Service Dog Scam: Father of 50 Victims Faces Justice

Mark Mathis, owner of Ry-Co Service Dogs, has pleaded guilty to 50 counts of obtaining property by false pretenses, following a six-year investigation by the North Carolina Attorney General's Office. Mathis operated his business in Raleigh from 2008 to 2018, targeting families with special needs children and charging thousands for service dogs that were inadequately trained and cared for.

Prosecutors stated that victims paid between $4,500 and $16,710 for Briard breed dogs advertised as trained to assist individuals with disabilities. Many families, like the Vladykas, incurred additional thousands in training costs for the dogs they purchased. Mathis closed his business in 2018 amidst mounting complaints.

Mathis received a suspended sentence and 60 months of supervised probation. He was ordered to pay $353,000 in restitution to the 50 affected families, with $100,000 paid at the hearing. While Mathis apologized, some victims expressed disappointment over the lack of jail time but sought closure. He is now permanently banned from training or selling service animals.