Same abuse.
New name.
Don't be fooled.
In April 2026, LVMPD, Animal Control and other local authorities shut down our previous business, Working Dogs of Nevada after a felony animal cruelty investigation — 35 dogs were seized, two of our employees were arrested; with one of them being an illegal, was deported back to his home country, and the city revoked our business license. Less than a month later, we came up with a new scam and decided to open another business called Nevada Canine Training Facility. We opened in the very same building, run by the old operation's former manager. This page documents the public record and our attempt to deceive the public.
Just a new sign — the same people — the same cruelty
What happened
Every event below is drawn from police statements and local news reporting. Where claims are alleged rather than proven, we say so.
March 2026
A former employee blows the whistle
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department opens an investigation after a former employee turns over surveillance videos from inside Working Dogs of Nevada, a self-described rescue for behaviorally challenged dogs on West Lake Mead Boulevard.
April 1, 2026
Raid: 35 dogs seized, license suspended
LVMPD's Animal Cruelty Section serves a search warrant. Two employees are arrested and 35 dogs are removed from the facility. The business license is suspended, shutting the operation down.
April 2026
Felony animal cruelty charges
John Johnstone and Tabitha Berube are charged with felony willful and malicious torture of an animal. According to the arrest report, video shows dogs lifted off the ground by their leashes, swung through the air, and shocked with electronic collars — once, police say, simply because a dog moved during a photo.
April 28, 2026
The new application goes in — 27 days later
Less than a month after the raid, a business license application for “Nevada Canine” is filed for the same building. The City of Las Vegas initially denies it.
September 2026
Approved on appeal — new name, same address
After an appeal, the city grants Nevada Canine a six-month temporary license with conditions. The new owner, Zachary Dickmeyer, acknowledged to Channel 13 that he previously worked as a manager at Working Dogs of Nevada. He was not charged and says the new business is separate.
Why they were shut down
According to LVMPD, surveillance video showed training practices that police described as “straight-up cruelty” — outside the scope of any legitimate training practice.
35
dogs seized by police
Thirty-five dogs were found inside the facility and confiscated when LVMPD served its warrant on April 1, 2026.
2
employees arrested on felony charges
Two employees face felony willful and malicious torture charges after a weeks-long investigation by Metro's Animal Cruelty Section.
$600+
per dog, after alleged abuse
Police say many dogs were rescued from California, put through the facility's training, and then sold for upwards of $600 — far above a normal rescue adoption fee.
27
days until the new license application
The application for the new business at the same address was filed less than a month after the raid, according to the City of Las Vegas.
“You have to look at, is this outside of the scope of practice? Is this bad training tactics or is this just straight cruelty? To us, it was outside of training practices. It was straight-up cruelty.”
— Sgt. William Gethefer, LVMPD, to FOX5
The deception
Just a new sign on the same door
Five months after the shutdown, Nevada Canine was approved to operate from the same location near Lake Mead Boulevard and Tenaya Way — the building that housed Working Dogs of Nevada.
The new owner, Zachary Dickmeyer, pleaded ignorance to Channel 13 and other local media that he previously worked as a manager at Working Dogs of Nevada and had “no idea what was happening within the walls of Working Dogs of Nevada”. The entire family, including Dickmeyer, has a lengthy history of animal rescues, training facilities, all under different names across multiple states. Each has closed when they were sued either criminally, civilly, or both. They would then turn around and open a new business under a new name, like Nevada Canine Training Facility.
Community advocates aren't convinced. “My question is, how are they able to reopen?” said Sarah Randles, the advocate who adopted two of the seized dogs. “They were the ones that trained those trainers in the first place, so why are they not held accountable?”
Nevada Animal Advocates Founder and Reba's Law co-author, John Waudby, has promised to make sure the public knows everything about this family and to ensure that the local authorities do their job to protect the animals that this family continues to torture. His goal: Send this family packing out of Nevada!
What the city required
- The license application was initially denied; Nevada Canine received a six-month temporary license only after an appeal.
- Day-to-day operations — animal intake and release, customer communication, staffing — must be handled by a designated manager, not the owner.
- Independent contractors are prohibited from animal-related services.
- Terry Davis, the former license holder of Working Dogs of Nevada, is explicitly prohibited from involvement.
- Cooling systems are required in outdoor kennel areas.
Conditions reported by KTNV, per the City of Las Vegas.
Different name. Same building. Same circle of people.
Animals remember. So do we.
What you can do
Check before you pay
Before hiring any trainer, search the address and the people behind the business — not just the name on the door. A new name can hide an old record.
Report cruelty
LVMPD urges anyone who witnesses animal cruelty to contact Animal Protective Services or call 311. Under Nevada's Reba's Law, bystanders who stay silent can share responsibility.
Spread the word
Share this page so no one unknowingly hands their dog to the same circle of people behind a suspended operation.
Sources
This page is a compilation of publicly reported information. Read the original reporting:
- New dog training business approved where previous facility was shut down after animal cruelty investigation
KTNV Channel 13
- Two arrested, 35 dogs seized in animal abuse investigation into Las Vegas rescue
FOX5 Las Vegas
- LVMPD: Las Vegas dog rescue sold animals for over $600 after alleged abuse
FOX5 Las Vegas
- Two face felony animal cruelty charges after 35 dogs removed from Las Vegas training facility
KTNV Channel 13
- Report: shock collars and dogs lifted, swung by leash at local rescue facility
KSNV News 3 Las Vegas
- Shock collar at center of dog trainer's animal cruelty case, police say
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Disclaimer: This site compiles publicly available news reporting and police statements for public awareness. Allegations described here are drawn from arrest reports and media coverage; criminal charges are allegations, and those charged are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The new business states it is separate from the prior operation, and its owner was not charged. This site has no affiliation with any party named.