C.O.P.E. Service Dogs

If you are considering getting a service dog please search elsewhere. This organization graduates dogs who are knowingly aggressive. I have also seen a dog drag a recently graduated life partner (who has a physical disability) across a field when it saw other dogs, when I brought up how this is a problem the program director and trainer laughed. A dog was attacking other dogs in training mere weeks before it was placed as a facility dog in another charity organization, again the trainers knew of this behaviour. The dog was ultimately pulled from the charity. I fostered a dog who was experiencing aggression and other issues which I regularly discussed with trainers, they decided to graduate the dog with a staff member, as a service dog (otherwise they would have had to disclose said issues) seemingly trying to “beat the system”. I felt strongly enough that this violated many of the standards outlined in the organization they are a member of (ADI ) who states that a dog cannot graduate if they are showing any signs of aggression. They continued to say it was fine because the dog would be handled by a skilled trainer and the dog would be fine because “it’ll know it’s working”. After they changed the dog from “graduating” to being in a “board and train” situation the dog started showing unfavourable behaviours towards other dogs (as I said he was, and provided video and descriptions of each time he did this) and was eventually adopted out as a career change dog. If I had not of stood my ground on these concerns I believe it’s very likely this dog would have been graduated and the problems ignored. This organization has dogs going into classrooms in high schools where they work with kids and I’ve seen dogs in the classroom that have resource guarding issues or they don’t like certain dogs and these dogs aren’t pulled from the program but they are used regardless of their behavioural issues. What happens when a kid happens to be in between a dog aggressive dog and another dog and a fight breaks out? It’s extremely risky and dangerous to ignore these issues. The program director and head trainer had a dog that didn’t like puppies and she would attack them whenever a puppy got near. She even once put her dog who she knew didn’t like puppies, in the back of a van with a puppy that I was fostering and she actually bit right through the dogs face. They also graduated another dog to another charity organization that I had regularly seen growl and snap at other dogs. The way this organization is consistently turning a blind eye to these problems puts its clients, children, dogs and the public at risk. I think it’s important that prospective clients know the inherent risks if they decide to get a service dog from this organization. I would give zero stars if I could. More...

Beacon, a former Cope Service Dog, who went through career adjustment has settled into our home so well and is just a wonderful dog. He loves everyone! Thank you all for the excellent training skills that you provided him. He is a joy to be around. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

i loved working with the dogs at my school i have so much fun and i`m always super happy to be in class and i have learned so much of being in a awesome class with such amazing people and awesome teachers and helpers

Reviewed on Facebook

I miss working with the C.O.P.E dogs, I trained Maple from a puppy, I even helped out before i was in the school program at Nantyr cause its such a great chairty, I also worked with Ben at Saint Frances with his life partner. .. I'm grateful that i was able to help train/ work with the service dogs, and get to have Mrs. Boake as my teacher, and amazing class mates, and also with the help of helpers like Peggy. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Amazing people who care about people and dogs. Love volunteering for them.

Reviewed on Facebook