Terra Incognita Jacki Barbieri Seymour Missouri Took $7500 from my special needs child's trust fund to train a service dog and scammed us. Seymour Missouri
May 2014 our lawyer paid Jacki Barbieri, of Terra Incognita, $7500 to train a donated Lagotto, to be used as a service dog for our special needs child, now 9yo, who had undergone a terrible trauma, and was extremely anxious. My husband is in End Stage Renal Failure and on dialysis. I am on oxygen and mostly in a power chair, so the trip to meet her was quite difficult. She told us she would deliver the dog, and stay to give us the handlers course. She also said she would provide a years supply of food, heartworm medicine, all supplies, a year of vet services with an emergency fund set up, etc. She also was planning on donating a large sum of money back to us, because it came from a small trust fund set up after her trauma.
We heard endless excuses why she couldn't come, and she ended dropping off the dog over an hour away, in November, staying just long enough to show us how nicely she walked. The dog actually had a pronged collar on. She gave us a quart sized bag with food, telling us she was having more shipped. We didn't get any papers. She gave us an old crate, an old leash and told us she would return after her cruise to train us. She never shipped a thing, and told us she would send it all again. Nothing ever arrived and she couldn't provide a tracking number.
The dog was not trained. she would jump on everyone, steal food off the table, chew everything in sight, bark to go out all night, scratch our doors, etc. The dog was supposed to disrupt behaviors, calm our child, prevent her from running, do search and rescue if needed, and stay with her. The dog does nothing , often dysregulates my child, and in fact has nipped at her and snapped at her face, which has us re homing her for safety reasons, further traumatizing our child.
After being put off so long, and never receiving any services or training, I told Jacki she would have to speak to our attorney. Jacki Barbieri emailed our attorney in December, asking how to return the money to the trust, since the dog didn't work out. It has been over four months and she has not done so. She would not provide proof of rabies, etc, so we had to take her to the vet and have everything done.We now are litigating to get our child's money returned to her. Jacki Barbieri has victimized our daughter all over again, and I believe targeted us because we are so disabled and living on social security. This is not the first time she has been involved in bad business practices, but to steal from a little girl is just heartless. Shame on you Jacki, you did nothing but lie to us and acted without a speck of decency or honor! You have made life so much harder for us. We will see you in court.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Cindy
Vancouver,Alabama,
Canada
Report is inconsistent with character of ms Barbieri
#6General Comment
Sat, January 02, 2016
I find it interesting that you say you have known Jacki for 12 months, yet only now have written to voice your opinion. I also find it interesting that you state you are in NYC, yet your post came from Arizona. You state you "Simply do not believe these accusation". Unfortunately, if YOU believe them or not, does not change the fact that the events mentioned, did in fact, take place. She (Jacki) took HALF of a little girls settlement for a therapy dog she would provide to the little girl. The dog was not crate trainde, basic obedience trained or any of the other things Jacki had promised. If you are a legitimate customer of Ms. Barbieri and have know her for only one year, you have not come to know the true person Jacki is. As a matter of information, Jacki has been expelled from the Lagotto Club of America. Perhaps you should ask her why.
Jacki, is this you?
#6Author of original report
Sat, January 02, 2016
Did you write this rebuttal Jacki? Seriously, I don't know who you are, but if you are for real, it doesn't matter what your experience was, or how well you were treated. My experience was not the same. I thought Jacki was wonderful too, right up until she began lying to us, which is what made her actions so hurtful. It doesn't matter if you believe it of her. I'm glad she didn't hurt and disappoint your family the way she did ours. We only got the money refunded through lawyer intervention, and didn't have to surrender the dog, since she clearly told the lawyer we could keep her if we wanted. That dog was donated for a special needs child, returned from someone else. We paid for the training we didn't get, not the dog. My child attends school, rides horses, plays softball and attends after school activities. She goes to Sunday school. Everyone loves my daughter. She is not as Jacki would have you believe. It's never a good idea to vouch for someone's character, based on your limited experience with them. We were planning to litigate, which is not the the action of someone in the wrong. I would advise people to be very cautious in their dealings with her, based on what happened to us and others.
Marley T
New York,New York,
USA
Report is Inconsistent with Character of Ms. Barbieri
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, December 30, 2015
Over the past 12 months, I have come to know Jacki and the Terra Incognita company quite well. I met Jacki initially over the phone as I was beginning to research the Lagotto breed. I spoke to Jacki as well as 3 other U.S. based breeders and several owners. I found Jacki to be incredibly knowledgeable and patient with all of my questions (think, the Inquisition). After a half dozen conversations with her, my family boarded an airplane from NYC to St. Louis, MO to make the 4 hour drive to her farm in Seymour to meet Jacki, her family, and her dogs.
During this initial 3 day visit, we met numerous dogs of all ages, including a litter that had just been born. We observed numerous training, grooming, and play sessions with several dogs of differing ages, including a dog that was being trained as a special needs dog. We were absolutely floored (in the most positive way imaginable) by her training techniques and philosophies. From that encounter, we chose to purchase a Lagotto from her. We ultimately decided to get a puppy and asked Jacki to complete three levels of training for the puppy before taking possession.
Approximately two months later, we reviewed temperment testing results from her most recent litter and with Jacki's guidance selected our puppy. We regularly spoke by phone and Skype and continued to deepen our relationship with Jacki. A month after that, my family took the trip from NYC back to Seymour to spend four days on the farm with Jacki, her family and to meet our puppy.
Jacki has gone above and beyond our expectations. After the tiers of training were completed, Jacki boarded a flight to NYC with our puppy and spent three days with us helping to acclimate our new family member to an altogether new environment. Each and every time we have had questions, whether minor or major, Jacki has made herself available and devoted countless hours to guiding us. The training was flawless and I have never encountered a more seamless transition.
While I wish I were able to respond directly to the factual accusations alleged in the complaint, I cannot. However, I can certainly attest to the character of the individual being accused of dishonest behavior and state unequivocally that I SIMPLY DO NOT BELIEVE THESE ACCUSATIONS. Everything stated in the complaint is completely out of character for Jacki and wholly inconsistent with (1) my family's individual experience with her; (2) references that we spoke to about Jacki prior to beginning our professional relationship with Terra Incognita; and (3) specific actions we have seen taken by Jacki with respect to contributing her time, her financial resources and her dogs to help less fortunate individuals. I read this Ripoff Report and the one other post as I was conducting my due diligence on Jacki and Terra Incognita and have gotten quite comfortable that this is not representative of her business practices nor her character. I would encourage any other interested parties to similarly diligence Jacki rather than accepting these two negative reports as gospel and expect that you too will come to dismiss these reports.
Trainer rebuttal untrue
#6Author of original report
Sat, December 26, 2015
We demanded a refund for the untrained dog and instructed Jacki Barbieri to deal directly with our attorney. On December 15th, she emailed the attorney, and was instructed how to return the money. It wasn't until May20th that she paid the attorney, and demanded we remove the BBB report in exchange. We made arrangements for our vet to hold the dog, until the check was received, and for them to pick the dog up there, after they found the dog to be in good health. It took FIVE months to get this resolved. It is untrue that we didn't want it returned to the trust account. That dog didn't work out because it wasn't trained. Jacki Barbieri was not honorable in her business dealings with us.
Jacki Barbieri
Seymour,Missouri,
USA
Refund was given in full
#6REBUTTAL Owner of company
Thu, November 19, 2015
Not all therapies work for all children. The daughter became violent with the parents over the dog. A refund in full was offered immediately upon return of the dog. Unfortunately the parents of the adopted child wanted a check written to them. But the funds needed to be returned to the child's trust fund. When they were told the money must go back to the trust fund that is where the fighting began. As soon as the dog was surrendered refund was given in full.