NewsLocal News

Actions

Police in Erie County issue arrest warrant for dog trainer

'The gentleman shut off all social media, refused all contact, and the victim wasn't able to get in touch with him to actually obtain the dog'
Posted

ERIE COUNTY — The Perkins Township Police Department is looking for a Sandusky man accused of selling a dog he never delivered. As news spreads about the trainer, more people are calling the police.

Muzzino Vaccaro, 28, is accused of using his reputation as a dog trainer to solicit money from pet lovers who sought his help.

“The suspect had worked out a deal to sell a dog to a Perkins township resident and did not come through with that, and basically took money from him,” said Detective Joseph Rotuno.

Rotuno says the buyer claims they paid Vaccaro $1,500 for a dog and the training, but the dog was never delivered.

“The gentleman shut off all social media, refused all contact, and the victim wasn't able to get in touch with him to actually obtain the dog,” said Rotuno.

Perkins police issued an arrest warrant for Vaccaro Monday, charging him with one count of fifth-degree theft. The news caught the attention of former customers like Lex Wheeler, who booked private training lessons with Vaccaro for her standard poodle.

“I was going up there multiple times a week and driving [a] couple hours just to get there. I was committed to doing private lessons and everything was good for three months. Until he suddenly stopped showing up for his private lessons that were on his property which was weird,” Wheeler said.

After not seeing the results she wanted during the private lessons, Vaccaro and Wheeler agreed to a board and train program. But after two days of ignored calls, texts, and no updates on her dog, she decided to take her dog out of the program.

Eventually, she asked for a refund.

“I said my dog [is] not trained. We have not completed our junior hunt title, you've no-showed me several times, and there's burn marks on my dog's neck. And he just went through all these different excuses. So, I never got refunded,” Wheeler said.

After reaching out to Vaccaro multiple times regarding a refund, she eventually contacted a lawyer from Legal Shield for help.

“Legal Shield kept sending him letters, and he kept returning them back. And I was at a standstill until I was able to get in contact with square, which is who I made my payment through,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler showed proof of the financial dispute to the payment app “square” and received her full refund of $3,500 three weeks ago.

Perkins police said they have received numerous calls this week from law enforcement agencies across the state and community members regarding different allegations against Vaccaro.

“We're taking the time, and we're calling these people back, getting statements, finding out what they know and then getting that information out to other law enforcement,” Rotuno said.

Rotuno said family members told them of the suspect and that he plans to turn himself into police custody in the next few days.

“We're waiting to see if that's going to be legit or not, but his warrant is still active. So, if he were to get stopped, it's going to show up and we'll pick him up and bring him back here to Erie County to answer to the charges,” Rotuno said.

The Better Business Bureau says you should never buy a dog when you have not seen it in person to avoid losing money for specialized pet services. When looking for a trainer, reach out to organizations that refer you to certified, licensed trainers.