[nagdu] The incident that happened yo me and my first guide and hot dog are also dangerous for dogs

[Mardi Hadfield]

Hi every one, This happened to me and my first guide,Lily.I used to go to a
well known clinic in Tucson. One of the doctors there,refused to give me my
script for my seizure medicine. This was because I wanted an answer to
several questions and he refused to answer . I pressed him and and he
started to hand me the script and then pulled it back and refused to give it
to me. I left the clinic quite angry. I of course ran out of this medication
which caused me to have a seizure. I tried to make a complaint to the head
of the clinic, but was told to go away. While I was there in the office ,I
happened to drop my magnifying glass. I asked Lily to pick it up when one of
the secretaries  prevented Lily from picking it up. She did this by by
petting her and offering her food. Lily took the food. I told her to leave
it but she ate it any way. I gave her a leash correction as she knew this
was wrong. This was the same secretary that had told me to go away. She told
me I was cruel to my dog. I ignored her and asked Lily to pick up the
magnifying glass,when this person again interfered with my dog. She told me
that the dog could not pick it up as it was cruel to make my dog work. I
again asked lily to pick it up and this time the woman grabbed Lily's leash,
preventing the dog from doing what I had asked. I again left this Clinic
quite angry and yelled at this woman and called her a bitch, which was wrong
for me to do ,and I lived to regret it. When I was getting on the bus,I was
approached by a young man who told me that they had done the same thing to
him. (did not give him his seizure meds) I went home and decided to call my
insurance and change doctors.  Three weeks later,I had a visit from Animal
Control. I was arrested for supposedly beating my dog at this clinic,in
front of that same woman and the whole office of people. Needless to say, I
was schocked! First of all, I don't ever hit or beat my dogs and would have
never done it in front of an office full of people! This is when I realized
that what I said to this woman that day in the clinic was comming back to
haunt me. I had to go to court and plead my case. I had to hire a
lawyer,which I really could not afford,but I felt I had no choise.They were
asking jail time and would have taken Lily away from me if I were found
guilty. Lily and I went to see an animal behaviouralist and she had me wave
my hands and arms in front of Lily's face. Lily never even flinched. She
told me that she could tell that this dog had never been hit,as she she
would have have shied away when I waved my arms and hands in front of her
face. She said that she could see that Lily loved me by the way she the dog
looked at me and was so willing to work for me. Lily also picked up the
magnifying glass and keys and several other items. The animal behaviouralist
said she would testify in my behaf  in court and she did not even charge me
any thing.Several other people that knew me me also testifyied for me.  I
knew I was innocent but hoped that the judge would realize that I was. These
people from the clinic testifyied to some terrible things,all lies. They
said that I had pulled Lily's head so hard that it hit the side of my
wheelchair and they heard her tags hit and jingle. When all the people on my
side had finished  testifying,it was my turn. I waved my arms and hands in
front of Lily's face and again she did not flinch.I explained that when Lily
rubs her head on my knee, her tags jingle and this is how she shows
affection for me. I explained to the judge that I loved Lily and would never
hit or beat her,let alone do it in a public place.Just then ,as if on cue,
Lily rubbed her head on me and licked my hand. And her tags jingeled. The
Animal Control Officer had been so sure that I would be found guilty that he
had already taken out his leash to take Lily away from me. The Judge shook
her head and said ,"sorry,I don't see any animal abuse here.Case dismissed."
A week later I heard the clinic had gotten the grant money they needed to
expand the clinic. Then I realized why they had done this to me. They were
afraid of loosing their grant if It came out  how they were treating their
patients, denying medication that caused life threatining situations.I
decided that I needed to watch what I say in certain cercumstances and to
always have an avocate when I needed to complain about some thing. I am glad
I did not hire the first lawyer I went to as he told me that inocent people
get convicted all the time and he did not seem to think I would be found
inocent. The lawyer I did hire did a good job and he decided not to charge
me after the trial was over. There are some good people in this
world!....................   I have heard that hot dogs are dangerous for
dogs.  On occasion I gave a small amount of a hot dog to my dogs and they
are still healthy. I have heard this from several different sources so I no
longer give my dogs any hot dogs.   Have a great day, Mardi and
Nala,retired,Wanagi,gdit,and Tokala,gd at home and part time pet.