Complaint Review: North Country Taxidermy/Joseph

On August 23, 1999 my 20 year-old cat died and I responded to an ad on the 411 web over the internet by North Country Taxidermy in Keene, New York that read:

" Preserving your pet in a restful and peaceful manner is a positive alternative to burial or cremation. You can keep that faithful friend in your presence through freeze dry preservation. We have 27 years of experience in preserving animals and can help you decide if freeze drying is right for your pet.
* Over 27 years experience in preservation
* Freeze drying
* Taxidermy
* Lasting memories"

I researched a little bit about the freeze dry process, and was pleasantly surprised at how good the animals looked. I thought it was a great idea, and I could keep my cat in a box in a restful position just like he was sleeping. I would hardly even know he was gone, and the thought of this helped me to accept the death and brought me peace of mind.

After several telephone conversations with Mr. "Bud" Piserchia, the owner of North Country Taxidermy, I travelled on a bus to Keene from New York City in October, with the body of my beloved pet cat, which I left with Mr. Piserchia along with a $200.00 cash deposit to begin the work as soon as possible. Time went on and on as I called regularly to see if the work had been started. I paid him an additional $320.00 deposit in November of 1999 which he said that he needed before he could begin the work. (At that time, part of the deposit was also for a Van d**e's home tanning kit which Mr. Piserchia charged me $33.61 for, and I later learned the kit was 14 years old and completely unusable.) I was promised again and again that the work would begin soon.

Around the beginning of January, 2000, I learned that Mr. Piserchia had sold his freeze dry machine along with all of his orders INCLUDING THE BODY OF MY CAT to Mr. Bill Dudek on Greentree Rd. in Tonawanda, New York (a suburb of Buffalo).

I was never informed of the details of the transfer, or exactly when it had taken place. I was never offered the opportunity to come and get my cat, which I would have done immediately, had I been told. One day when I called to ask again if the work had begun, I was simply informed that my cat was now in the possession of Mr. Dudek, and no longer Mr. Piserchia's responsibility. I was given Mr. Dudek's telephone number, but no other details. The number I was given was connected to an answering machine, and he rarely bothered to return any of my calls. It took me several months to track down Mr. Dudek's address.

I called repeatedly, in addition, I wrote letters trying to find out the progress. I complained to Mr. Piserchia, who insisted he had no further responsibility in the matter and told me I was "over reacting" any time I complained. Mr. Dudek, whenever he did speak to me, told me that the work was being done and would be completed shortly ... that it was just taking a little longer than expected due to mechanical problems with his machine.

Both men told me that to interrupt the freeze dry process at this point would result in irrepairable damage to the animal. They repeatedly assured me that the cat was fine and in excellent condition, and that the work would be completed soon.

In December of 2000, I received a call from Mr. Dudek's wife, who informed me my cat would be ready to pick up within the next few weeks. I immediately purchased a bus ticket to Buffalo, and made preperations to pick up my cat. (Which was also a serious hardship for me at the time, as I had lost my job earlier that year, and no savings, as all of my money had already been sent to Mr. Piserchia.) Several weeks had passed ... months ... I contacted Mr. Dudek again who at that point admitted that there had been a "deception" on his part, but the cat was fine and in excellent condition.

He promised again that if I just gave him the chance to complete the work there would be no further problems.

Tired of Mr. Dudek's excuses, in May of 2001, I used my bus ticket to travel to Buffalo, and I showed up at his door in a surprise visit, determined to find out the truth and bring my cat home. Mr. Dudek, caught unaware, was forced to admit to me that my cat was not in the freeze drier, and the work had never begun at all. I was handed the badly decomposed body of my beloved best friend of 20 years. Mr. Dudek had not even bothered to store the body in the freezer.

His basement was full of dead animals, and animal parts in various states of decay. I was so upset, that I requested a police escort to take me back to the bus station for my return home.

Both Mr. Piserchia and Mr. Dudek have refused to refund my money to me, each claiming the other is responsible. I have filed a small claims court case in Essex County, New York against Mr. Piserchia, who is the one who accepted the money from me and signed a contract promising to do the work. The court date is yet to be determined, but I would like to invite anyone interested in my story or to witness the hearing, please contact me for more information.

In addition, I have also been in contact with Jenifer Faison at Paramount, who is a producer of the Judge Judy court TV series, and is very interested in presenting my case on the show. So far, Mr. Piserchia and Mr. Dudek have not responded to Paramount's inquiries. Should they change their mind, the hearing may be held in Los Angeles, instead of Keene.

In addition to the return of my money, it is of equal importance to me that I would like a full explanation from Mr. Piserchia, under oath and subject to perjury charges, why he did this to me. I would like to see a legal order of full disclosure of the transfer of sale of North Country Taxidermy's freeze dry business to Mr. Dudek.

I would like to know how many other customers lost animals in the same way I did, especially those who lost family pets. How many others may be in the same situation who may not even be aware of what has happened until it's too late to take action?

There is no amount of money that can ever undo the damage done by North Country Taxidermy both to my animal and my life. I can't help but wonder if this type of intentional deception is the acceptable standard of behavior for the residents of Keene and Tonawanda, respectively.

Raven
New York, New York