Enthusiastic at First — Then Completely Ghosted Our 501(c)(3) Rescue
UPDATE — December 17, 2025 On December 4, AKON publicly acknowledged that they failed to communicate and apologized for the lack of response. Their public reply suggested a willingness to address the situation. I responded the same day asking to move the conversation back to email and stating that I would be willing to revise or remove this review if communication resumed. As of December 17, two full weeks have passed with no follow up. There has been no email, no call, and no attempt to continue the conversation. The only response we have received remains public. For clarity, our nonprofit initially reached out in early September regarding a potential sponsorship of kennel covers for rescued dogs. AKON engaged extensively, requested measurements, provided drawings, discussed materials, and proposed specific options. Throughout that process, AKON themselves described the interaction as a potential partnership, which we were genuinely excited about. The public reply, however, read in a way that suggested we were expecting free products or making unreasonable demands. That was not the case. Our goal was simply to secure kennel covers and to explore a partnership that AKON had already framed as such in prior communications. By our second email, we clearly communicated interest in adding a small number of additional kennel covers and play yard panels. The majority of the discussion occurred after that clarification, including measurements, layouts, and design drawings. This was not a surprise to AKON at any point, despite how the situation was later characterized publicly. At the time of AKON’s public response, we were open to discussing various ways the project could proceed, including paid options, given the amount of time already invested in planning and design. That discussion never occurred because no private follow up ever came. What is concerning is that AKON chose to respond publicly while providing no private follow up at all. Without any direct communication to support it, the public response did not result in any meaningful progress. At this point, the issue is the absence of follow through after substantial engagement and after a public acknowledgment that communication failed, while also offering the option to rectify the situation. When I reached out to attempt to proceed, there was once again no response of any kind. ——— Our nonprofit rescue reached out to AKON in early September about custom kennel covers to protect our rescued dogs during supervised decompression and downtime. We communicated directly with Mark Ackerman (Sales Team Lead – Residential) and Kevin Catalin (General Manager / Head of Operations). At the beginning, both individuals appeared extremely engaged and accommodating. We exchanged around a dozen emails that included detailed measurements, drawings, design ideas, and layout discussions. Their enthusiasm made it seem as though our project mattered and that they were fully committed to helping us. Because of this, we did not pursue any other companies. AKON led us to believe we were moving forward and we relied wholeheartedly on that communication. Then, without any warning or basic courtesy, the communication stopped entirely on October 3. Our multiple kind follow-up messages were entirely ignored for two months. No reply. No update. No explanation. Not even a brief message saying they could no longer assist. We fully understand that companies get busy or that circumstances may change. A simple “we’re unable to take on this project” would have been completely acceptable. What is not acceptable is overpromising, gathering extensive information, requesting detailed designs and then disappearing without a single response. Because we relied on AKON’s commitment and expected follow-through, we postponed reaching out to other vendors. As a result, our dogs are now without the proper coverage they need during the coldest months of the year, all because we trusted a company that could not be bothered to communicate. This is not a small inconvenience. This is a failure of basic professionalism and respect. After decades in customer service, I can confidently say that this is not how reputable companies operate. The disregard shown to a 501(c)(3) trying to provide safety and comfort to vulnerable animals in desperate need of care is something I will not forget. I’m grateful we learned early exactly who we were dealing with. These innocent dogs have survived enough harm in their lives. The last thing they needed was another empty promise followed by complete silence.