate a rodent issue in a restaurant,” Gomez said. “The canines quickly inspected and identified a location, which to the human eye was just a simple wall. Upon further inspection with a scope, a rodent nest was discovered between the walls where the dogs had alerted. As the wall was opened, we also discovered an old open cast iron pipe that no one knew existed and was allowing rodents to enter the structure.”

Following a different trench and treat protocol, Gomez said his dogs were brought in and able to locate an aerial infestation under shingles. At another job for a routine quarterly inspection of a hotel, he said the dogs alerted on several pieces of new furniture that had just been delivered two days prior.

“In this particular case we were able to identify the truck that had made the delivery,” Gomez said. “We searched the truck and located a bedbug infestation in the delivery truck which would have gone undetected since there were no visible signs.”

Gomez hopes Trust Pest can bring more canine detection services to conventional PCOs, further enhancing their existing programs and services.

“That’s why we say, ‘Let our nose get in your business,’” he said.