© Simon Hildrew/NewsquestStephanie Mortlock, 22, is among dozens of people who claim they’ve been conned by Service Dogs Europe.
A former employee at Service Dogs Europe (SDE) has turned whistleblower to accuse the company of risking its customers' lives.They were advertised as miracle dogs to provide life-saving services for those in greatest need.
However,
the reality has proven the opposite for hundreds of vulnerable and disabled Britons who ploughed their savings - and hopes - into a bogus training firm.Investigators are also calling for government intervention amid claims the firm is among several exploiting a charity funding crisis for legitimate dog training centres.
Some animals supplied for round-the-clock assistance for paralysed people, diabetics and extreme allergy sufferers were
not even fit to fetch a ball.Ex-trainer Janne Kovaljeff, 43, described his time at Irish-based SDE as "horrifying" as he revealed how
one dog was so ill it died within days of delivery to a vulnerable customer who had shelled out thousands of pounds.
The company, run by Henry Fitzsimons, has now shut down while allegedly still owing hundreds of thousands of pounds to its customers.
Mr Kovaljeff, who worked for SDE for more than a year, claimed
Mr Fitzsimons sacked anyone who complained about the regime."I warned Henry he could kill someone," Mr Kovaljeff said.
According to an investigation to be published on Thursday in Dogs Today, animals were sold by SDE with virtually no training and within weeks of arriving at the centre.
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