[nagdu] The Requirement of a Harness

[Angie Matney]

Hi Marion,

I don't remember off-hand, but this information was in the message I posted
a while back that contained several airline policies on service animals. I'm
sure it's in the archives somewhere.

As I said in my other poast, I am not as familiar with the ACAA as I am with
the ADA. I would not be surprised to learn that the ACAA has a similar
provision, but I don't know where it is. You are correct that state laws
requiring a harness for access are unenforceable, but of course those laws
are not applicable in this situation. 

In any case, as we all know, airline employees often invent their own
version of service-animal law on the spot. While it is often possible to
argue with them and to convince them that we know what we are talking about,
a quick-release handle might prevent some of these situations from
developing. That was what I was trying to say. Even if a particular
airline's policy on harnesses is legally unenforceable, it might be nice to
have more ways to avoid their attempts to enforce it.

Angie

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Marion & Martin
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 8:09 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] The Requirement of a Harness

Angie,
    Do you know which airlines have such a policy? Although an airline may 
make such a policy, there is no such requirement in law. If I chose to 
travel with my dog out of harness using my white cane, the airline could not

deny me access. The harness does not make a service dog; its training does. 
Some service animals do not wear harnesses and their owners still have the 
right of access with their dogs
    Everyone needs to be aware that, even though the schools tell us 
otherwise, we are not required to have our dogs in harness in order to be 
afforded the right of access with them. There is nothing in the Federal law 
requiring a service animal be harnessed. In spite of the fact that some 
state laws require this, such laws are unenforceable.

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Angie Matney" <angie.matney at gmail.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 1:31 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Quick-release handles: was Air Charters and the extra seat


> Wayne,
>
> This kind of experience is one reason I hope The Seeing Eye will consider
> ways to provide us with quick-release handles. If we can simply remove the
> harness handle, it will easily fit in the space between a window seat and
> the inside wall of the plane. This will allow both the human and dog to
> enjoy more room while they fly, while reducing the chances that a flight
> attendant would seek to remove the harness from the dog's owner.
>
> Also, some airline policies state that the dog must remain in harness at 
> all
> times. If we had a quick-release handle, we could comply with such 
> policies
> while gaining a bit more leg/dog room.
>
> I don't know how you feel about quick-release handles, but if you agree 
> with
> me, I hope you will consider relating this experience to someone at Seeing
> Eye as a reason to consider quick-release handles.
>
> Angie
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Wayne Merritt
> Sent: Friday, August 28, 2009 11:15 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Air Charters and the extra seat
>
> I think he's referring to a part of airline history in the eighties
> where the airlines tried to take or in some cases took canes away from
> blind people, claiming that they were dangerous and could fly up and
> hit someone if something were to happen to the plane. Though I missed
> this part of airline history in my travels, I've still been asked a
> few times by flight attendants to give up my cane. I even explained to
> one persont that the cane was securely between my window seat and the
> inside wall of the plane; in other words, it wasn't going anywhere.
> I'm sad to say that I have been pushed into giving up my cane, with
> the flight attendant in question assuring me that she would put my
> cane in the closet at the front of the plane during the flight, but
> this has happened a very few times, thankfully.
>
> I did have one similar experience in my recent Florida travels, when
> they were trying to acccommodate my seating arrangement on one of
> those smaller express jets, where I had to give up my dog's harness. I
> chose not to make an issue of it since I was able to get a seat with
> potentially more room in the first class area, though we are still
> talking of those smaller jets. I was reminded of of the incidents of
> giving up canes though and wondered if giving up a harness was
> similar. Sadly, it does sound familiar to me. I was able to get the
> harness back when leaving the plane, but I still felt like something
> was violated by having to give up the harness. I tried to show the
> flight attendant that it was secure against the wall of the plane, but
> no dice. Thoughts?
>
> Hth,
> Wayne
>
>
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