Bay Area, California – Service Dogs purchased from a non profit organization by families to ensure the safety of their autistic kids are dissatisfied with the training that their dogs have received.
Children on the ASD spectrum have a tendency to wander due to a decreased level of understanding and awareness of their environment. As a result, service dogs have proven to be beneficial for families struggling to provide the 24 hour supervision that their children require.
Unfortunately, two local parents have learned to be prudent when searching for reputable places to purchase such dogs from. Pawsitive Dog Solutions has been accused of false advertisement by selling dogs that are ineffectual and have not been properly trained.
Matthew Coleman, one of their customers, claims that his 7 year old daughter was injured by the dog he obtained for her recently. He has filed a complaint against the company citing an incident wherein her Labrador was “tethered (to Ariel) to keep her safe” but ended up “pulling her down” resulting in her sustaining minor injuries.
Company representatives deny any wrongdoing. They assert that their service dogs are properly trained and that their policy stipulates that anyone purchasing one of them is required to sign a form indicating that they are satisfied with the dogs’ performance.
As with anything, buyers must always beware even when looking to buy a service dog. There are several reputable companies that provide dogs for children on the spectrum including Dogs for Autism, 4 Paws for Ability and National Service Dogs which is located in Canada.
Source