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Myself and three other dog breeders sent our DNA samples to DNA Diagnostics dba Shelterwood Laboratories in October 2009. Our checks were cashed that month however it is June 2010 and still we have NO test results. Each time we call we are told we'll have them "next week" but this never happens.
More often than not we are told Dr. Melba Ketchum needs to "read the results" yet that seems to never happen. I myself called the company in November 2009 and was told the tests for all of us would be run the week of Thanksgiving and the results would be available on December 5th. I called December 9th looking for them and was told at that time they would have to be "rerun".
I waited a few weeks and called in early January spoke to "Ruben" and he told me three times in the month of January Dr. Ketchum needed to "read" the results and I'd have them in a week. Three times I was told this by Ruben.
I called in April 2010 and spoke to "Samuel" and he said he couldn't understand why these test results were not available after such a long time. I've since been told Samuel quit!
I then emailed the company and received an email in response from a "new manager" Sharolyn asking for a week to sort through the mess. That was on May 19th...never heard from her again.
I called today 6.02.10 and spoke to Jennifer who told me Sharolyn quit this week! Then as I waited on hold for 10 minutes she said Dr. Ketchum had the results and again, we'd have them tomorrow.
I've filed a complaint with the Attorney General so we'll see where this goes. I wonder how many other breeders are in the same boat with this company.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I sent melba ketchum a skull which I beleived to be a primate perhaps bigfoot, she never sent my results for over three years to this day she has not sent my results her technician told me I had human dna in my test results they have never sent my results. This means that the mitocondria for an ape, or chimp or bigfoot would light up the same as human . I beleive Melba Ketchum is stealing all the evidence for her own benefit. She does talk shows on bigfoot and is a thief as far as I am concerned if anyone know how to help me sue her or wishes to take action against her and dna diagnostics please contact me at tomburnette@hotmail.com or call me at [protected]..Thanks TOM BURNETTE
Wow, I wish I knew all this before I sent my samples. Shelterwood cashed my check October 2009 for $120. I wanted Versnp testing for 3 cats because I needed to verify paternity. I have already had testing done with them for the two cats I needed to verify paternity, so even though I knew they took forever to get results back, it seemed the best option. They were endorsed by CFA, so I never questioned their ethics. It is now January 2011 and I've called to find out what happened to my results and am told they never received my samples which is funny because if that were true, my check would not have been cashed! So now I am told to call back tomorrow. I'm not able to resample either. I no longer have one of the cats I needed tested, and this is the cat I am suspecting is the sire. I only wanted verification before I resubmitted CFA paperwork. I'll update this posting if I find out anything new.
I am in the same boat as all of you. Sent my horse VeriSNP test off with a promise of a few weeks (october 2010). check cashed, no tests a few months later. So far, been lied to about 4 times. I was promised a preliminary test of a genetic factor I need to know about before paying breeding fees. Results still not back and now Im out a lot of money for fees. "Leah" is the secretary and said they would not return my money because they already put chemicals onto the sample, even though they don't have the ability to run the test right now. She Flat out lied to me about the last 4 conversations we had and said she had not talked to me even though I recorded the conversation and wrote down everything. My question now is:
What do I do in order to make a formal complaint in the state of texas? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.
Christi,
California
I'm another cat breeder who was "ripped off" by Catgenes (dba DNA Diagnostics). I lost $320 in testing with them from tests submitted early December. I went through the same run around with phone calls and emails. They sent me erroneous results, probably someone else's tests, which has cost me thousands of dollars in lost sales, a new cat purchase based on erroneous results verified by UC Davis, and retesting two of the eight cats with UC Davis. Now DNA Diagnostics are asking for new samples. I don't even have one of the cats anymore and another one is now spayed and no longer breeding. And should I trust them at this point.
I too have demanded a refund. I have also submitted a report to the BBB in eastern Texas. I suggest anyone else who has used them and had a problem with them do the same. They have an "F" rating on a score of A+ to F. That should tell you something. The CFA has suspended relations with this company. Do not use them.
I sent in testing in Feb 2010 I have been told about 20 - 30 times the results would be sent within a few days and my money will not be refunded. I have had no luck with any staff...they have a set answer for each call...either next day or 3 days. Never any results. I sent in 5 samples.
I am going elsewhere for future testing.
I am one of the breeders mentioned in the original complaint above and I too have gotten runaround from Shelterwood Laboratories/DNA Diagnostics, more specifically from Ruben, Samuel and Sharolyn.
Though I did recently receive my DNA test results on 2 of my terriers, I had to spend months making phone call after phone call - all with the same response: "You will have your results by the end of the day" or "You will have your results by Friday." But months went by and I did not receive the results I had paid for.
Clearly, there was something that was preventing them from sending our results, yet no one would explain what was going on. I too was also told that the office staff were waiting for Dr. Melba Ketchum to "read" the results. Upon further internet searching, we found out that DNA Diagnostics was in the middle of a legal battle and that Dr. Ketchum had a reputation of not completing testing in a timely manner.
I was nothing but polite with everyone that I spoke with at Shelterwood and I was treated extremely rudely - including being hung up on when I insisted that I would be happy to wait on hold until Ruben had confirmed that my results had been emailed to me.
Shelterwood Laboratory cashed our checks in November of 2009. They had no problem taking our money and then were virtually impossible to reach via phone or email after they got our money. From November of 2009 through June of 2010, our group of breeders, who had all submitted testing together, followed up consistently with Shelterwood Laboratories and 3 of us are still waiting for our dog's DNA results.
Today, 6.14.2010, I called on behalf of my fellow breeders at least 2x an hour and not once did anyone at Shelterwood Laboratories pick up the phone. I also left a message with, again, no response.
Beware of this company! I would encourage anyone who is considering using them for animal DNA testing to be very wary and look for other options available to you.
I used them a few years ago for testing. They promised results in 2 weeks. The first time it took 3 months... The second time I used them it took 4 months But I did get my tests back. Then they began having legal issues which also involved Rick Dobbins from PAWsitive ID. But that is another story altogether. I am sure you can google and find copies of court records and read up on facts.
This year, I called twice and had discussions with "Ruben" since I was concerned about the rumor of fraud lately and was in need of more testing on some of my younger dogs. He told me the following: "We do not have the DNA cartridges we need to run the canine tests. Someone stole them when they left here. So now our plan is to take orders and money from all the canine people and have a list of tests to run once we can afford a new cartridge. The real money is in CATS and we are doing a lot of CATS right now to save money to someday be able to buy a new canine cartridge."
I asked him if he was worried about lawsuits, criminal complaints or the AG's getting after them. He replied very cavalier like; "Honestly, it wouldn't be the first time."
The way I see it - (From what I have been told by this company) is that they are defrauding the public by claiming they can run testing in a few weeks. Take the money for same claim. Yet they do not even have the equipment to run any canine tests! I do not have a dog in this most recent fight - But I do know of 4-5 other breeders that do and are getting the runaround mentioned above. I certainly hope they will follow up with the Attorney General's fraud division.