Open Letter to Boston-area Dog Owners About Concerning Business Practices by Boston for the Dogs

To Boston-area dog owners, Boston for the Dogs clients, and other concerned members of the public,

As former employees and clients of Boston for the Dogs (BFTD), a dog training company that services Boston and surrounding communities, we feel compelled to share our collective experiences using BFTD's services and/or working for the company.

In late 2022, several employees and clients left our positions with the company and/or ceased using their services due to a number of incidents we found concerning. Online posts about these experiences were seen by other former employees and clients who'd had similar experiences. After talking with each other, we couldn't ignore the clear pattern of incidents and behaviors and felt they are troubling enough to warrant being shared publicly.

The concerns that follow were each expressed by multiple former BFTD employees and/or clients from 2018 through 2022. Any isolated incidents experienced by only one person have not been included. Furthermore, all incidents below were verified by written records, screenshots, or other documentation prior to inclusion.

- Trainers, including BFTD's owners, had little to no formal education (through schooling or apprenticing with other qualified trainers) in training service dogs (SD). However, the company offered this service, and BFTD's principal owner told clients that their trainers were qualified to task-train dogs.
- Several service dogs from their program could not perform any tasks for their handlers' medical needs after significant training time and financial investment, failing to meet their training expectations. Progress reported verbally and in writing was inconsistent with what dogs were actually able to do. Some lacked basic obedience skills, which presented safety concerns for handlers who could not reliably have their medical devices in public.
- Reactive and/or aggressive dogs were handled inappropriately. Several bites to both humans and dogs occurred during active company services and required urgent care.
- The conditions at the facilities for day-training clients and overnight boarding were unsanitary, including dogs present with highly contagious illnesses. Vaccination records were not up-to-date in the company's system.
- BFTD ownership often did not report incidents such as bites and illnesses to clients.
Many staff lacked adequate training for their positions and reported being put in situations where they felt unsafe or unqualified on multiple occasions.
- Safety concerns that were brought to BFTD's owners were disregarded and/or went unaddressed.
- Employees, including BFTD's owners, were frequently drinking during work hours, including during lessons and classes with clients.
- BFTD's owners shared information and feelings with employees that pushed the boundaries of a professional relationship without permission.
- Medical letters with personal information about service dog clients were stored unsecurely in a shared Google Drive folder.
- Several former clients and employees filed reports with the Massachusetts Attorney General and Boston's Animal Control offices.

Our motivation for writing this letter comes from a place of deep concern for the safety of dogs currently in the care of BFTD and for owners considering using BFTD's services in the future. During our time as employees and/or clients, attempts to raise these concerns were not taken seriously. Negative reviews posted online were often removed by the owners while other people didn't feel safe going public on their own. We hope anyone who's had similar experiences with this company, or knows friends, family, neighbors, or others who have, will join our effort to alert the greater Boston dog community about the pattern of behavior and treatment at Boston for the Dogs. Our collective experiences go back as far as 2018. And no matter where you are in your life at this time, we welcome your support as a signer. 

Lastly, we are not able to require website users to share their name or reason for signing, though we do encourage it.