Family says they paid $17K for service dog that doesn’t do what he’s supposed to do

INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. — An Indian Trail mother says she spent thousands of dollars on a service animal to help her daughter with her medical condition, but the dog doesn’t do what he’s supposed to.

Kimberly Cain says her daughter, Talitha, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 10 years old.

“Whole new world. We had to start doing carb counting, insulin shots, just everything changed,” she said.

She wanted another layer of protection, so she started looking into service dogs. She was drawn to a company in Las Vegas, Diabetic Alert Dogs of America.

“I got excited because they were able to deliver. They said that they could do it and I got excited, and I let my emotions take over,” she told Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke.

She bought a dog, Espn. She says she paid $17,000 and that Espn was supposed to alert them if Talitha’s sugar levels got too high or too low. But Cain says the dog has only alerted them 10 times. “Three of those were correct,” she said.

“He had a mission and that mission was to help save my daughter’s life and help her in any situation that she had that might be uncomfortable or hard for her. And instead, I’m taking care of what I feel like (is) another kid,” she said.

Diabetic Alert Dogs of America told Stoogenke it offers a free lifetime training guarantee to all of its customers. But Cain says she’d have to pay for all the travel expenses to get Espn back to Vegas or bring a trainer to the Charlotte area. She says it’s too steep for her wallet.

“I am hurt. I am very hurt. I’m very sad,” she said. “I feel I was taken advantage of.”

If you have a concern with Diabetic Alert Dogs of America, you can file a complaint with the Nevada Attorney General.

If you are considering buying a service dog for any medical condition:

- Research the company.

- Assistance Dogs International gives accreditation, but only for nonprofits. Even then, it’s not required but may give you more peace of mind.

- Make sure you know your rights (preferably get in writing) if the dog doesn’t perform like he/she is supposed to.

- If you’re worried about the cost, remember your flexible spending account should help (if you have one). Also search for grants online (for example, Veterans Affairs).

As for diabetes specifically, Stoogenke read studies on whether dogs are effective for that disease. The research is mixed.

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