If it only it were possible to give Ashley O'Byrne and her business, Black Jack K9, negative stars... Utilizing this trainer was likely the BIGGEST mistake of my life! I currently own 2 deaf puppies (4 months old) that I adopted on December 13, 2016 from a reputable animal shelter. The pups were found severely abused and injured and required intense medical assistance. Following 2 months and $7,000.00 of exhaustive veterinary care, the pups were thriving. In fact, they were doing so well that one would never think they had been abused or injured in the past. Each pup was muscular, energetic, alert and confident, hence, I decided it was time to provide proper professional training. I spoke with Ashley on February 09, 2017 via telephone. As stated by another Yelper, Ashley talked a great game and made infinite promises. In fact, she claimed that she "specialized" in training deaf dogs as well as the breed specifically. I made it abundantly clear that the pups had been abused in the past and had recently recovered from extreme trauma; therefore, she would have to exercise the highest degree of care throughout training. Ashley assured me that the pups would be trained in her home, crated in her home and adequately monitored. The training would include the climb command, sit, stay, heel, down and recall. Additionally, she stated she would switch them to a raw diet rather than kibble. Unfortunately, I took the bait and agreed to allow Ashley to train the pups. The terms of the agreement specified that I would pay Ashley $1,850.00 per pup ($3,700.00 total) for the 2 week board and train program. Ashley was to take the first pup, train him and immediately following take the second pup for training.
On February 11, 2017, Ashley came to my home with another "trainer" and 3 dogs that were at different levels of the training process. Utilizing the 3 dogs, Ashley proceeded to illustrate giving multiple commands and how well the dogs responded. This "show" was intended to provide proof of how competent of a trainer she was. In hindsight, it's readily apparent that this "show" was nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Convinced that she was qualified, I signed the contract, made payment via paypal and allowed her to take my pup to begin the 2 week program. While making payment, Ashley asked that I utilize the paypal "friends and family" feature rather than the paypal business feature that provides greater protections to the client. This seemed odd, but reluctantly I agreed. I requested a copy of the contract and a receipt, but was told that she would e-mail me a copy at a later time. Again, that seemed odd for a professional business. Prior to her departure, I reiterated that the pup had recently recovered from injuries, so she would have to utilize the utmost care. In fact, I told her that if there were ANY issues, she is to rush him to a veterinarian immediately and I will provide a credit card payment to cover the associated costs. Ashley assured me there would be no issues and she would forward videos and photos on a daily basis to illustrate the pups progress. Again, the pup was in excellent health prior to being taken by Ashley. AND SO THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS...........
Ashley contacted me on February 25, 2017, the day my pup was to be returned. She stated he had "escaped" from his crate overnight and sustained a "minor" wound to the rear of his ear. I instructed her to seek immediate veterinary care if she felt it was necessary. She assured me the wound was minor and would not require medical attention. When she returned the pup, I immediately noticed he was severely emaciated. All ribs, spinal discs, pelvic bones and skull was clearly visible. Both eyes were irritated and heavily discharging fluid. The nails on his front paws were broken off. He had a small puncture wound directly below his left eye and a small laceration on his nose. The "minor" wound was not minor at all. In fact, it was determined by the veterinarian to be a dog bite that had punctured both the inner and external ear lobe. Additionally, other smaller, less visible bite wounds were found around his head and neck area and his paws. Due to severe malnourishment and dehydration, his coat was shedding and in some areas completely missing. He was fearful to the point that he would urinate and cower into a ball as I approached him. His situation was so dire that he had to be immediately rushed to an emergency vet. The vet examined the pup and verified what I observed and that the pup had lost more than 20% of his body weight in 2 weeks. Additionally, as a direct result of malnourishment and dehydration, the vet identified elevated kidney and liver values that now require treatment with medication. His mistreatment was so terrible that I've had to contact the Animal Cruelty and Animal Control Departments to begin an investigation. All of my statements can be verified through the veterinary reports and photos. read more