Service Dog Organization Ordered To Refund $190,000, Stop Providing Dogs

Here’s one that hasn’t gotten a lotta attention – not surprising since it doesn’t fall into the feelgood service dog category so many love to repost.

I’ve been following this story for two years, so, naturally, I was very interested to see this today:

Missouri service dog firm ordered to refund customers

Aug 18, 2010, 9:10 AM

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – A mid-Missouri company and its owner have been ordered to stop providing service dogs for people with diabetes.

The Jefferson City News Tribune reports Wednesday that Heaven Scent Paws, of St. Elizabeth, also was ordered by a trial judge to pay more than $190,000 for restitution.

The Missouri attorney general’s office filed a lawsuit in 2008 against the company seeking to force compliance with consumer protection laws.

The attorney general’s office said the company had offered a three-week training program in Cole County for diabetics to obtain service dogs that would alert them to high or low blood sugar.

But the attorney general’s office says many dogs were unable to do that. Some customers also were denied refunds.

“Missouri service dog firm ordered to refund customers”

I wasn’t involved directly in the case, so don’t know everything, but here are some things I do know.

One, I can’t remember ever seeing the authorities – even local ones, much less a state attorney general – go after a service dog place, so I knew this had to be a big deal when I first saw it two years ago. (“Nixon lawsuit against St. Elizabeth dog trainer alleges that diabetic alert service dogs were not properly trained”)

Two, I don’t know any of the families who got dogs personally, but do know someone who was involved trying to help this family here in Colorado, and he told me just how much a mess this made of their lives. (“Family says service dog didn’t serve”)

Three, you could still read gushing stories about how great this place was even while this was going on, like this one: “Service dog helps Missouri priest continue parish work”. Let that be a huge lesson to you – be skeptical about everything you read or hear, including what I tell you.

Four, just like with everything else, courts are not the answer to this problem, and if you are looking for justice or for them to solve things, you will be disappointed. Sure, it’s nice to see them nail somebody and apparently get one right for a change, but the reality is the families – even if they ever actually get their money – have had their lives completely disrupted by this.  And who knows what happened with the dogs – haven’t heard and didn’t do a hard look to find out.

You know, I have no idea what the motives of the people who started this organization are – if they’re crooks, or well-meaning people who just got in over their heads, or something else.  But I have to say I’m a point where I just don’t care anymore – I’ve spent too much time in the past trying to figure that out, normally in trying to give somebody a break.

In the end, what matters is results – is a place training great service dogs, creating lifelong service dog team partnerships, and serving the needs of those who receive dogs from them. They could have all the great intentions in the world, but if that’s not happening, doesn’t matter.