[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:02.87,0:00:04.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My name is Amber Steehbock,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:04.33,0:00:06.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this is the story of what happened
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.25,0:00:08.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when I tried to get a service dog
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.48,0:00:13.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,through Arizona Goldens LLC, located in Phoenix Arizona.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.57,0:00:18.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have quadripelegic spastic cerebral palsy and use a power wheelchair.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.40,0:00:21.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because of this, many daily tasks are difficult for me,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.94,0:00:25.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such as turning off and on light switches,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.10,0:00:29.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,hitting elevator buttons, and opening doors.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.20,0:00:33.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And a service dog seemed the obvious solution to these problems.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.97,0:00:37.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I heard about Arizona Goldens and was really excited
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.31,0:00:41.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because getting a service dog had been a lifelong dream for me.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.52,0:00:43.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I contacted them, we met,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.72,0:00:51.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they decided that they could provide a dog that would meet my needs.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.13,0:00:56.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All I needed to do was raise a little over $20,323
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.83,0:01:00.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and pass what they called "service dog boot camp".
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.32,0:01:04.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On August 10, 2010, I signed a contract with them.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.67,0:01:09.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They then set up a donation page, a bank account and a paypal account
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.26,0:01:13.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where people could donate to my service dog fund.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.35,0:01:18.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These were their accounts, and I never personally had any access to them.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.51,0:01:28.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They said that this was set up this way so that it wouldn't, donations would not interrupt my SSI.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.20,0:01:33.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Friends and family were wonderful and donated.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.33,0:01:43.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And because of that, I raised a little over $20,000, or $21,990 in less than 5 months.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.44,0:01:48.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Arizona Goldens were expecting me to take over a year to raise this money.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.97,0:01:55.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was not until after they had all the money that all the major warning signs started.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.98,0:02:03.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After they had all the money, they finally provided me with a booklet containing all of the rules.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.55,0:02:07.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Only then did I learn that I had to pass a multitude of tests
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.83,0:02:10.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with a score of 80% or higher,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.57,0:02:13.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that if I scored less on any of these tests
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.31,0:02:16.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,boot camp would stop for me,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.37,0:02:24.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they would fail me and they would keep all the money that I had raised toward a service dog.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.03,0:02:27.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The booklet also stated that before bootcamp was to start,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.90,0:02:33.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they would conduct individual personality and needs testing,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.14,0:02:34.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and based on the results of these,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.80,0:02:40.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would spend several months tweaking the dogs to my individual needs.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.61,0:02:43.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This never happened.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.17,0:02:48.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They never even asked me specific questions about my disability.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.55,0:02:54.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All I did was walk around the mall with a dog a couple of times.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.97,0:03:00.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After 4 more months of me repeatedly asking them when I could start my bootcamp
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.30,0:03:05.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they finally scheduled it for May 9th, 2011.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.27,0:03:11.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They would not give me any study materials until 14 days before the start of bootcamp.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.30,0:03:16.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They said that this was to be fair to all of the other clients,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:16.32,0:03:23.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but my bootcamp study material did not arrive until 10 days before my bootcamp.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.94,0:03:27.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They did not even provide it in electronic format.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.40,0:03:29.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It came in a book format,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.19,0:03:34.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even though they were aware that book format is harder for me to utilize.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.93,0:03:39.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As scheduled, I started what was supposed to be a 21 day bootcamp.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.78,0:03:45.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To their shock, I passed the written test, the written entrance test
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.12,0:03:48.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the highest score of anyone they have ever seen.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.60,0:03:52.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I studied the material and I knew it well.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:52.27,0:03:54.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When it came to working with actual dogs,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.27,0:03:58.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they brought a bunch for me to try out in the beginning,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.47,0:04:03.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and narrowed it down to 2 potential dogs within several days.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.30,0:04:06.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is when the problems became very apparent.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.70,0:04:09.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They were supposed to train the dogs for my specific needs,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.87,0:04:15.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it quickly became obvious that they did not.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.83,0:04:19.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They insisted that they trained the dogs for someone with Cerebral Palsy,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.02,0:04:23.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but CP is very different between individual people,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.62,0:04:27.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you can't just do generic training.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.22,0:04:31.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,With my particular CP,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.88,0:04:35.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,every movement I make intentionally
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.64,0:04:37.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,starts with an unintentional movement,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.73,0:04:41.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and sometimes ends with an unintentional one.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.58,0:04:50.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The dogs had been trained to regard any tug, jerk or sudden stop as a reprimand,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.17,0:04:52.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like telling the dogs "bad dog!".
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.69,0:04:56.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, even though the dogs were doing everything right,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.82,0:05:03.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I jerked often, and they thought they were doing wrong and became confused and shut down.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.07,0:05:06.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The other problem is that the people who raised and trained the dogs
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.71,0:05:12.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were my teachers, and they were in the room with us at all times.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.38,0:05:19.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Therefore, the dogs got confused as to who they were supposed to listen to, their trainers or me.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.57,0:05:25.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Other service dog programs that I know of don't allow the trainers to be teachers.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.98,0:05:33.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They also don't even allow the clients to interact with the dogs for the 1st week of training.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.37,0:05:39.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Except to allow major downtime for the client to get to know their potential dog.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.27,0:05:42.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This downtime was never allowed for me,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.03,0:05:47.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I never got to bond with any particular dog.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.50,0:05:52.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Any time I pointed out the problems with the training,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.07,0:05:56.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they would reprimand me by telling me to get over my disability,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.93,0:06:01.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"grow a pair", and stop blaming my disability.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.65,0:06:05.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I wasn't blaming, I wasn't making excuses,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.93,0:06:08.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was pointing out my disability needs,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.17,0:06:12.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is why I was seeking a service dog in the first place.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.83,0:06:19.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because of their improper training, I fell very behind on what their expectations were.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.23,0:06:27.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On the 5th day they gave me my 1st actual test scores, as with the dogs,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.42,0:06:30.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but they were dogs they selected.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.93,0:06:32.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I failed.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.63,0:06:37.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These tests included things that I physically can't even do,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.03,0:06:43.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and of the ones that I can do, the dogs refused to respond to anything I said
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.33,0:06:48.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because they didn't know who to listen to, me or the trainers.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.83,0:06:53.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they also shut down because of what they thought were reprimands.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.47,0:06:58.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The result was that it was a total disaster and I failed the tests.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.60,0:07:03.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They allowed me to retake the test, the next day after reviewing the videos,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:03.33,0:07:05.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they urged me to practice.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.60,0:07:07.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What was I supposed to practice with?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.20,0:07:10.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I don't have a dog at home.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:10.29,0:07:17.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they also coached me more about "growing a pair" of balls and "getting over" my disability.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.58,0:07:21.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The next day when I came, they announced that I would need to score
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.53,0:07:26.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,double the amount that I had scored last time
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.10,0:07:33.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because they decided that I was responsible for more of the dog commands on the list.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.07,0:07:35.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even though I did much better on this test,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:35.47,0:07:39.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I failed because they raised the bar too high.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:39.08,0:07:41.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At this point they informed me that I had failed boot camp,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.97,0:07:44.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they were not placing a service dog with me,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:44.70,0:07:48.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they would be keeping all of the money that I raised.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.97,0:07:50.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Before I left the classroom,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.70,0:07:55.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they asked me to record an apology video to all of my donors
Dialogue: 0,0:07:55.70,0:07:59.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for wasting their time and money and failing them.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:59.96,0:08:02.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I did not fail anyone.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:02.03,0:08:04.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Arizona Goldens failed me.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.30,0:08:06.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you would like to know more about this,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:06.74,0:08:08.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,please go to the address below
Dialogue: 0,0:08:08.97,0:08:15.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,http://www.dogdreamteam.com/
Dialogue: 0,0:08:15.53,0:08:17.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you very much.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:17.97,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,http://www.dogdreamteam.com/