[blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?

[Richard Holloway]

This topic has churned up way more emotion than I would ever have  
anticipated. Rarely have I run across ANY situation in life that has  
absolute answers. (Who among us has?) I hardly know where to begin to  
respond to some of these postings so I would offer instead some  
general observations and comments.

My sister is a bit older than I am. When she turned 18, she was  
legally "old enough" to drink in Georgia. Same city, only a few years  
later-- I was not "legal" until 19. Then at about 6 months later, I  
was underage again. Legal at 20 again, then underage once more.  
Finally at 21, I was again (and finally remained) "old enough" to  
drink. Yet when I had gone to Europe years before at 16, it was quite  
legal for me to drink in many locations. Worldwide, drinking ages vary  
from at lest 15 to 25. How much sense does that make?

Many of us think of the legal driving age as 16, but that varies too.  
In Europe it tends to be 18 except for the UK where I believe it is  
17. Yet in New Zealand it is 15 and if you go to Africa, apparently  
you can drive at 14 in Ethiopia. 14-- wow, that would never happen in  
the U.S., right? Well not unless you're in Kansas and you work on a  
farm, because in Kansas you can have a farm permit, which allows you  
to drive on public roads on farm business AND to and from school at 14  
as well. Incredible? Well, you can get a farm permit in Nebraska at  
age 13 (though you have to be 14 if you don't actually live on the  
farm but are just an employee). Would this be advisable in Chicago or  
New York City? Probably not, and that is the point-- It isn't about  
age, it is about the individual, the particular situation, and all the  
circumstances. It is about doing the best we can for our kids.

I cannot help but think about past "official" positions on cane use  
for blind children and be alarmed when I hear that there is supposedly  
never a situation where it would be helpful and appropriate to have a  
guide dog for a young person from 12 to 15. And in fact, aren't we  
really talking more about 12-17? After all, from what I read in the  
past, most places only place guide dogs with people over 18 (unless  
that has changed?) Besides, we are also arguing over "kids" not being  
old enough to legally be responsible for damage their dogs might  
cause-- that has to mean 18, right?

No posting which I have read has suggested this would be something  
done without reasonable and proper care in the placement process and  
so forth but that seems to be the assumption on the part of at least  
some involved. I think that is part of what is getting some of us  
stirred up.

Having no direct guide dog experience, I truly don't know how well  
this might work but I cannot see the harm in guide dog experts looking  
further into this. I do, however, see great potential harm in placing  
additional obstacles in the way of our children without analyzing all  
available information. We have enough obstacles already.

Richard