My Nonprofit Reviews

This place is misrepresenting itself to applicants, recipients, sponsors, the public and media as a training facility for service dogs! This org has changed drastically from the original concepts and methodology. At one time, CA was a reputable and wonderful organization. Many dogs were appropriately trained with fosters for their early puppy years and then trained/taught tasks associated with the needs of future recipients with different disabilities, e.g. diabetes alert dogs, epileptic alert dogs, wheelchair bound children and adults, and therapy dogs. CA has morphed into an ideology that recipients should [bond, love, and give the dog choices] without asking or commanding or giving cues to do ‘anything!’. CA thinks giving commands is abusing the dog. My daughter received a dog very recently; she has a neuromuscular disease and is wheelchair bound. The "match" process of recipient to dog is a just a toss up. The dog was brought home without any training or teaching of tasks my daughter needs even though CA knew the tasks a service dog would need to know to be able to help her through a day beyond the love and bond. The dog was clueless what sit even meant. This "retriever" didn't retrieve ANYTHING. This is the main task needed for someone that drops things all the time. The dog was a nervous wreck just hearing the garage door open, a lawn mower start, a car door close, a leaf blower, the vacuum, and the necessary lift we have to bring her up the steps! And van lift! This dog should have been desensitized to noises trained! This place is misrepresenting itself to applicants, recipients, sponsors, the public and media. Go ahead, ask a dog to sit, lay down, fetch - CA says "Oh no, don't ask the dog to do anything for at least 2 weeks". They are saying just "bond and love" the dog and it will do what you want. This is BS because all the love and bonding in the world will not teach a dog how to sit, turn on lights, close doors, retrieve and bring back, not jump on people, and have service dog manners.! I am one pissed mother for all the hurt and pain they have caused my daughter and our family trying to give this dog and others to recipients, (even if there is no cost to them) that cannot remotely meet the standards of a TRUE SERVICE DOG. The dog was taken abruptly and is back at CA probably and will be re-homed or remain there. IT IS NOT the dog's fault. Investigations are fruitless and everyone there circle around in secrecy of what is happening labeling recipients that return dogs as ungrateful. There is no accountability or admission and because of many success stories in the past, and the love recipients develop for any dog they receive, so people are not willing to talk. Volunteers and employees think they are doing good and most of them are kept from the truth as well. I have tried to write a review on google reviews on CA only to find it does not appear. I can see it, but no one else can. I wonder why.