[Ct-nfb] guide dogs

Elizabeth Rival erival at comcast.net
Thu Apr 30 14:08:51 UTC 2015


Hi, as you may or may not know your past president was and is an active dog
guide user. I realize that the bill below probably only appeals to dog guide
users but, please support our pups. I have had lots of trouble with service
dogs around town, at airports. I believe it very important to get the guide
dog wording out of this service dog bill. Please, please support our pups.
You are welcome to use my letter and change it for your own purpose by
writing a quick note to your local representative. Lucia at 860 289 1971 can
give you the e mail. Thanks  Dear Legislator,

 

I urge you to oppose Senate Bill 234 as written.  I own my 3rd guide dog
from the Seeing Eye school. I expect to pay for his physicals, food, and
health care. I also take responsibility for my 2 retired guide dogs at home.
I am 2ND Vice President of National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut,
and served as president for the last 6 years. The statewide organization of
blind consumers. We have learned about the detrimental effects that this
bill could have on the guide dog industry. While we appreciate that some
well-meaning people may have authored this language in order to help us, it
has serious potential to do a lot more harm than good. Since we are not
experts on other types of assistance dogs, we will not speak for the
consumers of other types of assistance dogs; also called service dogs, by
the same logic, we are the only ones that can speak for ourselves when it
comes to guide dogs.

SB 234 will shift the acquisition of guide dogs to being governed by a
medical model. Medical service providers will then be making decisions about
what types of rehabilitation services we need, which they are absolutely not
trained to do. Health insurance and medical personnel need to stay out of a
process that is the domain of education and rehabilitation professionals.

SB 234 requires that guide dogs come from an "accredited, non-profit
organization", but common standards do not yet exist. ADI, (Assistance Dogs
International), attempts to do this, but it falls short, especially in the
areas of consumer participation and consumer advocacy and rights.

SB 234 takes autonomy away from guide dog schools. By telling them that they
must affiliate with other schools, they lose their independence and the
freedom to innovate as they serve their consumers.

SB 234 will take us away from the philanthropic funding model, which is
already working quite well, and stack yet another cost onto health
insurance. The system isn't broken, and I don't want the Connecticut General
Assembly to try to fix it. The cost of obtaining a guide dog is not
obstructive whatsoever for blind people, and some guide dog schools only
suggest a donation. 

Right now, guide dogs are funded through charitable donations. No doctor is
required to say I need one, and no unit of government says where I must go
to get a dog. Please do not let SB 234 change that! Please vote against
Senate Bill 234 until the language about guide dogs has been removed!

I am eager to be of any assistance you need.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Rival 33 Parish Drive Kensington Ct. 860 828 8378 

erival at comcast.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

so much, Beth 

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