Abilene Family Says Virginia Service Dog Company Is A Scam

This was Cody Hubbard, a type one diabetic, in march of this year, fundraising with his family for a diabetic alert dog. DAD's are trained dogs that can sense high and low blood sugar levels.

"It's expensive but it was a small price to pay for his life," said his wife, Whitney.

The 20-thousand dollar endeavor turned into a nightmare for the Hubbard's, after they say a man by the name of Charles Daniel Warren Jr, who they would later find out is a convicted felon, mislead them, took their money and left them with a 20-thousand dog that they say, can do no more than any other six month old lab.

"I got wrapped up in what it was going to do for our quality of life and I ignored the business aspect of it," said Hubbard.

Here's how it all unfolded. After hearing about other Abilene families who had purchased a dog, Cody contacted Warren, owner of Warren Enterprises in Montpelier, Virginia. Warren runs a business that breeds Labrador retrievers, that are later "trained" and sold as diabetic service dogs.

"I told him we don't have 20-thousand dollars to pay for a dog," said Cody. "He said, ninety-five percent of the people that I've talked to fund raise for it."

So that's just what they did, and three months was all they needed to raise the money.

In October, a trainer arrived to deliver the puppy they had waited so anxiously  for.
Along with a thirty-six page detailed contract that Cody says threw a red flag.

"We told him we're taking his to a lawyer," said Cody.  "The lawyer said we were crazy if we signed it, but he wanted us to see a litigation specialist."

The contract, lawyers said, was extensive and included additional expenses that had never been mentioned by Warren.
They also found out that Warren lists the name Guardian Angel Service Dogs, as a not-for profit business, and that all money raised by families while using that name would go back to him, and be considered a donation.

"What we're finding out now is, that's how he can get away with not giving you money back," Cody says.

The contract also included a non-disclosure agreement. If broken, Warren had the right to come and take the dog.
Which explained why, while doing some research ahead of time, the Hubbard's couldn't find anything negative online.

So people are scared?

"Yes," said Cody. "And then they have no recourse to get any money or a dog back."

The Hubbard's did not sign that contract, but their money was already gone.
Property laws in Texas allowed the dog to stay, but he is nothing close to a service dog.
Now, they've been told by lawyers they have little chance of ever seeing that money again.
The worst part they say, is that it wasn't just their money to begin with.

"I've seen several people in the mall who come up to me and say they helped me get my dog. It makes you want to cry," said Hubbard. "We're from here. We were born and raised here, and we didn't set out to deceive anybody."

Warren did not return our request for comment.
We will continue to follow this story. Have something to share? kthompson@krbc.tv