[il-talk] Service Animals in Airport Ordinance

Tue Mar 13 20:31:04 UTC 2018

Sincerely
Robert A. Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
Robert A. Hansen

On Mar 13, 2018 1:03 PM, "Robert Hansen" <hansen.robert70 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I just made my phone call. The lady that answered said I'll make a note
> that you're from the national Federation of the blind. So she's definitely
> getting an earful from us. I say keep it going and we're going to have the
> interview on The Mighty wizard this Thursday at 9:30 a m. So tune in at
> 88.3 FM and you can also find it on TuneIn and online at the website.
> Spread the word far and wide. Once again 9:30 a.m. March 15th 2018 wzrd
> radio 88.3 FM and the president of the National Association of guide dog
> users will be interviewed. I can't take phone calls during the interview
> but if anybody wants to express anything before or after the segment you
> can call the station and express your dislike of this proposed ordinance.
> The call-in number is 773-442-4516 thank you very much.
>
> Sincerely
> Robert A. Hansen
> hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
> Robert A. Hansen
>
> On Mar 13, 2018 12:39 PM, "Michael Nowicki via IL-Talk" <
> il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
>> Hi Everyone,
>>
>> Alderman Burke's office gave me essentially the same response Debbie
>> received. In addition, I was advised that Alderman's Burke's office never
>> received so many calls on one issue from the same organization, and that we
>> should have designated a single representative to request a meeting. In
>> response, I emphasized that this is a very important issue for the blind
>> community, and I was then told that the Office is noting all the calls.
>>
>> Despite making two attempts, I was not able to reach Alderman Zalewski's
>> staff. I will try again tomorrow afternoon.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Michal
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Wayne And Harley
>> D via IL-Talk
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 9:07 AM
>> To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Wayne And Harley D <k9dad at k9di.org>
>> Subject: Re: [il-talk] Service Animals in Airport Ordinance
>>
>>      Ms. Chang,I asked the question so as to clear up the muddle in my
>> own head. Thanks for clearing that up.When I call, I shall of course
>> mention my membership in the Chicago Chapter as well as my NAGDU membership.
>> Have a blessed day.
>>
>> Wayne And Harley D
>> k9dad at k9di.org
>>
>> -------- Original message --------From: Mary Garber via IL-Talk <
>> il-talk at nfbnet.org> Date: 3/13/18  07:52  (GMT-06:00) To: NFB of
>> Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org> Cc: Mary Garber <
>> megarber at wowway.com> Subject: Re: [il-talk] Service Animals in Airport
>> Ordinance Perfect...thank you!
>>
>> Mary
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>
>> From: "Patti Chang via IL-Talk" <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> To: "NFB of Illinois Mailing List" <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: "Patti Chang" <pattischang at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 7:46:25 AM
>> Subject: Re: [il-talk] Service Animals in Airport Ordinance
>>
>> Actually, that is clear. The ADA covers the airport while the ACAA covers
>> the flight. So to fly at one time or another, they both apply. Wayne, right
>> now please keep it simple. We are seeking a meeting with Alderman Burke
>> and/or Alderman Zalewski to discuss the issues. We will send our experts
>> both legal and with regard to guide dogs. No one who calls should be
>> getting into those kinds of issues. It will simply create muddy water
>> around what we want.
>>
>> Thanks for calling and asking for a meeting. Please say you are from the
>> National Federation of the Blind.
>>
>>
>>
>> Patti Chang Esq.
>> Treasurer
>> National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
>> (773) 307-6440
>> www.nfbofillinois.org
>>
>> Find us on twitter: “NFBI”
>> Search for “National Federation of the Blind of Illinois” on facebook.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Wayne And
>> Harley D via IL-Talk
>> Sent: Monday, March 12, 2018 7:40 PM
>> To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Wayne And Harley D <k9dad at k9di.org>
>> Subject: Re: [il-talk] Service Animals in Airport Ordinance
>>
>> The pertinent question is, which law pertains, the ADA, or the ACAA?Food
>> for thought..
>> Wayne And Harley D
>> k9dad at k9di.org
>>
>> -------- Original message --------From: Leslie Hamric via IL-Talk <
>> il-talk at nfbnet.org> Date: 3/12/18 15:08 (GMT-06:00) To: NFB of Illinois
>> Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org> Cc: Leslie Hamric <
>> lhamric930 at comcast.net> Subject: Re: [il-talk] Service Animals in
>> Airport Ordinance sounds like this ordinance in violation of the ADALh
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> > On Mar 12, 2018, at 1:17 PM, Marion Gwizdala via IL-Talk <
>> il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> >
>> > Dear All,
>> >
>> > I am sending this message on behalf of Pam Provost. It contains
>> information for contacting the appropriate aldermen with influence on this
>> ordinance, as well as the text of the ordinance itself. I spoke with
>> President Hastilis who advised me he had already sent out another draft of
>> this information. Please note that this version has only one contact number
>> for Alderman Burke, as I was told it is the better number to call than the
>> 773 one listed in addition to it. I look forward to working with our
>> Illinois affiliate to amend this ordinance and protect the rights of guide
>> dog users and others who use service animals.
>> >
>> > Fraternally yours,
>> > Marion Gwizdala
>> >
>> > From: Pam Provost [mailto:pambraille at gmail.com]
>> >
>> > CALL TO ACTION!
>> >
>> > At Saturday’s Chicago Chapter meeting, we discussed the “Animals in
>> Airport Ordinance” being introduced by Alderman Ed Burke of the 14th Ward.
>> This ordinance would affect all blind persons traveling with guide dogs
>> passing through Chicago’s O'Hare and Midway Airports.
>> >
>> > We are seeking a meeting with Alderman Ed Burke and/or Michael Zalewski
>> to discuss this ordinance.
>> >
>> > We are asking all members to contact the offices of these Aldermen to
>> request a face-to-face meeting with our leadership to discuss the “Animals
>> in Airport Ordinance”. Please make these calls by Thursday March 15.
>> >
>> > When making these calls, please remember to state you are from the
>> National Federation of the Blind. Please be polite, persistent, and say
>> "Thank you!" at the end of your call. If the person with whom you speak
>> asks for a contact person, please Provide the following information:
>> >
>> > Steve Hastalis, President
>> > National Federation of the Blind Chicago Chapter
>> > 773-848-5307
>> >
>> > Here are the contact numbers for the Aldermen:
>> >
>> > Alderman Michael R. Zalewski
>> > Aviation Committee Chairman
>> > 312-744-6828
>> >
>> > Alderman Ed Burke
>> > 312-744-3380
>> >
>> > Thanks for your help getting this done! So that you are better
>> informed, here is the text of the ordinance being proposed by Alderman
>> Burke.
>> >
>> > ORDINANCE
>> > WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is a home rule unit of government
>> > pursuant to the 1970 Illinois Constitution, Article VII, Section 6(a);
>> > and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, pursuant to its home rule power, the City of Chicago may
>> > exercise any power and perform any function relating to its government
>> > and affairs including the power to regulate for the protection of the
>> > public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, Chicago’s Midway and O’Hare airports are a primary asset to
>> > the City of Chicago and make it an important component of the nation’s
>> > transportation system; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, Chicago’s airports transport millions of passengers annually,
>> > making safety and security within them a top priority for residents
>> > and visitors; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, consumer protection and customer satisfaction at both
>> > airports are central to the City’s administration of aviation
>> > services; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, supporting the use of animals to facilitate travel has
>> > increasingly been an aspect of these services; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, recently there has been an increase in passengers flying with
>> > “emotional support animals” who provide owners comfort, security, and
>> > love when suffering from a mental or emotional disability; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), airlines are
>> > required to allow trained service animals and emotional support
>> > animals to accompany their handlers in the cabin of the aircraft; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, the ACAA allows free travel for “any animal” that is trained
>> > to assist a person with a disability or that provides emotional
>> > support; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, broad regulation interpretation is cited as a reason for an
>> > increase in people forging documents in an attempt to bring animals
>> > into the cabin free of charge and without a proper kennel or carrier,
>> > with dubious claims that their pet is an emotional support animal; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, the Investigative Unit of NBC News reported multiple accounts
>> > of people who openly admit to lying about their dogs being service and
>> > support dogs in order to take them into restaurants, markets, and
>> > airplanes; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, U.S. Department of Transportation reports on
>> > disability-related complaints show that those involving service
>> > animals quadrupled from 2012 to 2016, when more than 2,300 complaints
>> > were filed; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, additionally, there has been an increase in injuries in
>> > keeping with the increase in emotional support animals traveling with
>> > their handlers; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, in June 2017, a passenger was bitten by a dog aboard a Delta
>> > Airlines flight to San Diego; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, in February 2018, a six-year old girl was bitten by a dog
>> > aboard a Southwest Airlines flight to Phoenix; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, because of these occurrences, airlines are beginning to
>> > impose stricter regulations to keep passengers safe, requiring more
>> > documentation to prove the vaccination and training of service and
>> > support animals; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, Delta Airlines, for example, will implement tougher
>> > regulations for service and support animals after passengers have
>> > attempted to fly with turkeys, gliding possums, snakes, spiders and
>> > more under the pretense of being a service or support animal; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, Delta Airlines has reported an eighty-four percent (84%)
>> > increase in animal incidents since 2016 including urination and
>> > defecation, biting, and a widely reported attack upon a passenger by a
>> > 50-pound dog; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, Delta Airlines also stated that it flew 250,000 emotional
>> > support animals in 2017, an increase of one-hundred and fifty percent
>> > (150%) from 2015; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, in 2017, Delta Airlines employees reported increased acts of
>> > aggression such as barking, growling, lunging and biting, all
>> > behaviors not typically seen in animals that are properly trained to
>> > serve as service and support animals; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, United Airlines reported a seventy-five percent (75%)
>> > increase in emotional support animals from 2016 to 2017, causing a
>> > “significant increase in onboard incidents;” and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, in an extreme case, in late January 2018, a woman tried to
>> > bring her claimed support peacock on a United flight in the Newark
>> > Airport in New Jersey; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, misrepresentation of pets as emotional support animals is a
>> > growing problem for flight attendants, frequent fliers, passengers on
>> > the plane and in the airport, as well as people with disabilities or
>> > conditions who have legitimately trained service animals; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, aggressive animals in close confinement in an airplane put
>> > airport and airline consumers and employees at greater risk of injury
>> > and decrease the level of comfort and customer satisfaction; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, untrained animals may display aggressive behaviors that a
>> > trained animal would not fight back against or engage with, therefore
>> > putting other people with disabilities and their service and support
>> > animals at risk as well; and
>> >
>> > WHEREAS, ensuring that animals in airports are accompanied by proper
>> > documentation and handling relative to their category and purpose
>> serves to ensure the health and safety of all who avail themselves of our
>> airports; now, therefore, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
>> CHICAGO:
>> >
>> > SECTION 1. Chapter 10-36-359 of the Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby
>> amended by inserting Section 10-36-359 as follows:
>> >
>> > 10-36-359 Animal Requirements.
>> >
>> > (a) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms will
>> have the following meanings:
>> >
>> > “Commissioner” means the commissioner of the Chicago Department of
>> Aviation.
>> >
>> > “Emotional support animal and trained service animal” shall have the
>> > same meaning as ascribed in the Air Carriers Access Act (ACAA) and 14
>> CFR Part 382.117.
>> >
>> > (b) Requirements. No person shall bring or lead any animal into an
>> airport except as follows:
>> >
>> > (1) Trained service animals. Trained service animals are allowed if
>> they are with a ticketed airline passenger who is a qualified individual
>> with a disability within the meaning of the U.S. Department of
>> Transportation Rules (Part 382) and who provides to the Chicago department
>> of aviation in a form and manner provided by its commissioner: 1) the
>> animal’s veterinary health form or 2) an immunization record or other proof
>> of vaccination that is current within one year of the travel date.
>> >
>> > (2) Emotional support animals. Emotional support animals, including
>> psychiatric and therapeutic support animals, are allowed if they are with a
>> ticketed airline passenger who is a qualified individual with a disability
>> within the meaning of the U.S. Department of Transportation Rules (Part
>> 382) and who provides to the Chicago department of aviation in a form and
>> manner provided by its commissioner: 1) documentation from a licensed
>> medical or mental health professional stating the passenger needs the
>> emotional support animal as an accommodation for air travel or for activity
>> at the passenger’s destination; 2) an immunization record or other proof of
>> vaccination that is current within one year of the travel date; 3) the
>> passenger’s name; 4) animal type or animal breed; and 5) a signed statement
>> confirming the animal has been trained to behave in a public setting and
>> takes direction upon command.
>> >
>> > (i) This documentation must be sent to the person designated by the
>> commissioner. The forms are valid for one year and must be submitted at
>> least 48 hours prior to airport travel.
>> >
>> > (ii) Notification to the department of aviation shall be given in a
>> form and manner provided by the commissioner of the department of aviation.
>> >
>> > (3) Law enforcement animals. Restrictions shall not apply to trained
>> and in-training animals utilized by a law enforcement agency and assigned
>> to a sworn peace officer as part of a canine team or unit.
>> >
>> > (4) All other animals shall be allowed only in areas designated for
>> flight check in, transport, baggage and cargo claim, and any other such
>> area that the commissioner identifies as necessary. These animals must be
>> kept in their appropriate kennels or carriers while in the airport unless
>> in a designated relief area where they shall be kept in a manner provided
>> for by the commissioner.
>> >
>> > (c) Violation – Penalty. Any person who shall violate any of the
>> provisions of this section shall be subject to removal from the airport and
>> shall be fined $250.
>> >
>> > (d) Rules and Regulations. The commissioner shall have the authority to
>> promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the requirements of
>> this section. Such rules shall include provisions identifying required
>> access areas, proper documentation, and notification procedures.
>> >
>> > SECTION 2. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect within
>> > ninety (90) days of passage and approval.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > ________________________
>> > Edward M. Burke
>> > Alderman, 14th Ward
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>>
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>