[blindlaw] Re Guide Dogs in the Workplace

[Elizabeth Rene]

Joe is right about one thing: having a guide dog means having extra 
responsibility.

One has to decide whether the joy that a guide dog brings into one's own 
life and that of others adds enough zest to the task of getting from place 
to place to merit the commitment one makes to a dog.

The cane is a mobility tool; a dog is a relationship.

Dogs need to be fed, walked, picked up after, and groomed every day.  They 
need love, encouragement, discipline, play, and the active and attentive 
employment of their guiding skills.  They need to be bathed and have their 
nails clipped, protected from fleas and other parasites, immunized against 
illness, get their teeth cleaned, and given veterinary care when sick.  Dog 
boots and rain gear need to be donned, wet or muddy feet wiped, clothes 
brushed, and carpets vacuumed more often than in dogless homes.  Occasional 
accidents do happen, and cleaning up after a sick dog--a large sick 
dog--demands fortitude.

If your cane breaks, you can buy a new one.  Ifv your guide dog dies, your 
heart can break.

There's no need to remember your cane at Christmas time.  Dogs want toys and 
treats.

After my last guide retired, I couldn't bear to get another dog for almost 
three years.  Then I got Alvin because I missed all of the work and the joy 
of having a guide dog.  He's my seventh.

I wear business suits and evening dress all the time, and don't feel sloppy. 
I don't wear silk and velvet anymore though, because nose prints show up on 
these.

To me, canes and dogs are both great mobility aids.  Deciding to use one or 
the other, or both as need dictates, is the kind of life choice one makes 
when deciding whether to marry or to have children.  The relationship is 
just as primary and the commitment just as big.  But your guide dog goes to 
work with you.  For me, that's been one of the biggest payoffs of my 
professional life.

Elizabeth