Remember Heaven Scent Paws ????

[ILGHAUS]

Mo. service dog firm ordered to refund Customers

Posted: Aug 18, 2010 10:44 AM EDT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A mid-Missouri company and its owner have been ordered to stop providing service dogs for people with diabetes.


Mo. service dog firm ordered to refund customers - KOAM TV 7 Joplin and Pittsburg News Weather Sports

[ILGHAUS]

Here is an old thread

Heaven Scent Paws in MO

[Dainerra]

any word on if they will now pursue criminal charges?

[Lauri & The Gang]

I wonder how much of the money the people will actually see and how much the lawyers will take?

[Dainerra]

the lawsuit was filed by the Attorney General, so there are no fees for the injured parties.

[ILGHAUS]

I don't remember (it has been two years) and will have to go through old PMs and emails but there were going to be both civil and criminal proceedings. Then the IRS would be getting involed.

There was an 18 page report on this case and the owner of the facility was ordered to reimburse people for their dogs, to pay so much for an educational program on SDs for the public, and some other things.

08AC-CC00459 - STATE OF MISSOURI V HEAVEN SCENT PAWS ET AL

Quote:
shall pay or cause payment to be made in the sum of $192,216.56 to the State of Missouri to the credit of the Merchandising Practices Restitution Fund as restitution for consumers who raised money and participated in Defendants' training program and filed a complain with the Missouri Attorney General's Office. A list of such consumers is attached hereto as Exhibit A and is incorporated by reference herein. It is further ordered that Defendant's Heaven Scent Paws, Inc and Michele Reinkemeyer are jointly and severally liable for and shall pay or cause payment to be made in the sum of $5,000.00 to the State of Missouri to the credit of the Merchandising Practices Revolving Fund for attorneys fees and costs incurred by the Attorney General in the investigation and enforcement of the Merchandising Practices Act, and to provide funds for consumer education and advocacy programs. It is further ordered that Defendant's Heaven Scent Paws, Inc and Michele Reinkemeyer are jointly and severally liable for and shall pay or cause payment to be made in the sum of $10,000.00 as a civil penalty payable to the State of Missouri ...
(Thanks to Service Dog Central and a couple of members in locating the published report)

This last $10,000 is being waived unless cause shows that HSP?Michele Reinkemeyer shows that she is not complying with the order.

[Lauri & The Gang]

Originally Posted by Dainerra

the lawsuit was filed by the Attorney General, so there are no fees for the injured parties.

That is awesome!!!

[AbbyK9]

I've been following a case as well but wasn't aware that they've had a ruling. That is good to know and I'll be posting it to my blog. When I originally wrote about it when the Attorney General's office first filed, I've had a lot of people comment who'd gotten non-working dogs from them.

[AbbyK9]

I found a copy of the judgment posted at Heaven scent paws : court ruling!!!!!

Reposted below, with paragraphs inserted.

08/13/2010 - Judgment Entered
See case file for all entries.

It is ordered, adjudged and decreed by this court that Heaven Scent Paws, Inc., Michele Reinkemeyer, their officers, assigns, successors in interes, and persons, contractors, representatives or current and future employees acting on their behalf or at their direction who receive actual notice of this order, are permanently enjoined, restrained and prohibited from the following:

- Engaging in any activity related to diabetic alert service dogs.

- Making any claim to ownership or possession of dogs currently residing with consumers who raised money and participated in Defendants' training program and filed a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General's Office.

It is further ordered that Defendant's Heaven Scent Paws, Inc and Michele Reinkemeyer are jointly and severally liable for and shall pay or cause payment to be made in the sum of $192,216.56 to the State of Missouri to the credit of the Merchandising Practices Restitution Fund as restitution for consumers who raised money and participated in Defendants' training program and filed a complain with the Missouri Attorney General's Office. A list of such consumers is attached hereto as Exhibit A and is incorporated by reference herein.

It is further ordered that Defendant's Heaven Scent Paws, Inc and Michele Reinkemeyer are jointly and severally liable for and shall pay or cause payment to be made in the sum of $5,000.00 to the State of Missouri to the credit of the Merchandising Practices Revolving Fund for attorneys fees and costs incurred by the Attorney General in the investigation and enforcement of the Merchandising Practices Act, and to provide funds for consumer education and advocacy programs.

It is further ordered that Defendant's Heaven Scent Paws, Inc and Michele Reinkemeyer are jointly and severally liable for and shall pay or cause payment to be made in the sum of $10,000.00 as a civil penalty payable to the State of Missouri to the state treasurer for distribution to the public schools as required by Article IX, Section 7 of the Missouri Constitution.

It is further ordered that collection of the $10,000.00 civil penalty is suspended by the Attorney General subject to future compliance with the terms of this Consent Judgment and Permanent Injunction.

In the event that either Defendant is adjudged to be in violation of this Consent Judgment and Permanent Injunction, the suspension of the civil penalty shall be lifted and that Defendant shall be liable for payment in full of the civil penalty amount set forth in paragraph 19.

It is further ordered that in seeking to collect this judgment the State, pursuant to Missouri law, shall forego execution on Michele Reinkemeyer's primary residence while such property is owned as tenants by the entries with Luke Reinkemeyer. The State shall also forego execution on any future primary residence of Michele Reinkemeyer, while such property is owned as tenants by the entireties with Luke Reinkemeyer.

[Lauri & The Gang]

I wonder if there's any way to get their website down? They have a fundraiser listed there.