LEGAL NEWSLINE

ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has announced his office shut down a seizure alert dog business for allegedly engaging in deceptive practices.

Seizure Alert Dogs for Life Inc. and Jon Sabin, the company's owner, allegedly misled consumers into thinking the company screened and trained dogs to assist their disabled family members and children in medical emergencies. Sabin allegedly delivered insufficiently trained dogs, failed to adequately train families upon delivering the dogs, abused the service animals and threatened customers.

"There was absolutely no evidence whatsoever that this man took any steps to select or train these dogs as he represented," Schneiderman said. "I will not tolerate scams which take advantage of the disadvantaged and that are abusive to animals. This man placed children and dogs at risk through his reckless practices and unfounded representations. Consumer scams come in all shapes and forms and the vulnerable and desperate are often the targets because they desperately want to believe that relief is at hand. My office is here to protect consumers and we will pursue those who do not play by the rules."

In some instances, the dogs allegedly injured other family pets and the new owners themselves.

Last week, St. Lawrence County State Supreme Court Justice David Demarest issued a permanent injunction that will forever prohibit Sabin and Seizure Alert Dogs for Life Inc. from advertising or selling service dogs to assist individuals with epilepsy or other medical conditions.

Earlier in May, Schneiderman announced the creation of an Animal Protection Initiative to use criminal and civil remedies to target allegations of animal cruelty.