[Flagdu] FW: New Jersey Residents Petition Lawmakers to KeepSeeing Eye Dogs Safe from Attacks

Tue Feb 15 09:42:47 UTC 2011

Dear All,
    FYI, pasted below is the text of 413.081 f.s., Florida's Service Animal 
Protection Act. Attached to this mesage is the entire text of 413.08 & 
413.081. It is really a good idea to at least have an understanding of what 
the law says and how it protects service animal users. If nothing else, the 
statute numbers should be committed to memory for those incidents in which 
an uninformed law enforcement officer contends there are no such criminal 
statutes for them to enforce.

fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala

413.081  Interference with or injury to a service animal; penalties; 
restitution.--

(1)  A person who, with reckless disregard, interferes with, or permits a 
dog that he or she owns or is in the immediate control of to interfere with 
the use of a service animal by obstructing, intimidating, or otherwise 
jeopardizing the safety of the service animal or its user commits a 
misdemeanor of the second degree for the first offense and a misdemeanor of 
the first degree for each subsequent offense, punishable as provided in s. 
775.082 or s. 775.083.

(2)  A person who, with reckless disregard, injures or kills, or permits a 
dog that he or she owns or is in the immediate control of to injure or kill, 
a service animal commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as 
provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(3)  A person who intentionally injures or kills, or permits a dog that he 
or she owns or is in the immediate control of to injure or kill, a service 
animal commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 
775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(4)(a)  A person who is convicted of a violation of this section, in 
addition to any other penalty, must make full restitution for all damages 
that arise out of or are related to the offense, including incidental and 
consequential damages incurred by the service animal's user.

(b)  Restitution includes the value of the service animal; replacement and 
training or retraining expenses for the service animal and the user; 
veterinary and other medical and boarding expenses for the service animal; 
medical expenses for the user; and lost wages or income incurred by the user 
during any period that the user is without the services of the service 
animal.

History.--s. 2, ch. 2002-176; s. 2, ch. 2005-63.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Patricia A. Lipovsky" <plipovsky at cfl.rr.com>
To: "Florida Association of Guide Dog Users" <flagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011 3:29 PM
Subject: Re: [Flagdu] FW: New Jersey Residents Petition Lawmakers to 
KeepSeeing Eye Dogs Safe from Attacks

> Cheryl, do you know if we have something like this in the state of 
> Florida?
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Sherrill O'Brien" <sherrill.obrien at verizon.net>
> To: "Nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>; "FLAGDU List" <flagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011 11:41 AM
> Subject: [Flagdu] FW: New Jersey Residents Petition Lawmakers to Keep 
> Seeing Eye Dogs Safe from Attacks
>
>
>> Happy Valentine's Day to all, and your pooches, of course!
>>
>> I thought I should pass along this Seeing Eye press release...nothing to 
>> do
>> with Cupid, but it's certainly positive news.
>>
>> Sherrill
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: The Seeing Eye, Inc. [mailto:noreply_seeingeye.org at bmsend.com]On
>> Behalf Of The Seeing Eye, Inc.
>> Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011 11:09 AM
>> To: Sherrill O'Brien
>> Subject: New Jersey Residents Petition Lawmakers to Keep Seeing Eye Dogs
>> Safe from Attacks
>>
>>
>>
>> To view as a Webpage, click here:
>> http://visitor.benchmarkemail.com/c/v?e=AB70C&c=FBD7&email=hOKGJncbX50ZVsXrs
>> Gnq9xQxjf5bV%2BkiCLvbKur5l%2Bw%3D&relid=C6EC15A
>> The Seeing Eye, Inc.
>>
>>  For Immediate Release
>>
>> The Seeing Eye, Inc.
>>
>> [1]
>>
>> February 14, 2011
>>
>>  New Jersey Residents Petition Lawmakers to Keep Seeing Eye Dogs Safe 
>> from
>> Attacks
>>
>>  MORRISTOWN, N.J.   Representatives from The Seeing Eye, including puppy
>> raising families with Seeing Eye  puppies, President & CEO Jim Kutsch, 
>> his
>> wife Ginger, and their Seeing Eye dogs Colby and Pixie, will assemble at 
>> the
>> Statehouse February 17. They will deliver hundreds of petition signatures 
>> to
>> lawmakers which call for New Jersey to adopt Assembly Bill 832 and 
>> Dusty's
>> Law , Assembly Bill 3226. Both bills provide service dogs with protection
>> against attacks and interference by either people or other dogs.
>>
>> The petitions were drafted in response to a growing concern for the 
>> safety
>> of New Jersey's guide dog teams and a horrific incident last summer when
>> Dusty, a Seeing Eye puppy in training, was viciously attacked by another
>> dog. Dusty sustained severe injuries requiring 98 stitches and the 
>> removal
>> of four teeth which were crushed during the attack.
>>
>> "Seeing Eye dogs are especially vulnerable to injury during an attack
>> because they ve been bred and trained to be non-aggressive.  Further, 
>> they
>> are unlikely to leave their masters  sides, even to save themselves," 
>> said
>> Seeing Eye President & CEO Jim Kutsch. "We are deeply grateful to the
>> bipartisan team of state senators and assemblymen sponsoring these bills 
>> for
>> recognizing the need to provide greater protection for service animals."
>>
>> A832, introduced by Assemblyman Nelson T. Albano (D - Cape May), and its
>> companion bill, S1154 initiated by Senator Jeff Van Drew (D - Cape May),
>> establish new crimes against people who intentionally harm or interfere 
>> with
>> a service animal. Dusty's Law, A3226, sponsored by Assemblyman Robert
>> Schroeder (R - Bergen) and Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R -
>> Union/Somerset/Morris/Essex), establishes mandatory fines for pet owners
>> whose dogs attack, injure, or otherwise interfere with a service animal.
>>
>> New Jersey is one of the few states that do not yet provide criminal
>> sanctions for attacks and interference against service animals. For more
>> information about how you can help protect guide dog teams, please visit 
>> The
>> Seeing Eye's Web site at [2] www.SeeingEye.org/protector email [3]
>> advocacy at seeingeye.org.
>>
>> Established in 1929, The Seeing Eye provides specially bred and trained 
>> dogs
>> to guide people who are blind. Seeing Eye  dog users experience greatly
>> enhanced mobility and independence, allowing them to retain their active
>> lifestyles despite blindness. The Seeing Eye is a philanthropy supported 
>> by
>> contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, bequests, 
>> and
>> other planned gifts.
>>
>> The Seeing Eye is a trademarked name and can only be used to describe the
>> dogs bred and trained at the school s facilities in Morristown, N.J. If 
>> you
>> would like more information on The Seeing Eye, please visit the website 
>> at
>> [4] www.SeeingEye.org, call (973) 539-4425, or email [5] 
>> info at seeingeye.org.
>>
>> ###
>>
>>  [6] www.SeeingEye.org
>>
>>
>> References:
>>
>> 1. mailto:mbarlak at seeingeye.org
>> 2. http://www.SeeingEye.org/protect
>> 3. mailto:advocacy at seeingeye.org
>> 4. http://www.SeeingEye.org
>> 5. mailto:info at seeingeye.org
>> 6. http://www.seeingeye.org/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> This message was sent to sherrill.obrien at verizon.net by
>> noreply at seeingeye.org
>>
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>
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