This is a SCAM of the worst kind! This con involves making MONEY off of homeless dogs. BUDDIES is listed as a RESCUE but in actuality is a front for a supposed rehabilitation program and sanctuary that charges up to $1,500.00 per dog.
These people troll Facebook looking for dogs that are to be euthanized but have sponsorship ($) to save them. The good folks at BUDDIES then solicit for the dog to come live at their "sanctuary" to be "rehabilitated" by Mr. Wandell, but he is not certified in anything, does not have ANY credentials and has a questionable background of breeding and hoarding. The dogs are then put in chicken coop like kennels and small crates and left to languish, given barely enough food to live (and some HAVEN'T), are loaded with internal parasites such as heartworms and intestinal worms, and covered in fleas. They do NOT receive any personal attention, excersise, toys, blankets or treats. This place is on a 5 acre tract of swampland in rural central Florida where the temperatures reach 90 degrees plus and 100% humidity most days of the year. There is no septic system or real property on this land and they live in a 5th wheel 27 ft. Travel trailer.
BUDDIES recently had 92 dogs in it's care with only 2 people on property to care for them. The dogs are extremely thin, have pressure sores on their joints and are in mental shut down. BUDDIES also just received 63 ANIMAL CONTROL violations equaling $17,100.00 in fines, and turned 25 of the dogs (they had already been paid for) into Manatee County Animal Control, a KILL shelter, of which 5 were euthanized due to behavior issues. This "rescue" has done this at least once before. They collect dogs for money, warehouse them until they are out of room, dump them and then start again. Mr. Wandell and his girlfriend Laurie Matsik-Pachin, do not have jobs or any other obvious means of support. Mr. Wandell has a Federal Tax Lien $5600 in effect till 2016 so hides behind the BUDDIES.inc to avoid paying this back out of his many "donations".
He also advertises on pet blogs and Craigs List to train your dog to be a personal protection dog for $175.00 for 2 hours, but he has NO certification. He has been documented fraudulently using copyrighted training photos & property of other individuals to support his claim as "trainer" and has bragged publicly about being fired from previous employment for unnecessary rough handling of dogs.
They support their family with 3 young daughters and pay THEIR bills by scamming people trying to save homeless dogs. This is the web page where they beg for money (but it is NOT used for the dogs!): http://buddiesrescue.org/adspace.htm
PLEASE do NOT send your dog there! Or hire ANY of these people to work with animals!
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