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Dogs supposedly trained to detect and respond to potentially life-threatening blood sugar levels in people with diabetes were, in reality, often untrained, un-housebroken puppies with hefty pricetags—currently set at $25,000. At least, that's according to a lawsuit filed this week by Attorney General Mark Herring on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
According to the lawsuit, the non-profit company Service Dogs by Warren Retrievers and its owner Charles Warren Jr. made extraordinary claims about their "diabetic alert dogs." The company and Warren said that the dogs were highly trained and that their performance was "backed by science."
[...] Virginia has a bone to pick about almost all of that. Though the prices were real, the dogs' abilities were not, according to the lawsuit. Customers said they received "ready" dogs that were not at all trained to detect and respond to blood sugar levels.
[...] Moreover, SDWR's dogs lacked even basic pet training, according to the lawsuit. Some dogs were merely puppies that were not housebroken, struggled to walk on a leash, chewed on things, and didn't respond to their names. They also displayed behaviors incompatible for service animal work, including frequent barking, jumping on people, and being terrified of loud noises.
[...] "[T]hese hopeful and vulnerable consumers receive poorly trained, ill-behaved dogs that are not equipped to help them manage a life-threatening disability and are little more than very expensive pets," the lawsuit concludes.
(Score: 2) by opinionated_science on Friday May 11 2018, @03:42PM (8 children)
What, magic dogs? Magic beans?
Is there any actual proof they "smell" blood sugar, or perhaps the ketones (which even us humans can perceive)?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by EvilSS on Friday May 11 2018, @04:48PM
(Score: 4, Insightful) by frojack on Friday May 11 2018, @05:09PM (5 children)
No proof that they smell blood sugar, but there might be a breath give away, IDK.
Most likely the REAL blood sugar dogs are reacting to behavior, especially of children or elderly who might not understand their own symptoms.
This is just another example of fake service dogs epidemic in this country.
For the last two decades, with the help of the ADA, people who just wanted their pets to be with them 24/7 bought a vest and fake certificate on line and insisted they had PTSD. Restaurants, airports were suddenly filled with mis-behaving dogs, cats, and lizards and bitchy (mostly women) threatening to law suits if Rover had to wait out side or travel as baggage.
The airlines are finally starting to push back, demanding medical certificates from doctors, training certificates for the dogs.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by NewNic on Friday May 11 2018, @05:32PM
Good luck with that. There is no certification system for dogs. Also, the ADA doesn't allow you to demand a medical certificate from a disabled person.
There are legitimate training schools, for such things as guide dogs (to aid the blind), diabetics (yes, dogs can and do save the lives of diabetic people) and assistance dogs (typically for wheelchair-bound people). But there are many untrained dogs, typically "emotional support animals" who should not get the access that properly trained dogs get.
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
(Score: 4, Informative) by takyon on Friday May 11 2018, @05:36PM (1 child)
They apparently can detect a chemical change associated with low/high blood sugar: https://beyondtype1.org/diabetic-alert-dogs-dads/ [beyondtype1.org]
I'd expect them to react to signs of dizziness, remind forgetful owners to check their reading on schedule, and generally help the fat/weak/old owners to move around.
These are two distinct problems. People claiming the need for emotional support animals are being disruptive to businesses. They can forge a doctor's letter or obtain one with a cheap online mental health consultation. They can demand to have their animals let in anywhere, and business owners and employees will probably comply out of ignorance of the exact legal requirements, a fear of being sued or fired, etc. And when people take poorly trained and loud dogs onto airplanes, into restaurants, etc., it gives the legit service dogs a bad rep, causing harm to their owners.
(This is the best article about it: Pets Allowed [newyorker.com] (archive [archive.is]). A quick search finds that people were definitely triggered by it.)
This business on the other hand, allegedly committed fraud and supplied animals that were supposed to be the seriously trained kind. Worse case scenario, someone dies because of it.
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(Score: 4, Informative) by NewNic on Friday May 11 2018, @05:51PM
It's worth noting this paragraph from that article (my emphasis):
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday May 11 2018, @06:48PM
My coworker has a teen daughter who went to college and subsequently decided to get a kitten.
She wasn't allowed pets in the apartment, so she paid $50 for an "emotional support" animal card for the kitten.
He finds it funny. That drives me nuts.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday May 11 2018, @06:48PM
Oh, the injustice of it all!
https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/airplane-mode/emotional-support-peacock-denied-flight-united-airlines-n842971 [nbcnews.com]
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 4, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Friday May 11 2018, @05:30PM
Is there any actual proof they "smell" blood sugar, or perhaps the ketones (which even us humans can perceive)?
Yes, apparently what they smell is isoprene. [gizmodo.com]
They do need to be trained to do so, of course.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 11 2018, @03:43PM
"backed by science"? They should have said ""backed by God". Then nobody would be able to disprove them no matter how much evidence there is against, and nobody would question when the dogs rape their owners up the butt.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Friday May 11 2018, @03:49PM (7 children)
It is not uncommon for people to get donations from others toward purchase of a service dog (of all types, not just diabetes) - so the money is not their own, they get a scam dog, and they are too embarrassed to tell their donors that their money was wasted. I wonder what Charles Warren Jr.'s exit plan was?
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Thexalon on Friday May 11 2018, @04:43PM (1 child)
All that changes is who is being scammed: Is it the disabled person, or their insurance company, or their friends and family? Either way, it's not cool to scam them.
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 12 2018, @06:24AM
They are mostly smart enough not to scam someone powerful enough to fight back.
(Score: 2) by NewNic on Friday May 11 2018, @05:40PM (4 children)
In the case of at least one organization (Guide Dogs for the Blind), there are no charges for the blind person to receive a dog. More than that, Guide Dogs pays for blind people to fly to their campus and spend 2 weeks on site to receive and be trained to handle their dog. Later, a trainer will visit them once per year. All at no cost to the blind person. They also receive an allowance for veterinary bills.
So, I would say that the $25k charge to receive a dog should have been a huge flag that something was not right.
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday May 11 2018, @06:45PM (3 children)
Guide Dogs for the Blind gets funding from somewhere, probably not far off from $25K per dog placed in service, maybe a bit less since they just have to screen and wait-list recipients - which should be cheaper than sales and marketing for placement with paying customers.
$25K is a realistic cost for a well trained service dog - especially by the time you factor in the travel and training required to acquaint the dog with the person they are serving.
It's also a damn big number compared to "just another bitch from a puppy mill," which is no doubt why Mr. Warren viewed it as an opportunity for scam-profit.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by NewNic on Friday May 11 2018, @07:40PM (2 children)
A lot more, I think. At least double.
Betty White is a big donor to Guide Dogs for the Blind.
My point is that legitimate schools do their own fund raising, rather than relying on the people with whom the dogs are placed to pay for the animals. Take the case of "Early Alert Canines" in Concord, CA: this is a very small operation (check out the location), but it only asks for a deposit which is refunded when the team graduates.
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Saturday May 12 2018, @01:58AM
Well, we live in a capitalist state, so it's not surprising that some things - including very expensive and or valuable things, are only available for a price.
We have a friend who did a GoFundMe like thing to get their Autism companion dog for their 3 year old, maybe some places will pair a dog with a boy for $0 but when you've got a 3 year old who needs something, the prospect of a 5 year long waiting list just isn't an option.
The absolutely abysmal state of health care insurance has sort of trained us: do your research, weigh the cost-benefit for yourself, and if you've got the money and you believe it's something strongly beneficial for you, then forget about what is covered and what isn't, just do it. Of course, when you put the general population out in charge of things like this, they tend to mess up almost as much as a professional system falls prey to graft and corruption.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by wisnoskij on Saturday May 12 2018, @02:01PM
Which is why this particular scammer got caught. He scammed the wrong people, if he has simple accepted donations, and give away free puppies, no one would be in a position to complain.
(Score: 4, Funny) by idiot_king on Friday May 11 2018, @04:26PM (3 children)
Hey, but at least when capitalism blows up in your face, you'll have an untrained puppy to clean up after. That'll keep you busy while you're dying of low blood sugar.
(Score: 2) by istartedi on Friday May 11 2018, @09:55PM (1 child)
Very well then, seize all the dogs and redistribute them. According to our most recent study, the USA has 0.27 dogs per capita. Please stand in line. Your 27% of a dog will be available sometime in the next 10 years.
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 11 2018, @10:08PM
Sorry, states are starting to pass laws banning the eating of dogs. Not that anyone is really eating dogs in this country, but just so they can feel superior to other countries and gain election points. Of course those countries feel superior than us because they ban eating cows or some other animal. It's all bullshit or dog shit or whatever. It makes no sense to ban eating of any animals except humans. Eat your own species and you'll eventually get improperly folding proteins which'll make you crazy.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Saturday May 12 2018, @02:01AM
Don't worry, you can use your affordable insulin quick injectors to help manage the problem...
http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/12/news/companies/cvs-adrenaclick-generic-epipen-price-cut/index.html [cnn.com]
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/insulin-new-epipen-families-facing-sticker-shock-over-400-percent-n667536 [nbcnews.com]
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 3, Funny) by takyon on Friday May 11 2018, @04:44PM (5 children)
We have to euthanize them all now.
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(Score: 4, Touché) by EvilSS on Friday May 11 2018, @04:51PM (1 child)
(Score: 5, Funny) by JNCF on Friday May 11 2018, @04:56PM
Yes.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Friday May 11 2018, @05:12PM (2 children)
Why, the are already fully trained Police K-9s.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by Osamabobama on Friday May 11 2018, @11:52PM (1 child)
Well, what if marijuana is legalized?
Illinois Police Dog Trainer Warns: We May Euthanize Our Drug Dogs If You Legalize Weed [reason.com]
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 12 2018, @06:29AM
When people say stuff like that, I only wish the public had the guts to say either you find homes for them or we euthanize your retirement plan.
(Score: 2) by wisnoskij on Saturday May 12 2018, @02:07PM
1. Get gun.
2. Register gun as emotional support gun.
3. Profit.