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

Sat Dec 26 17:19:23 UTC 2009

Albert,
    As for ponies and other animals, the new regulations that have been 
published by the DOJ to the Office of Budget & Management for approval would 
effectively limit the definition of a service animal to only dogs.

Fraternally yours,
Marion


----- 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 4:04 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort


> Well it is a place to grow from. I agree with you in that it leaves much
> room for improvement, and it does sort of pigeon whole things in a clear 
> cut
> fashion, when there is nothing clear cut about service animals. It also 
> only
> speaks of dogs, what of ponies, or other animals which would serve other
> purposes. Is not defining which animals serve a purpose and which needs 
> are
> best addressed by animals in addition to or as a replacement for 
> medication
> something which would  in some instances depend upon the individuals
> preference or desired results achieved by specific animals not always
> considered the norm when we look at service animals.  We need to start
> somewhere that is for sure.
>
> 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 3:26 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> 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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>>
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