[FLAGDU] Didi Comes Home

Fri May 21 01:08:23 UTC 2021

Good news!!

-----Original Message-----
From: FLAGDU <flagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Debbie Malone via
FLAGDU
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2021 6:24 PM
To: Florida Association of Guide Dog Users <flagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Debbie Malone <dmalone510 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [FLAGDU] Didi Comes Home

YAHOO! Great job ASAP!

On Thu, May 20, 2021 at 4:51 PM Sherrill O'Brien via FLAGDU <
flagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hello to all,
>
>
>
> Below my signature, you'll find some great news!
>
>
>
> Sherrill
>
>
>
> Sherrill O'Brien, Secretary
>
> Florida Association of Guide Dog Users (FLAGDU)
>
> National Federation of the Blind of Florida
>
> Phone 813-935-0474, cell 813-767-1890
>
> Email sherrill.obrien at verizon.net
>
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> FROM: Advocates for Service animal Partners (ASAP)
>
> DATE: May 20, 2021
>
> TO: All Media
>
> CONTACT: Marion Gwizdala 386-272-7411
>
> RE: Stolen Guide Dog Returned
>
> SHERIFF'S OFFICE RETRIEVES STOLEN GUIDE DOG
>
> On Thursday, May 20, the Columbia County Sheriff's department notified 
> Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) that Didi, Rev. Susan 
> Blake's guide dog, had been retrieved and was in their custody. ASAP 
> immediately drove to Columbia County to pick up Didi.  Didi had been 
> sent to Columbia County by Southeastern Guide Dogs after the 
> organization forcibly removed the dog without warning, without cause, 
> and without authority. The court order known as a writ of replevin was 
> supported by the same transfer of ownership contract Southeastern 
> claimed gave it the right of unilateral repossession.
>
> "The contract indicates that Southeastern must obtain an injunction to 
> retake the dog," explains Marcy I. LaHart, Susan Blake's attorney. 
> "Once the issue of possession is fully resolved in Columbia County we 
> are considering further action against Southeastern Guide Dogs so the 
> organization does not unilaterally help itself to another disabled 
> person's service dog based upon some trivial perceived shortcoming."
>
> The saga began on March 4, 2021, when a representative of Southeastern 
> Guide Dogs, a Palmetto, Fla. nonprofit organization that trains guide 
> dogs for the blind, showed up unannounced at the home of Rev. Susan 
> Blake, a blind Episcopal priest for the Diocese of Orlando, and 
> removed Rev.  Blake's 9-1/2-year-old guide dog because the dog 
> allegedly appeared to be about four pounds overweight. Blake pleaded 
> for her beloved guide dog to be returned and Southeastern refused, 
> citing a contract that they claimed gave them the right to 
> unilaterally make such a radical decision. Southeastern gave Rev.
> Blake the chance to appeal their decision; however, the appeal was a 
> sham heard by the same group that made the original decision. Rev. 
> Blake was not allowed to speak in her own defense nor rebut the lies 
> Southeastern made concerning the health of Didi.
>
> Once the outcry from the public began to impact Southeastern, they 
> began changing their story and their web of lies began to crumble. 
> They asserted Rev. Blake had not had her dog to the veterinarian since 
> 2018 while Blake's records have her visiting the vet exactly one month
earlier on February 4.
> Southeastern claimed the dog had tumors on one of its eyes while 
> Blake's vet noticed "a small growth on its lower right eyelid". 
> Southeastern asserted the dog needed dental surgery to address "severe 
> gingivitis"; while Blakes vet stated, "The gums are pink, the teeth a 
> bit worn, and there is some tartar", all to be expected for a dog of 
> Didi's age. When confronted with facts that contradicted their 
> statements, Southeastern changed their story again, claiming Blake 
> "let Didi run free"; Blake admits Didi got out twice but she did not 
> ever intentionally let her dog roam. Still unable to justify their 
> immoral, unethical, and illegal behavior, Southeastern changed the 
> narrative once again, asserting Susan Blake voluntarily returned the dog.
>
> "The return of Didi is only the beginning of a process to hold 
> Southeastern Guide Dogs accountable and put the service animal 
> training industry on notice that they cannot treat their consumers with
such blatant disregard,"
> explains Marion Gwizdala, president of Advocates for Service Animal 
> Partners (ASAP), the Tampa-based advocacy and policy organization that 
> is supporting Rev. Blake.
>
> Gwizdala asserts these incidents are not uncommon. During his past 
> thirty-three years as a service animal advocate, he has heard this 
> story several times and has published other articles about these abuses.
> Convincing consumers to take on the multimillion dollar nonprofits 
> with so much community influence and respect is a daunting prospect. 
> Even when the abused are willing to come forward, finding an attorney 
> to take on the case was problematic.
>
> "For two months we just kept following the path that was unfolding 
> before us," explained Merry Schoch, a licensed clinical social worker 
> and ASAP's Vice President. "Susan finally came across Marcy LaHart and
here we are!"
>
> Gwizdala and Schoch were both involved in a similar case in which 
> another Southeastern Guide Dog consumer, Les Demers, had his dog 
> removed without warning and without cause on April 22, 2020. They did 
> not know Marcy at the time but they do now!
>
> "Their cruel, immoral, unethical, and illegal behavior stops here!" 
> asserts Gwizdala.
>
> Advocates for Service Animal Partners has created a special advocacy 
> fund to help others like Susan Blake and Les Demers, as well as anyone 
> in need of advocacy support because of their choice to use a service 
> animal. All funds are used specifically for advocacy efforts; none of 
> these funds are used to pay salaries. You can support this fund by 
> making a tax-deductible contribution by visiting the following links:
>
> http://www.facebook.com/asap411/
>
> https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=MEPNDCN89FDQ2
>
> If you have a concern or need help, contact Advocates for Service 
> Animal Partners (ASAP) at 386-272-7411 (386-ASAP411) OR
Advocacy411 at gmail.com.
>
> # # #
>
> About Advocates for Service animal Partners (ASAP)
>
>                 Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) is a 
> newly-organized network of service animal advocates across the United 
> States. Our goal is to encourage, educate, and support service animal 
> handlers through printed and electronic publications, informational 
> webinars, recorded educational materials, and direct advocacy support, 
> intervention, and mediation. In support of this mission, we also work 
> to educate employers, governmental entities, private companies, 
> housing accommodations, and the airline industry about the rights, 
> responsibilities, and limitations of access under state and federal 
> law.
>
> About Marcy I. LaHart P.A.
>
> Marcy LaHart Esq. is a solo practitioner focusing her practice 
> primarily on animal law and open government law. She represents 
> persons with disabilities in matters relating to emotional support 
> animals and service animals. She also advises pet owners, rescue 
> groups and other animal welfare organizations that have legal issues 
> regarding companion animals, including defending allegedly dangerous 
> dogs, pet custody disputes, and various animal related torts such as 
> veterinary malpractice. Ms. LaHart has also handled many public 
> records law and government in the sunshine cases.
>
>
>
>
>
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--
*Debbie Malone*
*InclusionEducation.com *
*Unlikely Dancer* available on Amazon at
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1945456477
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