'Business Permanently Closed': Mother Says Company Scammed Her Out Of $1,000 For Service Dog For Disabled Son
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A local mother contacted Eyewitness News Thursday in hopes of preventing heartache for another family. She was in search of a service dog for her son and thought she found a company she could trust.
It's the message no one wants to hear, especially when it's the number of a Texas-based business you just gave $1,000 to for a service dog.
"Their website was shut down, it says, 'Business permanently closed,'" Erica Valenti said. "Their Facebook was shut down, all of their phone numbers are non-reachable and they stopped emailing us back."
Valenti is Josh Wallace's mother. The 12-year-old is living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder that affects his muscles, leaving him in a wheelchair.
"They were a rescue company that rescued dogs and trained them to be service dogs for adults and children with disabilities," Valenti said. "They range from emotional support animals to fully-licensed service dogs that could open doors."
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Valenti heard about New Life Individual and Family Services through a friend who purchased their service dog through the company. She was told a service dog would cost her about $1,500.
But after starting the application process, she made a $500 payment in October and a second payment in January, and months later, there was no more correspondence.
"Mostly, I wanted a dog to help me open doors and pick up stuff," Josh said.
But now with the business permanently closed, that won't happen.
"I kind of felt pretty sad because it's not fair to take money from people who need a service dog," Josh said.
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Valenti is hopeful, through sharing her story, someone else doesn't become the next victim.
"We had a fundraiser a while ago to raise money to get a service dog for him and I think it's a letdown to everyone who helped us out," she said.
It's recommended to check companies out with the Better Business Bureau and look at reviews before putting down payments for service dogs. The dogs usually range from $5,000 to $20,000.
