“Dogtor Doolittle” Indicted: The Rise and Fall of Austin Mendoza’s Canine Coaching Scheme

A Canine’s Intuition By no means Lies

Human beings have lengthy appeared to canine as companions, protectors, and household. There’s a purpose we name a canine man’s greatest buddy: they sense our moods, defend our kids, and provide unconditional love. And when a canine bristles at a stranger, we regularly take it as a telling signal of that particular person’s true character.

In American tradition, the shortcoming to love canine—or worse, to hurt them—is not only uncommon; it’s unsettling. Compassion towards animals is a pure extension of our humanity. So when tales started to floor a few younger New Jersey man advertising and marketing himself as “Dogtor Doolittle,” yielding miracle ends in canine coaching, many canine homeowners had been desirous to imagine. However behind the veneer of cute social media clips and boastful confidence, prosecutors have uncovered a darkish actuality of animal abuse, fraud, and exploitation.

The Man Behind the Persona

Austin Mendoza, 32, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, constructed his fame rapidly. Starting throughout The Pandemic, Mendoza branded himself as “Dogtor Doolittle,” an expert canine coach able to curing even essentially the most tough canine behaviors. His pitch was irresistible to determined pet mother and father scuffling with aggression, anxiousness, or burglary points.

On Instagram and TikTok, Mendoza’s feed was a carousel of canine obeying instructions, staged “before-and-after” transformations, and testimonials that appeared to show his strategies labored. His confidence—and generally vanity—satisfied shoppers he had authority.

His packages got here at a steep value: two – twelve week boarding packages priced between $2,500 and $10,000 per canine. For a lot of households, that was a small fortune, however one they had been keen to pay if it meant their beloved pet can be happier and higher behaved.

However prosecutors allege it was all a smokescreen. Mendoza had no certifications, no veterinary background, and no formal animal habits coaching. As an alternative, investigators say, he fabricated diagnoses, used merciless coaching strategies, was aggressive with the animals and his workers, and housed animals in appalling situations.

The Arrest

In the summertime of 2025, after years of mounting complaints, federal authorities moved in. Following a multi-agency investigation, Mendoza was arrested, booked, and charged. He has since posted bail and is awaiting a court docket date. As a result of his shoppers and alleged victims span a number of states, the case has been taken up on the federal stage.

In response to court docket paperwork, Mendoza faces fees together with:

• Animal Cruelty (18 U.S.C. § 48) – for the documented abuse of boarded canine.
• Wire Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343) – for soliciting funds beneath false pretenses by way of digital communications.
• Conspiracy to Commit Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 371)
• Misleading Enterprise Practices beneath New Jersey regulation
• Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property (18 U.S.C. § 2314) – associated to alleged extortion of animals used as leverage in disputes.

Mendoza has pleaded not responsible. And, because the justice system reminds us, he stays harmless till confirmed responsible…

A Sample of Abuse

The allegations towards “Dogtor Doolittle” are each surprising and constant. 5 people—former shoppers, an worker, and a townswoman —spoke to me, and all corroborated a sample of abuse and deception. Their names have been protected the place applicable.

The E-Collar: A Instrument of Torture

Central to Mendoza’s alleged practices was the necessary use of digital collars—or “e-collars.” Marketed as superior coaching instruments, e-collars ship an electrical shock to a canine’s neck at various intensities. Mendoza required his shoppers to buy them, insisting they had been essential to his program.

However consultants dispute that declare. Analysis persistently reveals that e-collars provide no benefit over optimistic reinforcement coaching. As an alternative, they threat burns, persistent stress, fear-based behaviors, and, in some instances, aggression. Humane societies worldwide have referred to as for his or her ban.

“Austin instructed me he was solely utilizing the bottom setting,” one shopper defined. “However after I bought my Shih Tzu again, he had burnt fur round his neck. He wasn’t the identical canine anymore. He appeared and acted damaged. We later came upon our canine was caged with greater, extra aggressive canine, he was most likely terrified. It got here as no shock later after we realized about Austin’s fame with aggressive canine. In fact, he made no point out of this after we’d first consulted with him. He knew we had been determined and smelled our wallets. Our canine is so broken, that man had no thought what he was doing, he shouldn’t be allowed to be round animals.”

This testimony aligns with reviews from different homeowners whose canine returned with burns or open wounds attributable to the units.

Testimony: Neighborhood Nightmare

“I lived close to the diabolical doggy daycare for months,” the resident recalled. “I noticed all of it. Canines had been saved in cages, generally ten or extra at a time, out within the yard or within the basement. You may generally see the cages had been stacked when the home windows had been open, and the canine can be barking relentlessly. They’d sit for hours with no water, their very own waste piling up, I’ve timestamped pictures. He had chickens operating round too, which isn’t even authorized right here. And people poor canine… I’ll always remember their cries.”

The lady offered movies of roosters crowing at daybreak, pictures of canine pacing in cramped cages, and documentation of foul odors emanating from the property. For a residential zone like Perth Amboy, the spectacle was alarming; and a violation of zoning ordinances, which cap the variety of canine per residence.

Testimony: Virgil

One of many victims, referred to right here as Virgil, shared their story.

“After I picked my canine up, he wasn’t the identical. He had misplaced a lot weight—my vet stated he was malnourished and severely dehydrated. His anxiousness was worse than ever. The vet was so involved she really referred to as animal management.”

The medical information corroborated Virgil’s claims, noting weight reduction, dehydration, and heightened anxiousness following the boarding interval.

Testimony: Shih Tzu Proprietor, NJ

“He put the e-collar on my boyfriend on the lowest setting simply to indicate us it wasn’t dangerous. He really centered his complete pitch on my boyfriend, he was very dismissive of me for the complete time my canine was in his care, it was a bit of misogynistic. However when our canine got here again, he had burns on his neck. He was dehydrated, depressing. Austin had lied to us. That collar was set method increased. Our canine was traumatized by this collar, he’s utterly completely different now from the canine we relinquished to Austin.”

Testimony: Joe S., Shih Tzu Proprietor, NY

One other proprietor, additionally of a small breed, described much more grotesque accidents.

“I dropped my Shih Tzu off at what I assumed was a secure spa in Previous Bridge. Austin had partnered with them, or so he claimed. Per week later, I used to be instructed to choose my canine up in Newark. He gave me some excuse about flooding. After I took my canine to the vet, they discovered a gap in his neck beneath his fur from the e-collar. Austin even deleted my Google assessment after I posted it.”

This shopper offered screenshots of deleted evaluations and social media movies displaying Mendoza transporting a number of canine in a U-Haul truck after a falling-out with the Previous Bridge facility.

Testimony: The Former Worker

Maybe essentially the most damning testimony got here from a former worker who labored beneath Mendoza for a number of months.

“Austin ran his enterprise like a circus, he had the entire Tiger King advanced. He cycled by way of workers as a result of no one lasted lengthy. He preyed on susceptible individuals who beloved canine however didn’t know any higher. I spoke up after I noticed him hurting the animals. He didn’t care. He instructed us to concentrate on the cash. It jogged my memory of Tiger King—chaotic, exploitative, and merciless.”

This worker’s account highlights the poisonous office setting and systemic exploitation, extending past shoppers to workers.

The Quick Cat Incident

Mendoza’s downfall accelerated in Could 2025 on the Quick Cat occasion in Freehold, New Jersey, sanctioned by the American Kennel Membership. There, he allegedly entered an aggressive canine beneath false pretenses. Throughout the competitors, the canine attacked a decide. Witnesses say Mendoza not solely defended the canine’s actions but in addition grew to become combative when requested to depart.

He was subsequently banned from future AKC occasions. Later that evening, he took to social media, ranting that the canine was justified in attacking the decide.

Fraudulent Picture

Mendoza’s on-line fame administration was as aggressive as his coaching strategies. Opinions reveal a suspicious sample: destructive posts disappeared, whereas optimistic ones surged in clusters, suggesting he bought pretend testimonials.

Nationwide organizations, veterinarians, {and professional} trainers have since distanced themselves. A number of confirmed that they had both been straight harmed by Mendoza’s practices or had heard of him by way of the canine coaching grapevine.

Extortion Allegations

Maybe essentially the most chilling allegation includes Mendoza’s ex-girlfriend, a vice principal in Edison, NJ. When their relationship ended, witnesses declare Mendoza retaliated by holding her canine hostage, and demanding $20,000 for its return. Ring doorbell footage captured components of the viscous confrontation.

The Greater Image: Belief Betrayed

For a lot of pet homeowners, their canine are household. Entrusting them to an expert requires monumental religion. The allegations towards Mendoza strike at that bond. Households who scraped collectively hundreds now really feel duped. Extra importantly, their canine—harmless, trusting creatures—might carry lifelong scars.

Animal welfare advocates argue the case underscores a necessity for stricter regulation within the pet companies trade. In contrast to human healthcare, anybody can name themselves a “coach,” no matter background or experience.

What Comes Subsequent

As Mendoza awaits trial, the neighborhood watches intently. If convicted, he might face years in federal jail, restitution to victims, and a lifetime ban from animal possession or associated companies.

For now, his social media pages stay principally silent, his once-boastful posts overshadowed by a rising tide of shock. In response to sources, he’s paused his dog-boarding operation, however remains to be promoting coaching programs.

Conclusion: Selecting Compassion

The story of “Dogtor Doolittle” is greater than a cautionary story about one man. It’s a reminder that compassion, transparency, and science—not worry and coercion—should information how we deal with animals. Canines usually are not machines to be shocked into obedience; they’re sentient beings who belief us with their lives.

Austin Mendoza might declare innocence till his day in court docket, however for the households who say their canine got here again damaged, the worker who tried to talk up, and the girl who nonetheless remembers the canine’ cries, the injury has already been accomplished.

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