[nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort

Cindy Ray cindyray at qwest.net
Fri Dec 25 20:40:35 UTC 2009


Steve, where did this come from, because it has both N.F.B and A.C.B. names 
incorrect. It is a little bit subtle, but both are organizations (of) blind 
people, not (for) blind people as Ameriican Foundation (for) the blind 
would be. In the past anyway, and maybe this isn't true now, the subtle 
difference was, nonetheless, pointed. It was interesting, some off the 
things it says dogs can be trained to do.

Cindy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Johnson" <stevencjohnson at centurytel.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 2:26 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort


Seizure alert, diabetic alert etc. do fall within the realm of service
providing animals, and too are specifically trained, or rather can be
specifically trained.

Plese read on.  Although I don't necessarily agree with the description for
dog guides, it is teh point I am trying to make.

Types of Service Dogs

GUIDE DOGS

Guide Dogs are trained to assist visually impaired handlers in navigating

their physical environment. In addition to the usual obedience commands,

    they respond when placed in a guide dog harness, to commands specific to

the sight-impaired user such as "left," "right," "slow down," and others.

Over a dozen schools across the country offer service dogs to the legally

blind. These schools are residential facilities, and virtually all of

them pay for all expenses connected with training, including plane fare,

dormitory housing, food, and so on. Typically, first-time students train

for four weeks; after that, experienced students stay for two to three

weeks, at the school's discretion. The dogs are rigorously trained and

selected. As skilled as these dogs are, they are not designed to replace

one's own mobility skills. Consequently, most schools require their

students to have completed a cane mobility program "on the outside" before

attending the school for training. For more information on Guide Dogs or

on schools in your area, contact your local chapter of the National

Federation for the Blind, or your state representative of the American

Council for the Blind.

HEARING DOGS

Hearing Dogs are trained to alert the hearing impaired handler to specific

sounds in the environment. For example, at the sound of a doorbell, a

Hearing Dog may run back and forth between the door and the disabled

handler, thus notifying the handler that someone is at the door. When

one's alarm clock rings, a Hearing Dog may paw its disabled handler and

wiggle around until the handler wakes up. Some sleeping handlers prefer a

gentler approach to waking up, such as a lick of the hand or face. In

response to other audible stimuli, a hearing dog may offer a nonspecific

alerting behavior such as putting a paw on the knee of the disabled handler,
or placing the paw on the handler's foot and gently pressing down.

MOBILITY ASSISTANCE DOGS

Mobility Assistance Dogs are trained to assist individuals with

impairments of mobility or movement. For those handlers who are

challenged in areas of dexterity or strength, a Mobility Dog may assist

with carrying objects, picking up dropped items, opening or closing doors,

turning lights off or on, retrieving items such as the telephone in cases

of emergency, helping the handler out of bed or with getting dressed,

assisting with transfers to and from a wheelchair, pulling a wheelchair,

or helping the person to conserve energy by towing them along while they
walk.

For handlers who have difficulties with balance, a Mobility Dog may assist

by stabilizing the handler while they rise from a seated position,

preventing falls by bracing against the handler, preventing falls by

bumping a handler's foot to a corrected position, or preventing falls by

circling around the handler to keep them from being bumped by others,

helping the handler recover when a fall does occur, and providing rhythm

and timing to the gait of a person whose movements are not completely in

their control.

Medical Alert Dogs are trained to notify their disabled handlers to a

change in physiologic status.

Diabetic Alert Dogs alert to a change in the

blood-glucose levels of their diabetic handler.

Migraine Alert Dogs alert

to an oncoming migraine headache in their susceptible handler.

Seizure Alert Dogs alert to oncoming seizures in their epileptic handler.

Asthma Alert Dogs alert to impending asthma attacks in their asthmatic
handler.

Psychiatric Alert Dogs alert to mood cycling in bipolar handlers, or

impending panic and anxiety attacks in handlers with these conditions. No

one knows for certain what cue a Medical Alert Dog is responding to when

the alerting behavior is displayed. Some speculate that the dog perceives

a change in the handler's scent or subtle behavioral clues.

The ability of a Medical Alert Dog to provide advance warning of a

physiologic event is critical to disability management. At times this

kind of intervention is even life-saving, such as when a Seizure Alert Dog

is able to clear the epileptic handler's airway during a seizure and then

go on to retrieve the telephone and dial 911 with his nose.

Psychiatric Service Dogs are trained to assist persons living with

psychiatric disabilities.

For persons living with Major Depression, a Psychiatric Service Dog may be

trained to: assist in waking the person each morning; bring medications to

the disabled handler; assist with household chores such as laundry; help

the person get out of the house and into public or social settings; be

trained to 'hug' or 'stay' with the disabled handler during acute

emotional crises.

For persons living with Bipolar Disorder, a Psychiatric Service Dog may

alert to impending mania. Akin to 'biofeedback' this advance warning

provides the handler with self-awareness, buys critical time so that she

may get herself to a safe place, contact her physician, make a medication

adjustment and/or utilize cognitive behavioral skills in an effort to

attenuate the magnitude and impact of a manic episode.

For persons living with Schizophrenia, a Psychiatric Service Dog may

assist the handler in differentiating between sounds that are real or

unreal, by observing the dog's reaction to the perceived stimuli. These

dogs may also help a handler who is feeling disoriented, by providing a

secure presence and, on command, taking the person home.

For persons living with Dissociative Identity Disorder, a Psychiatric

Service Dog may alert to dissociation, a 'personality' shift, or assist

the handler with feelings of disorientation or confusion.

For persons living with Panic Disorder or Anxiety Disorder, a Psychiatric

Service Dog may alert to oncoming attacks, as well as to stay with the

handler throughout the duration of the attack. The dog may be trained to

use her body to warm the handler, in case of a drop in body temperature

and chills that sometimes accompany such attacks.

For persons living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a

Psychiatric Service Dog may be trained to assist with hypervigilence and

differentiating real from unreal threats. Additionally, the dog may be

trained to provide emotional support to the handler who has just

experienced a trigger-stimulus. In cases of stimulus-induced

dissociation, the dog may be trained to bring the handler to a safer

place, or assist the handler with staying present.

?


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 1:48 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort


> While we mull over what constitutes  a service animal, lets determine to
> include companions for the emotional and mental health concerns, diabetic
> and seizure issues and any multitude   of reasons a medically prescribed
> animal would help one who needs one.
>
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> CEO/Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York  10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
>
>
> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Cindy Ray
> Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 2:35 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort
>
> The failure of a og to make it with a person has not much to do with the
> trainer, certified or not. As for service dogs, just what *does*
> constitute
> one really?
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 1:37 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort
>
>
> I would think then we need to qualify and quantify the verbiage  which is
> being considered for amendment because all to often trainers of guides are
> being denied access.  What would be a suitable wording which would 1.
> protect and ensure that trainers of service animals are included in the
> a.d.a., which as you  yourself presented, can be interpreted to prevent
> such
> access unless and until the service animal is being used by a person using
> the same for the intended purpose?  And what of our peers who use
> companions
> for a diagnosable  condition where a companion animal/service animal is
> needed? The manner of the wording at present does not seem to afford them
> the same protections, or do they?  I think that trainers should be held to
> a
> higher measure so people like many of those on this list who got bum dogs
> do
> not live through that pain again.  there is something to say for the
> consideration of certification  provided that a standard  of national
> proportions  could be meaningful.
>
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> CEO/Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York  10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
>
>
> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Steve Johnson
> Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 2:14 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort
>
> Hi Cindy,
>
> PWD = People or Persons with disabilities.
>
> I think that the points being made are very strong, and the certification
> issue does not broaden as Albert eluded to, but does indeed restrict the
> definition of who who could eventually access a place of public
> accommodation.
>
> So, if only a certified trainer, which the points are well-expressed on
> this, is allowed to access a place of public accommodation, then would'nt
> this essentially mean that unless an animal trained by a certified entity
> could only then access a place of public accommodation?
>
> There are a lot of frauds out there, and again we are speaking about
> places
> of public accommodation.  The fair housing amendments act already provides
> for any person to have an emotional support, or even companion animals in
> Federal assisted housing, and this can also move into private housing
> where
> emotional support animals can be granted access through a request for
> reasonable accommodation.  The underlying problem is that these are not
> highly trained animals that are specifically trained to provide a
> functional
> support/service for the individual whether it be through a professional
> entity or an individual who chooses to self-train.
>
> I have to disagree with Albert in that his comment that this would expand
> the coverage of access as it clearly discriminates against those who
> self-train and again, I will point out that this language is specifically
> stated in the ADA.
>
> Furthermore, if the word certification were deleted from this, then we are
> where we are at now, and is this a bad thing?
>
> While this proposed legislation specifically addresses service animals,
> the
> problem herein is that it creates this slippery slope that I mention in
> that
> there will be a push like you have never seen by other groups to expand
> and
> include emotional support, therapy, and companion animals.  Mark my word.
>
> Let's go back to the intent of the ADA, and you will further understand
> that
> this narrows, not expands as these other types of animals are not
> providing
> a service.  A support yes, a service no.
>
> Steve
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Cindy Ray" <cindyray at qwest.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 12:20 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort
>
>
>> What is PWD?
>>
>> And you make a good point. Who certifies? If the schools where the people
>> train certify them, then what about these independents, particularly
>> those
>> who train their own dogs. And, of course, NAC was a certification outfit
>> that certified places, but any of us who knows the history of NAC knows
>> what
>> certification meant for agencies and schools serving the bolind. So why
>> bother if you can't certify better than that? Suppose the Guide Dog
>> School
>> Association, whose official name I don't remember, certified trainers?
>> Would
>> they be willing to certify an independent, and would such a person be
>> willing to do that (be certified by such a certifying body?)
>>
>> CL
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "The Pawpower Pack" <pawpower4me at gmail.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 12:15 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort
>>
>>
>> and who certifies the trainers?
>>
>> There is no certifying body for dog trainers.  If I want to call
>> myself a dog trainer, I can.  There are outfits like CPDT who are
>> trying to certify pet dog trainers but it's all voluntary.  The guide
>> and service dogs, with the exception of California, may "certify"
>> their trainers but it's about as valuable as the paper it's printed on.
>>
>> California "certifies" it's trainers but frankly, I would hate to see
>> an outfit like the California guide dog board become the norm.
>>
>> I also think it's a step awy from certifying trainers to certifying PWD.
>>
>>
>> Rox and the Kitchen Bitches
>> Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
>> "Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won, you
>> earn it and win it in every generation."
>> -- Coretta Scott King
>> pawpower4me at gmail.com
>>
>> Windows Live Only: Brisomania at hotmail.com
>> AIM: Brissysgirl Yahoo: lillebriss
>>
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