ComplaintsforAnimal Behavior College, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  06/27/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I started the Animal Behavior College Classwork in August and completed towards the beginning of February. The company stated that they were very flexible with those who are working full time while attempting to complete the coursework. Since I had finished all my coursework i got placed at a grooming salon for my externship. I clearly stated I needed a salon that was open on the weekends and they placed me in one that was not. I let them know that due to their hours and my work schedule I would not have been able to get my required 8 hours a week. I stated this to them and so they removed me from that salon and informed me that they would find another mentor salon for me. It has been since end of February since they said that and I still have yet to be assigned to another grooming salon. I have emailed the program manager and my program mentor 3 times regarding this matter to which they have stated we are working on it please be patient It has been almost 5 months now. I have not been able to get my grooming career on track due to this issue. I also paid almost $4000 for this schooling. I have asked them for a list of the grooming salons in my area that they have contracts with so that I can go and check them out myself but they have yet to do that. Im running out of options here which is why I am reaching out to you all. Please let me know if you need any other information from me. Thank you!

  Business response

  07/03/2024

  We thank Consumer for granting Animal Behavior College the opportunity to provide clarity in the matter of the externship. *** offers online vocational programs in animal-related careers. The first nine stages of the course introduce the student to concepts, theories, and applications of the vocation they chose to study. *** offers a great degree of flexibility here,with the ability to request exam extensions, turn in a test before the due date, or even request an academic hold.  Stage 10 is the externship. 
  Animal Behavior College offers externship placement for this stage. Externship locations are private, independent businesses that are separate from ***. Because of this, there is a degree of flexibility lost, as the school is not able to control certain aspects, such as if the salon has an opening to host a student when the student is eligible to take part in this stage, or business hours kept by local salons.
  Upon enrollment, students are provided with a detailed enrollment agreement.  *** is transparent in that we cannot guarantee a timeframe for externship placement and include this in the students enrollment agreement.  This vocabulary is included in the enrollment agreement that the Consumer agreed to:
  Your training may take longer than stated on Page 1 as your Scheduled Completion Date. In stage 10 of this course, you will participate in actual training in a grooming environment (Externship). As part of this stage, you will be assigned to a location to complete your Externship. It is possible that you may be delayed in completing your Externship due to scheduling delays, hours of operation conflicts, or other unforeseen circumstances. Animal Behavior College, Inc. makes every effort to continue your Externship without any delays; however, if there is a problem in scheduling your Externship when you finish Stage 9, you may experience a delay of up to several months in completing your course.
  We show that the Consumer was eligible for placement by the end of February.  Animal Behavior College provided placement for Consumer on March 11. While students must participate in the externship for at least 8 hours each week, the school does not dictate the actual externship schedule;this is worked out between the student and mentor. Once the student has been accepted by their mentor and they have a schedule created, the student has the responsibility to inform the school of what this schedule is.
  While the Consumer states that *** placed them at a site that was not open when they had the availability to participate, the Consumer fails to mention that due to their work schedule, they cannot commit a minimum of 8 hours each week, as they agreed to upon enrollment.  The following is an excerpt from Exhibit A Externship from the Consumer's enrollment agreement:  
  The student understands the exact location and hours will be based on the availability and hours of operation at the Externship location he/she is assigned to once they reach this stage of the program.Students understand and agree that they will need to be flexible regarding the dates and times *** assigns for the Externship portion of the program. Student must be available to work at the Externship location at least 8-10 hours each week. *** does not guarantee any specific Externship dates or times.
  Most grooming salons across the ************* are closed on Sundays and Mondays of the week, and Saturdays are their busiest days. The Consumer has one day open a week, which is Saturday. Technically, this indicates that the Consumer is no longer agreeing to the terms that they previously agreed to.
  Furthermore, as the school had fulfilled our contractual obligation(s) by issuing placement, but it wasn't compatible with the students availability, the Consumer is in a Reset. Canceled or non-passing externship attempts have also been addressed via the Consumers enrollment agreement.Below is an excerpt from the second page of their enrollment agreement, under Notice to Students:
  Cancelled Externship Occasionally and due to a variety of reasons, *** may elect to cancel an Externship prior to completion.If this occurs, *** may schedule a new Externship (Reset). In the event a Reset is required, it is likely the Externship hours, already completed, will need to be repeated. This will be at ***s sole discretion. In the event of a Reset due to cancellation, *** will make every effort to continue your Externship with minimal interruption; however, the student understands that delays of up to several months could occur before the Reset is scheduled. If this happens, the student understands and agrees that it will not be considered a breach of contract by *** nor grounds for cancellation of the program.
  While there has been some time that has passed between this Consumers placements, this is not a breach of the terms that both parties have agreed to. Students are not privy to the contact information of the externship sites/mentors; unless the mentor has agreed to meet with a student, we respect the privacy of the mentors as they have requested from us. The Consumer was issued placement once again on June 27th.
  Lastly, the Consumer claims that this delay has caused them to be off track with their career; this is untrue, there is no reason that a student would be prohibited from obtaining employment in the career field of their studies while they are still a student. *** encourages as much practical experience as possible, and employers have been more than happy to support their employees education journey. 

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed up for a course in animal grooming I wasnt able to pay for the whole course at once, so they setup payment plan for me. As I paid monthly they would allow me to take portions of my course. I recently gave them some of my tax return, $2000 to help payoff the tuition. Afterwards they opened all the classes. I did most of them except 9 I did the test of 8 and 8 I failed. And they shut me out of my account. Their reason, that I failed 3 tests, when I really only failed 1 test, test #8. When I signed up for the course they told me in text(I still have) that if I ever failed any test I would have options. I feel that this college is operating kinda shady. As of now I havent seeked legal advice. I have tried several times to contact the college, and I get the same message: financial ***** is busy. If the colleges will is not to comply I will seek assistance with the Bureau for ******************************* and U.S ********** of ********* and affiliates. I dont make a lot money to be taken advantage of.

  Business response

  03/08/2024

  All colleges have an academic baseline to meet, including Animal Behavior College. The academic policy is outlined in the school Catalog, Student Handbook, and is embedded in ABCs online test center. Should a student fail to meet the minimum grade(s) required, they receive written notice, and the academic policy is repeated once again.  The policy is as follows: Only two (2) retake exams/stages are permitted during the entire course of the program. If a student fails to pass more than 2 stages (including Externship/Shelter Experience), or fails a retake exam/stage, they will be dropped from the program. Students, including this Consumer, acknowledge that they have reviewed and understood this policy in writing.

  Records show that the Consumer received three non-passing grades in total. Consumer had the opportunity to retake both stage exams to receive a passing grade, which they did. When Consumer received the third non-passing grade, they received a notice of dismissal for failing to maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with ABCs stated academic policy. 

  While we understand and are sympathetic to financial hardship, the financial aspect, or tuition, has no relation to academic policies or performance. Enrollment with Animal Behavior College does not come with a guaranteed outcome. 
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I been out of school going on 7 months Im done with all my assignments online and I been looking for an entership and everytime I called them they tell me they still looking and they dont know how long its go take them to find me and internship. We have to pay **************************************************************************** and internship and its still no internship and I been waiting forever.They told me that I only have 9 payments left and Im done paying for an ***** course for gromming and I need to know whats the next steps because Im getting very angry

  Business response

  10/09/2023

  Animal Behavior College is in frequent and continuous communication with Student as well as members of their family and are truly sorry to hear of this grievance. Upon enrollment, Student and family chose a 24-month payment plan to finance tuition for the 12-month program of study, and payments are not contingent on student participation.

  While *** acknowledges a timeframe of 7 months since Student was approved to participate in the externship stage of their program of study, *** minimizes placement delays as much as possible so as not to interrupt the educational process. However, there is no guaranteed timeframe for externship placement. This is stated in the Consumers enrollment agreement, under Notice to Students that Your training may take longer than stated on Page 1 as your Scheduled Completion Date. In stage 10 of this course, you will participate in actual training in a grooming environment (Externship). As part of this stage, you will be assigned to a location to complete your Externship. It is possible that you may be delayed in completing your Externship due to scheduling delays, hours of operation conflicts, or other unforeseen circumstances. Animal Behavior College, Inc. makes every effort to continue your Externship without any delays; however, if there is a problem in scheduling your Externship when you finish Stage 9, you may experience a delay of up to several months in completing your course.  *** pairs students with local private businesses in and around the students physical location. *** has provided Student with placement in this timeframe. Students must interview their potential mentor before acceptance. While no school can guarantee a students outcome, Animal Behavior College is committed to continued support for Student. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed up for schooling prior to the Covid pandemic. I completed the study/book portion and was supposed to be set up by the schools externship coordinator with a groomer in my area for skills. The country shut down and as it opened back up, I went ahead and began my business as I had already paid out of pocket for renovations and they were having issues with keeping a coordinator to schedule me. After TWO YEARS, and three externship coordinators later, they called to say they found a placement. The groomer they placed me with did not have an open business, and lots of personal problems going on so I could not schedule any time with her. Since I didn't go, they kicked me out of the program. I completed everything very timely on my part prior to the country shutting down. I paid great money just to get this certification, only to be told I was unenrolled. This is upsetting to me because of the amount of time the school took to find me a training facility, as well as the fact that they set me up with a business that doesn't operate and a trainer that is not certified.

  Business response

  10/18/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/09/26) */ Animal Behavior College offers distance learning vocational courses that incorporate an externship, which is performed in-person. The program of study contains 11 stages. The first nine stages of the educational program are performed at home, in an independent study format. Once the student has successfully completed these stages, they are then placed by the school with a working groomer in their physical location. Our records do show that Consumer enrolled in the Grooming Instruction program offered by Animal Behavior College in January of 2020 and was eligible to move forward to externship in November of 2020. ABC minimizes placement delays as much as possible, as to not interrupt the educational process. However, there is no guaranteed timeframe for externship placement. This is plainly stated in the Consumer's enrollment agreement, under "Notice to Students" that "Your training may take longer than stated on Page 1 as your Scheduled Completion Date. In stage 10 of this course, you will participate in actual training in a grooming environment ("Externship"). As part of this stage you will be assigned to a location to complete your Externship. It is possible that you may be delayed in completing your Externship due to scheduling delays, hours of operation conflicts, or other unforeseen circumstances. Animal Behavior College, Inc. makes every effort to continue your Externship without any delays; however, if there is a problem in scheduling your Externship when you finish Stage 9, you may experience a delay of up to several months in completing your course." COVID did affect the ability to place students, as the school communicated with all students in 2020 and 2021. Our records show that Consumer was placed in an externship September of 2021. After several months of no contact by Consumer, the groomer confirmed with the school that Consumer never attended externship with them, Consumer had only sent pictures of their grooms to solicit the mentor groomers feedback. Consumer did not reply to outreach from ABC from the period of September 16, 2021, through June 2, 2022, and was dismissed from their program of study due to lack of contact, after providing fair notice. Per Consumers Refund Provisions, as outlined in their enrollment agreement "No refund is required for any student who withdraws or is dismissed after completing 50% of the potential lessons of instruction." We are truly sorry to hear of Consumer's grievance; ABC upheld our obligation to Consumer as outlined in the enrollment agreement. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/09/27) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I have several e-mails in which I communicated early on about my status and externship with the initial coordinator, *************. This person left the company and from there I had TWO new externship coordinators take over my file but only after a prolonged period of time. I do still have several communication e-mails that were sent in reference to this portion of the program, if needed. While the paperwork may state that there could be delays, a huge portion of the marketing to promote this program is that it can be completed quickly and at my pace. It does not indicate that it will be well over two years before I have a placement. That's beyond ridiculous from any business standpoint and unacceptable. Additionally, it does not state that the externship location will not be under a certified groomer, or with a location that does not offer normal hours of operation. The lady breeds dogs and seemed to only want me to come to her garage (business) which has no heat or air to groom the animals she sells. When you invest money for schooling you assume that they will perform due diligence to insure a facility meets minimum requirements and has normal operating hours to fulfill their obligations as a mentor/coach. April, my mentor admitted she was not going to stand out in her garage with me for 8 hours. Not only am I dissatisfied with ABC, but disappointed. Before I paid $5,000 to get certified they told me the training facility that was previously used was within miles from me, and I know has all required insurances and proper facilities to accommodate on-site training. No, this excuse for their lack of performance for cash paying students is not acceptable. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/10/07) */ Animal Behavior College is truly sorry to hear of Consumers disappointment with their experience. To receive a certificate of completion from ABC, the student is expected to meet all requirements set forth, and Consumer did not meet requirements. Furthermore, our records do not align with Consumers' statements, such as time frame of externship placement being two years when it was 10 months. This is not a time frame the school strives for but it's hard to deny that COVID created challenges on a global level. Consumers states they were dissatisfied with the quality of placement yet did not give ABC the opportunity to make any changes on their behalf due to lack of contact. Animal Behavior College understands that student's lives can get busy. Students enrolled in any of Animal Behavior College's distance learning vocational programs do have the responsibility to maintain communication with ABC staff. Animal Behavior College repeated attempts to contact Consumer by both email and phone for over 7 months with no response from Consumer. While we understand that not all Consumers are satisfied with the school's policies, ABC has upheld our obligation to the Consumer and Consumer is not owed a refund as per their enrollment agreement. ABC does have a Re-Entry Policy which allows prior students to potentially rejoin their program of study and provides an opportunity to have a successful outcome of completion. Consumer is welcome to contact the school directly if they'd like more information.

• Initial Complaint

  07/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed up with this college online with ******* ******** during the process i was given incorrect form of paperwork through email that showed a different price. Along with this i contacted ******* to address these issues and she asked me to contact tuitions options to ask about my first payment being due after two weeks of signing up? Now I'm talking to the management team in which is the same as dealing with *******. This is a very unorganized and seems these counselors are just trying to get as much students as possible

  Business response

  08/01/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/14) */ We appreciate the Consumer reaching out and apologize for their frustration. Animal Behavior College understands that the financial aspect of enrollment can be a stressful experience. Should a prospect require tuition financing, Animal Behavior College works with a third-party company, Tuition Options, who offers several types of tuition payment plans. Consumer was emailed examples of different types of plans to see what plan best fit their needs. Examples use fictitious dollar amounts for demonstrative purposes and our records show that both the Admissions Counselor working with Consumer and the Finance Manager had attempted to clarify with Consumer that the dollar amounts shown were not the cost of tuition, but fictitious examples being used to demonstrate the differences of each plan. However, the call would disconnect each time before either party could complete their clarification and messages were left for Consumer to contact the school back to ensure that clarification and questions had been answered. In addition, Consumer had been advised that payments to Tuition Options are due three weeks after documents are signed, per their company policy. Records show that Consumers rejected this policy and elected to cancel the pending enrollment and the school has done as requested. ABC is sorry to hear of Consumer's experience and wish the best of luck in their future endeavors.

• Initial Complaint

  06/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I enrolled with Animal Behavior College to further my knowledge as a dog trainer. Upon enrollment, the advisor assured me this was a course that would provide enrichment for all levels of trainers. Approximately half way through the curriculum, it became apparent this was not a program for anyone with a level of experience. When I reached out, I was informed that because i had completed 60% of the written material, I was not eligible for refund. Despite this being a "self paced" course, I was rushed through the written content and informed if I did not complete my assignments In a timely manner, I would be penalized. I reluctantly agreed to continue, despite my program manager confirming this course was more realistically intended for beginners. Once the internship portion of my program came around, I was given a long wait period to be paired with an initial trainer who was far below my skill level. My second trainer took over 6 weeks to obtain contact with to find out he uses a method of training not condoned by the college, and the information he would have provided would have disqualified me from advertising as an ABC trainer. At this point I posted a negative review on Google, and ABC terminated my contract without my consent, citing my review as an "obvious sign" I was not interested in continuing. They contacted my program advisor and internship trainer without my consent and terminated my contract against my wishes. While I was dissatisfied, I had intended to continue on to complete the certification I had already paid in full. I want a refund. This was terrible business practices and I was not granted the certification I paid for. At this point in time I have completed 100% of the written curriculum, in curriculum, and do not have a certification with a certification despite having paid the full ***** in tuition. My enrollment was canceled due to my negative review, and that feels unethical and unwarranted. I want a refund not a certification at this point

  Business response

  08/02/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/01) */ Animal Behavior College offers entry level vocational programs in animal careers, including Dog Obedience Instructor. The school's website contains an outline/overview of each program offered and includes a sample of curricula for prospective students/public to view; https://www.animalbehaviorcollege.com/dog-trainer/curriculum/ The Dog Obedience Program (DOP) is a 12-month course and is broken down into eleven stages. The 10th stage is an in-person externship to which ABC assigns the student to a mentor trainer within a contractual mile radius. Every student's enrollment agreement clearly shows a program start date and end date. It is the obligation of the school to ensure that students do not loiter and continue to make satisfactory academic progress. Should a student fail to meet their exam date(s), they may request an exam extension or risk academic probation if they repeatedly miss exam dates. While length of time for externship placement was cited as one reason for refund, Consumer had initially agreed to the terms of externship, including placement time frame, and ABC is not found to be in violation of the binding enrollment contract. Below is an excerpt from Consumer's enrollment agreement, "Notice to Student": "Your training may take longer than stated on Page 1 as your Scheduled Completion Date. In stage 10 of this course, you will participate in actual animal training sessions ("Externship"). As part of this course, you will be assigned a trainer ("Mentor") whom you will work with in your Externship. It is possible that you may be delayed in completing your training due to scheduling delays or inclement weather. Animal Behavior College, Inc. makes every effort to continue your training without any delays; however, if there is a problem in scheduling your Externship when you finish stage 9, you may experience a delay of up to several months in completing your course. As noted above, seasonal considerations including weather could delay the completion of your course." Consumer had stated upon enrollment that "I am currently a dog trainer at XXXX, and am eager to deepen my knowledge of training so I can eventually start my own pet training and consulting business!". Records show that Consumer requested and was granted 7 weeks for exam extensions. Consumer was approved to move forward to Stage 10- Externship on February 14, 2022 and was paired with a mentor trainer on February 15th. Two days later, Consumer requested that they be re-assigned to a new mentor, citing having previous knowledge of basic obedience training and were having a career change and no longer planned on continuing training dogs as a vocation, but wanted to focus more on behavior. Consumer's Externship Coordinator then offered an externship waiver, which are reserved for professional trainers who meet specific criteria, and this allows those students to proceed to the final exam and waive the externship. Records show that Consumer initially responded enthusiastically about this option, they later stated they would take this route unless ABC was able to pair them with a trainer that provided a higher level of training or behavior modification. In efforts to satisfy Consumer, their Coordinator reached out to see if Consumer would accept a trainer who is a world level competitor in sport dogs and specializes in obedience, reactivity, and aggression, but was located at a mile radius of 34 miles, beyond the Consumers maximum contractual 20-mile radius. In addition to the distance disclosure, Consumer was informed that this trainer would not be available to mentor until mid-May due to participation in competitions. Consumer replied that they "were willing to commute for that!" and waiting was "totally fine!." Consumer's Coordinator contacted them at the end of May to remind them to reach out to the mentor trainer and set up a schedule for externship. On June 9th, records show that Consumer had emailed their Coordinator, confirming that while they had reached out to the mentor trainer, they were not sure if they were going to participate in externship/maintain enrollment, citing the cost of fuel was prohibitive. On the same date, records show that Consumer contacted the school and spoke with the operations manager about a tuition refund, citing they no longer desired to participate in their program of study, the course was an entry level course; they had 2 years' experience already in the field and were dissatisfied with their first mentor placement. Details show that Consumer was asked if the trainers experience paired with currently was satisfactory, to which they agreed it was, but the cost of gas was high. A tuition refund could not be granted based on the Consumer's stated Refund Provisions outlined in their Enrollment Agreement. The Refund Provisions state that "No refund is required for any student who withdraws or is dismissed after completing 60% of the potential lessons of instruction." Consumer had completed nine of eleven stages, or 83% of the potential lessons. After informing Consumer that they were no longer eligible for a tuition refund, records show that the operations manager suggested that they contact their Coordinator to see if they could source a third trainer that would satisfy the student. Records do not show that Consumer contacted their Coordinator to continue in their program of study, but there is record of Consumer posting a statement of intent that they were no longer pursuing program completion. ABC obligated Consumer's request and began the process of canceling their enrollment. Animal Behavior College has upheld all contractual obligations to the student and this outline has shown that ABC has repeatedly gone above and beyond to satisfy Consumer. ABC is unable fulfill Consumer's request to grant a tuition refund, however, should Consumer desire to continue to participate in their program of study, ABC would be more than happy to accommodate this. If Consumer desires to remain enrolled and participate under the criteria they initially agreed upon on enrollment, please contact the school directly by July 20th, 2022. If the school does not receive contact by this date, then ABC will accept this as Consumers desire to continue the cancellation of enrollment. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/07/07) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I have evidence of contacting by mentor which I will attach to this email, he told me he was a balanced trainer and "and" did not just do all positive reinforcement like a lot of people wanted him to do", ABC mislead me to believe this mentor would be worth my time and usable to earn my certification. Via phone, mentor informed me we would be learning to use e-collars, strictly prohibited by ABC. Additionally, I never received the pet nutrition course for which I paid extra, and despite my review of the college, ABC terminated my contract based on speculation vs my legitimate consent. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/07/13) */ The screen shot of text message submitted by Consumer supports ABC's records, we also show that Consumer reached out to their assigned mentor on June 9th . We have included a screen shot of Consumers emailed reply to their ABC Coordinator, indicating that they were not sure if they were going to continue in their course of study. Mentor trainers working with ABC students in externship, regardless of the trainer's skill level and training philosophy, are required to use an ABC issued competency evaluation form. Consumer is aware of this form as they were emailed this document. A copy of the competency evaluation, or skills the student works on during externship, has been uploaded for viewing. Use of e-collar is not a listed skill. Consumer was informed of access to the additional course of Pet Diet/Nutrition in writing, via email, sent February 14, 2022. An upload showing the email and proof of access has been included. If Consumer needs assistance in accessing this course, please contact the school directly, or they email a request for support to [email protected]. Consumer's record has not been fully closed at this time, as the cancellation process can take up to 30 days to complete. ABC is more than happy to support the Consumer to the completion of their program of study; however, they are no longer eligible for tuition refund per their binding enrollment contract if they no longer want to participate. If Consumer desires to remain enrolled and participate under the criteria they initially agreed upon, they are welcome to contact the school directly by July 20th, 2022. If ABC does not receive contact from the Consumer, indicating willingness to continue participation, ABC will continue the cancellation process.

• Initial Complaint

  03/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I started at this school back in September for dog obedience training and i completed my course studies ********* and for the last 7 weeks I have been waiting to get into a mentorship program with little to no communication from my coordinator. I emailed my coordinator again about the status of getting me into a mentorship 6 days ago ( that's twice as long as your policy states it will take to get back to you.) and i still have not heard anything from her. The last time she communicated with me was about two weeks ago and at the time she had told me that she had emailed some dog trainers in my area but no one had responded back to her and that she would keep trying. From reading some of the other complaints i can see that this is a common issue with this school. I have paid my school fees every month on time and yet I'm sitting here doing nothing for the last 7 weeks. I guarantee That if I was a day late or a dollar short on paying them, they would discontinue my course work until I became current. The internship is something they should of had in place, ready to go when I completed your 9th exam. I'm starting to feel like I was scammed, They have my money and want me to keep paying my monthly fees, yet I have no internship, no certificate and no communication.

  Business response

  04/12/2022

  Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2022/04/08) */ My issue had been resolved with the school. They contacted me and we will go from there.

• Initial Complaint

  12/12/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I started their online program June 2020 I conpleted 9 stages plus I had extra sections I did seperatly. In Feb 2021 is started my externship program. I spent almost a year with my externship being juggled around between 3 "mentors" none of which took anytime to actually teach me anything. No time for any question or answer time. No one ever took time to make sure I understood anything. My first "mentor" didnt want to offer up any info to help me. Then since i asked a question she reported back I dont understand.. So I then asked for a new "mentor" who did ecactly the same thigs. No time to actually teach me. I basically begged my externship coordinator for extra help and also my "mentor". I was then told by my externship coordinator that a "mentor" is not a teacher and they are not obligated to spend any extra time with me. I was continually telling my externship coordintator that i was not feeling confident in the program. There are 3 stages in the externship 1. observe a class 2. Hands on and 3. teach a group class. I was in no way ready to teach a class being noone has trained me. So i was then placed with another trainer for my test. which mind you all 3 trainers teach differently and not once was I trained the ABC way like id been learning about in my onling program and testing. So I failed my test which i knew i would. I was very open and honest with my stuggles in their program and got nothing. I then reached out to the programs operational manager with a detailed grievance letter. She took my letter and used my words against me. So i send in anoter grievance letter which was more detailed. And Im still waiting for a response its been almost a month now. I also had to pay a 200.00 re-testing fee because now i gotta go through another "mentor". Which I have paid for. Its now been 2 weeks since I fully paid and I'm still not placed with yet. Ive also reach out now to the president and have recieved NO reply.

  Business response

  01/12/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/12/17) */ We thank the Consumer for communicating their grievance. Records do show that Consumer did enroll in Animal Behavior College's self-guided distance learning Dog Obedience Instructor Training in June of 2020 and met all requirements to move to the externship portion in February of 2021. During this portion, students work with an ABC Mentor Trainer, observing and participating in the instruction of basic obedience cues, such as: sit, stay, come, down, heel and loose leash walking. Students have a chance to work with individual dogs under the guidance and supervision of their Mentor Trainer (MT). The externship is not a one-on-one teaching session and is not advertised as such. ABC does have record of Consumer expressing concern over confidence of abilities and had asked for additional one-on-one instruction. The request could not be granted, as this is not an additional service offered. Records further show that Consumer was provided with suggestions by their MT for additional exposure to training to pursue on Consumers own time. Upon enrollment, consumer acknowledged and agreed to the terms set forth in the event of a failed externship attempt. Under Notice to Students, it states plainly under "Failed Externship - Occasionally a student may fail all or part of an Externship. If this occurs ABC will counsel the student and may elect to Reset another Externship in full or part based solely on ABC's judgment of the situation. In the event of a Reset due to a failed Externship, ABC will make every effort to continue your training with minimal interruption; however the student understands that delays of up to several months could occur before the Reset is scheduled. In the event of a Reset due to a failed externship, the student understands they may be charged for the additional externship and it may be necessary for them to travel outside of their agreed maximum mileage as stated in Exhibit A. The student understands and agrees that any delays in their Externship due to a Reset of a failed Externship, will not be considered a breach of contract by ABC nor grounds for cancellation of the program." Records show that ABC has been actively working at placing student for a second externship and Consumer was provided an update on 12/1 regarding such. In addition, student had acknowledged and agreed upon enrollment that should they fail the externship portion of their program of study, they may be required to pay a fee to be reset with a different mentor. Furthermore, the enrollment agreement states, under Refund Provisions, that after completion of 75 percent of the program, no refunds are required. At this time, records show that Consumer has completed over 80% of their program of study, and is no longer eligible for refund of tuition. While we are truly sorry to hear of Consumers dissatisfaction with the externship process, ABC has not faltered on our obligation to Consumer.

• Initial Complaint

  09/07/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have paid ABC close to $****** for a total of 3 programs. In each program, I have had issues getting the externship hours set up which should have been covered in the program I paid for. During my 2nd program (training/obedience), I asked for a private externship due to COVID 19 and the lockdown that was in place in CA. This was after they denied over 50 hours with a different externship mentor. I was placed with a mentor where I was exposed to COVID multiple times and then he disappeared for several weeks because he was seriously ill in the hospital with COVID. Months later, I finally got the externship hours approved but it's been well over 3 months ago and I still have not received my diploma. I've reached out several times for assistance with this and the externship for my 3rd program with very little help from ABC. I've been held up for several months on beginning an externship because I am not getting the support I paid for from ABC. I am owed my diploma immediately.

  Business response

  09/18/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/09/18) */ Records show that Consumer has enrolled in three different educational programs with Animal Behavior College and has completed two of the three programs to date. Consumer specifically requested not to participate in two externships concurrently, due to COVID concerns and potential exposure to a high-risk family member. While ABC advised not to place one program of study on hold for an extended period of several months, ABC certainly understood this concern, and was happy to accommodate the Consumers request. Consumer and their mentor had mutual challenges with each other, however, ABC was able to moderate the situation and Consumer did have a successful outcome during the 2nd program. Records show also show that Consumer requested to continue to hold on participation in their 3rd educational program until they fully completed their 2nd program. This occurred by the 5th of August, and Consumer was placed in their 3rd program externship on Sept. 9th. Consumer voluntarily agreed to the terms and policies and as stated on page 4 of their enrollment agreement, "The student understands the exact location and hours will be based on the availability and hours of operation at the Externship location he/she is assigned to once they reach this stage of the program. Students understand and agree that they will need to be flexible regarding the dates and times ABC assigns for the Externship portion of the program. Student must be available to work at the Externship location at least 8-10 hours each week. ABC does not guarantee any specific Externship dates or times." While we understand that not all Consumers are happy with Animal Behavior College's policies, ABC has upheld our obligation to the Consumer, and has gone above and beyond to satisfy the Consumer with their specific requests, and Consumer is not owed a refund at this time. Consumer should contact the school directly regarding concerns of their diploma. Consumer Response /* (3000, 12, 2021/10/07) */ ***Document Attached*** Records show that Consumer has enrolled in three different educational programs with Animal Behavior College and has completed two of the three programs to date. This is a true statement. Consumer specifically requested not to participate in two externships concurrently, due to COVID concerns and potential exposure to a high-risk family member. While ABC advised not to place one program of study on hold for an extended period of several months, ABC certainly understood this concern, and was happy to accommodate the Consumers request. Consumer and their mentor had mutual challenges with each other, however, ABC was able to moderate the situation and Consumer did have a successful outcome during the 2nd program. There are so many areas of concern with this statement. I had waited for an externship to be set up for me that was safe and within a reasonable distance from my home. There was no success with the coordinator, even though I was attempting to contact her multiple times via email and eventually was able to connect with the manager with several phone conversations. I then started doing my own networking outside of ABC which included searching job postings at different organizations that specifically worked with dog training and reaching out to individuals on neighbor apps such as Next Door. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO DO ON MY OWN, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED FOR ME AS PROMISED BY ABC AS PART OF MY CIRRICULUM. I eventually found my own externship and after working more than 80 hours (out of the 18 required) there, with multiple emails to my coordinator unanswered for 6 to 8 weeks, she finally interviewed my mentor to see if he was compatible with the programs used on dog training. It still took her a few more weeks, and I continued to work with him bringing my hours upward of 100, to say that the mentor/organization was not compatible to the ABC curriculum for reasons unexplained. Also, the coordinator insisted the interview be done with the owner of the company who was not the person training me. I explained in an email that the actual trainer had now relocated to a different state, but I could get email and phone information on her. My coordinate stated that she was not approving my hours and that was that. Emails can prove the time between my emails and her responses. ABC states that they return emails/calls within 48 hours, but this does not stand true for what I dealt. After my hours were not approved with the mentor mentioned above, I was then placed in a "group" externship, which was not what I signed for with ABC. I was told and signed up for an individual externship but was instead placed with a mentor that did not take COVID seriously, and eventually stopped returning text and calls for weeks and I was finally contacted by his daughter who stated he was hospitalized. Additionally, there was another student in my sessions, with the new mentor, who routinely traveled back and forth from Southern California to Northern California for weekend parties. This made me feel extremely uncomfortable and I did bring this to the attention of the manager. I was also set up with my externship outside of my county which took me approximately 90 to 120 minutes round trip to attend. This was past the mile radius than I was expecting. To add to this, the individual that was in the externship with me did not have a dog that could participate in the program, therefore my dog was used for both her program and mine. Therefore, it extended my time having to be there since my dog was needed for her mentoring also. This is discrimination towards me because the program required us to bring our own dogs, this individual did not have to as I was supplying the dog for both of us and wasting my time waiting for her sessions to finish up. This means that I received half of my personal training with my own dog. I personally followed up repeatedly over weeks of time with my mentor along with the externship coordinator and manager (at ABC) before I was FINALLY signed off for my second program externship. In looking back, I would say I put in over 200 hours of externship time to get this certificate. The program only states 18 hours "minimum". In my opinion, ABC did not do their part in providing me the service and support that I paid for. Records show also show that Consumer requested to continue to hold on participation in their 3rd educational program until they fully completed their 2nd program. This occurred by the 5th of August, and Consumer was placed in their 3rd program externship on Sept. 9th. I was only "placed" into my 3rd externship program after I made this BBB complaint. I have given ABC plenty of time to get this right, but they failed me repeatedly. Additionally, I was only "placed" in the externship program AFTER being told by ABC that I had to go set up my own externship (yet again) with the VCA. VCA never got back to me, and my coordinator stated that she would try to do something on her end for me to be able to attempt to set this up again on my own. Emails can prove this communication. Consumer voluntarily agreed to the terms and policies and as stated on page 4 of their enrollment agreement, "The student understands the exact location and hours will be based on the availability and hours of operation at the Externship location he/she is assigned to once they reach this stage of the program. Students understand and agree that they will need to be flexible regarding the dates and times ABC assigns for the Externship portion of the program. Student must be available to work at the Externship location at least 8-10 hours each week. ABC does not guarantee any specific Externship dates or times." ABC does a horrible job of organizing externships. I had problems with the 1st externship and finally organized it myself. The issues with my 2nd externship are spelled out above and my 3rd one has NOT been set up to my knowledge. With this said, I am available 8-10 hours per week. At this time, I have not been given a time, date, or anything else for a 3rd externship and this has gone on far too long. Me contacting the BBB for this matter should not have triggered them to try and scramble to find me an externship, this should have been done up front by ABC without all the back and forth or times of no responses from them while I am trying to finish up a program. It's unprofessional for them to solely place their students based on what they read in emails and hear over the phone. While we understand that not all Consumers are happy with Animal Behavior College's policies, ABC has upheld our obligation to the Consumer, and has gone above and beyond to satisfy the Consumer with their specific requests, and Consumer is not owed a refund at this time. Consumer should contact the school directly regarding concerns of their diploma. I have received my diploma which came AFTER I filed this complaint. And in closing I just want to highlight my complaint: 1. COVID exposure during the height of the pandemic a. both mentor and additional student not taking any precautionary steps on being safe b. FORCED into a group setting, after being offered by ABC a private setting 2. FAILURE to provide what was paid for a. ABC should have offered me dates, times, and locations to fulfill my externship needs instead they pushed me to do the work for them. When those did not work out, I was forced to handle on my own and ultimately wasted hours of my own time 3. LACK of timely communication a. ABC asks for 48 hours to respond to an email, but I've waited weeks at a time to get responses and that is not what I paid for or what ABC advertises If further information is needed from me, please let me know. I am also available for a phone conversation to help fill in any further blanks. I would like the full opportunity (if needed) to provide any further information or evidence to make this right. I have obviously summarized as best as I can but there is further details I can provide if necessary. Business Response /* (4000, 16, 2021/11/08) */ Animal Behavior College appreciates the time that Consumer took to voice their concerns, and we appreciate this feedback. In consideration of this, ABC reviewed the Consumers record once again and find that the records do not align with Consumer's statements. ABC's externship policies are consistent, despite what program a student is enrolled in. As a prior graduate, Consumer was aware of how externship placement is performed. Every enrollment agreement states plainly that student's do not pick/choose who is their mentor trainer, they are assigned to a qualified mentor trainer by ABC staff. New trainers are vetted prior to being considered an ABC mentor trainer and enter into an agreement with the school before a student is able to work with them in exchange for academic credit. ABC records show that Consumer requested 2 specific trainers to work with by name, after an email exchange with their assigned Externship Coordinator (EC). While the school did not have a prior relationship with either trainer, the EC gladly reached out on the Consumers behalf, out of student service, not obligation. The first trainer never replied to ABC's outreach, despite months of contact. ABC then placed Consumer with a mentor trainer already vetted. However, this trainer, after meeting with Consumer, declined to work with them due to Consumer's negative attitude towards them. Consumer then asked to be placed with another specific trainer. This trainer also needed to be vetted by ABC prior to potential assessment. It was during this period in which the Consumer, on their own accord, began to work with that trainer (in reference to 80 hours that Consumer states ABC did not accept) and unbeknownst to ABC. This trainer did respond to ABC's outreach, however, upon interview, it was found that their training philosophy did not align with what is taught at ABC. Records show that Consumer was very upset when told that ABC assigned Consumer, as outlined in every enrollment agreement, to a qualified mentor trainer that does align with ABC's teachings. At this point, ABC has reached out to two different trainers that the Consumer requested, again, not out of obligation but out of student service, as well as assigned Consumer to the second qualified trainer, as the 1st declined to work with Consumer. The format for placement #2 externship was 'group/private', meaning that this mentor trainer offered both group classes (when in session) as well as private sessions for his clientele. This "group" setting consisted of the mentor trainer, the Consumer, and one other ABC student, and was held outdoors. The mentor trainer was not holding group classes due to COVID. Consumer had nothing but praise for the trainer they were placed with, outside of repeating that the distance, which was within the agreed contractual mileage of the binding enrollment agreement, was an inconvenience to them. However, this was an older individual who did end up hospitalized while Consumer was at the last stages of completion for externship. Records do show that Consumer was upset that the assigned trainer fell ill. While some was a concern about the possibility of contracting COVID, it became quickly apparent that Consumer was upset because it was delaying the completion their externship. While this did cause a delay, this was not a breach of the binding enrollment agreement. Below is the standard language for Externship Exhibit and that each student agrees to upon enrollment: "Your training may take longer than stated on Page 1 as your Scheduled Completion Date. In stage 10 of this course, you will participate in actual animal training sessions ("Externship"). As part of this course, you will be assigned a trainer ("Mentor") whom you will work with in your Externship. It is possible that, you may be delayed in completing your training due to scheduling delays or inclement weather. Animal Behavior College, Inc. makes every effort to continue your training without any delays; however, if there is a problem in scheduling your Externship when you finish stage 9, you may experience a delay of up to several months in completing your course. As noted above, seasonal considerations including weather could delay the completion of your course". Consumer states that they should have been offered dates/times/locations that fit their needs. However, that contrasts with what Consumer agreed to upon enrollment: "The student understands the exact training location and training times will be based on the availability of the Trainer, once they reach this stage of the program. Students understand and agree that they will need to be flexible regarding the dates and times ABC for the Externship training portion of the program. ABC does not guarantee any specific training dates or times". While there are other items listed, they are not based in fact. While the Consumer may believe that this complaint process influenced the actions of staff assigned in other programs of study, the reality is that this information is confidential, and that academic records - even if for the same individual - are kept separate per program of study. We are truly sorry that Consumer did not find the externship convenient, however, this is not considered a breach of contract and therefore, ABC does not find that a refund is warranted.

• Initial Complaint

  08/18/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am currently in my externship with ABC. I was NOT in any way prepared for this. The curriculum provided did not teach me anything for the position I want and I will be failing my externship. I have been trying to contact someone for over a week now and getting no response and I feel that I wasted over 6 grand for nothing. I feel like I have to come on here to get a refund because I can't get ahold of anyone in the school. Every time I call I get voicemail or someone who hangs up on me.

  Business response

  08/17/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/09/10) */ Animal Behavior College is very sorry to hear of the Consumers frustration with the externship portion of their vocational program. All vocational programs offered at ABC are online, independent study programs, including the Veterinary Assistant Program. Students are assigned to specific staff members, who are professionals in their vocation and are available via phone and/or email for academic support when requested (Program Managers). In addition, the Veterinary Assistant Program's curriculum has been reviewed and approved to meet industry standards by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA). Refunds are issued based on a student's percent completion of their program of study, not performance/grades. In review of the Consumers enrollment agreement, the Refund Provisions show that "No refund is required for any student who withdraws or is dismissed after completing 60% of the potential lessons of instruction." Records show that Consumer has successfully completed 9 of the 11-stage program, which is approximately 82% of potential lessons of study. Further review of Consumer's record shows that ABC has not breached the enrollment agreement on record. As the Consumer has passed the point of refund, per the enrollment agreement on record, and ABC has met obligations to the student to date, a tuition refund is not warranted. Students are always welcome to contact their Program Manager during externship if they need further academic support, have questions/concerns, or simply want to have a conversation about what they can expect during this stage of their vocational program.

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