Pawsitive Action Foundation

First started pawsitive action the intake process was great communication was good. Started doing classes was all good, though no one knew my name, but I called them by their names ( instructors and Norma). Was not getting any feedback on any training just please make sure you sign in and at the end of class and a see you next week. I would ask how they thought I was doing, never a real answer just more of a deflection answer and see you next week. The second class in Norma asked us to do a short intro on camera so she could use that footage to get donations. So I did that and kept coming to class. I made it through class 3 and had to miss some time cause of my PTSD ect. I got a call from Cheryl after two months asking if I was coming back and when. Never asked how I was doing, nor did anyone ever check in the two months I was missing from class. I told Cheryl I will return in a week and she said ok. I show back up to class, no one said a word asked how I was or what happened...nothing. Cheryl didn't even know my name just my face. I continue on with three more classes, I then told Cheryl I was at the point of basic Access test time. She told Norma, Norma told me to setup a test time with Eva. I set it up they said a dog would be at Sam's club so I can take the test. I show up the following week to Sam's club to meet John, no dog. He asked me where mine was. we talked a little and he said return to class. No sorry ect...from anyone in the organization. This was on a Tuesday morning I normally don't go to classes Tuesdays so I had to drive over a hour back home. I get home and call Eva and she rescheduled me for Thursday morning. I show up and take the test with Johns dog. It seemed to go good but again he did not tell me anything all he said was to return to class.I then went to my 7th class and at the end of the class Cheryl pulls me aside smiling and said Norma said I am not allotted for a dog this time. I would have to wait till the next round of puppies and not be discouraged and keep coming to class. I asked when the puppies would be available she smiled again and said I dont know. I leave class kind of confused because I made it this far, not knowing if I passed basic Access or even how I was doing in class and no one would tell me. This triggered my depression anxiety PTSD to the point I had to go back on medication after 2 years of moving forward. My wife and I finally had Norma send a vauge text to say you will get a dog. I tried asking for a phone call to talk about it and she would not respond to anything else and only by text. Said she was busy call the office to schedule a meeting. My wife called the office and told Eva that should have to miss work for this meeting and asked why this couldn't be handled by phone ect? Norma came up with a Friday at noon meeting time. Again not going to work we are on a set budget as I am on disability pay. Norma did not seem to care. My wife and I then made the decision with the guidance of my VA counselor to find a service dog and go that route.Pawsitive action actually set me back 2 years in my recovery process, and I am now back on all my medications. When I went in to unenroll from the program I asked about the basic Access and still no answer or how I was doing in the program. No sorry for anything. Just a if you need anything let us know. Just sharing my experience. Take it for what it worth to you. I would not recommend any Veteran to this program. I am glad the laws are the way they are, I can train my own service dog. Russ 100% disabled combat Veteran

Let me start by saying this is the hardest post I have ever had to write. I was told that they would help me yet they did the complete opposite. They tell you that the classes are once a week and an hour long and that they want to help people to include first responders.. yet that was definitely not the case. I traveled an hour and a half there and back each week for 10 months. The 1 hour class turned into multiple hours due to Lowes outings (which was fine). EVERYTIME, I tried to go to lunch with my paired dog.. They always made excuses. I was told that my wife had to start coming to my classes so she could assist with my anxiety and the dog. We finally got to take my paired dog to lunch. I was very stressed that he kept backing up and physically had to be picked up and taken inside. The next week I came to class, he was isolated from his siblings and was housed up front with their boarded dogs and clearly had been forgotten about. When we got there to train all he wanted to do was play (which made sense). I had severe anxiety due to the fact he was too hyper, and not listening. I walked out of the class yet my wife stayed to train with him. She was later told that they no longer want to help people with anxiety as their main issue. She explained my issue wasn't anxiety and that it stemmed from my PTSD. The next week, two trainers at the facility expressed that it was okay to try to work with another dog as they have seen the struggles I was dealing with with the current one. They had me work with a non-paired (forgotten about dog) yet who was clearly more trained then the dog I was paired with. We worked great together at the barn and then Lowes. My wife spoke with Norma and Cheryl about a possibility of being re-paired..they said they would have to do some testing the rest of the week and would let us know. What they didn't say was that they had given up on me and my situation. We advised them the next week that due to some issues we would be missing two weeks of class and that hopefully when we came back we could work with the same dog again. They then expressed that they didn't feel they had a dog that would be good for me. Yet... all these new faces that shown up and got certified and have taken their dogs home. One being with the in paired dog I had worked with. Her new person has only been going here for a short time. So if you don't have the availability to train 3-6 days a week don't waste your time, energy, or get your hopes up. They only care for who they want so please pay attention... if you feel like an outcast like I did the whole time.. you are probably right. The worst part is that I got attached to my paired dog for nothing, and now I have to start over again.