[nagdu] O&M, Ownership, & Leader

[Marion & Martin]

Jenine,
    I believe that part of what NAGDU does is better inform graduates. 
Unfortunately, many schools don't want graduates to be better informed 
because a better informed consumer is a threat to the more custodial 
programs. IMHO, "the more custodial programs" are those who do not transfer 
ownership upon graduation. the longer one needs to wait for ownership, the 
more custodial the program. Furthermore, the more strings attached, i.e., 
medical reports, the more custodial the program. Those programs that 
transfer ownership seem to view their blind graduates as adults with the 
capacity to manage their own affairs, including the care of their animals. 
If a blind person cannot even care for an animal, how can we care for our 
children? Again, JMHO!

Fraternally,
Marion Gwizdala


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] O&M, Ownership, & Leader


> Marion,
>
> I'd assert that even when graduates have ownership, such as most GDF grads
> do, people are far too hesitant to contact the school about problems. Some
> are embarrassed. Some truly do think we can still take the dog away, even
> though we explain what factors would cause this to happen and how rare it
> is.
>
> Might we suggest retirement? Certainly, but we can't force the issue 
> unless
> some extremely serious things have already happened.
>
> I'm not sure I completely understand the behavior of not wanting to call 
> the
> school for fear of having a dog taken away when people do legally own the
> dog, but it happens. I've sadly had to talk to people who waited way, way
> too late to call and then the issues were far beyond fixing and the dogs 
> had
> to be retired. When asked why they didn't call sooner, many of these 
> people
> said they were afraid we'd take the dog away. Well, because we weren't 
> able
> to offer any help, in any form, the dog had to be retired, so, person 
> calls
> school, dog has to retire, calling school is bad? Stranger things have 
> been
> proposed.
>
>
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