[nagdu] Ann Edie - Day to day on NPR

[Marion & Martin]

Dear All,
    I think this is an issue we all need to be aware of and well-educated 
on. Though I am supportive of ann's right to use Panda, the other "service 
animals" mentioned in this article are not currently protected by the 
Americans with disabilities Act. The crucial part of the ADA's definition of 
a service animal is one that is "individually trained". The parrot and the 
monkey, though they may have an effect on the individual, have not been 
trained to perform that function; rather, what they do is an innate ability. 
It is a function of their presence, not a task for which they have been 
trained. I would like to hear other's comments.

Fraternally,
Marion


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ginger Kutsch" <gingerkutsch at yahoo.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 02, 2009 10:41 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Ann Edie - Day to day on NPR


Helper Parrots, Guide Horses Face Legal Challenges
NPR Listen Now [7 min 20 sec] add to playlist
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98958273

Photos:
Jim Eggers carries his parrot Sadie around with him in this cage converted 
into a backpack.

Richard, a bonnet macaque monkey, helps Debby Rose get through the day 
without debilitating panic attacks. Read more about him on our blog.

Ann Edie, who is blind, relies on Panda to guide her through her daily 
activities

Day to Day, January 2, 2009 · Chances are you've seen a blind person 
accompanied by a guide dog. But what about a guide horse, a service parrot 
or a monkey trained to help an agoraphobic?

These are just a few of the nontraditional service animals that are used 
across the country to help people with disabilities and psychological 
disorders. As their uses are expanding, however, the government is 
considering a proposal that would limit the definition of "service animal" 
to "a dog or other common domestic animal."

In an article in the upcoming New York Times Magazine, Rebecca Skloot 
outlines why many people are upset about the pending law. Sometimes less 
familiar animals make better helpers, she tells Alex Cohen.

Miniature horses, for example, live much longer than dogs, which means that 
their owners don't have to readjust to a new guide as often.

"Horses tend to live and work into their 30s, whereas a guide dog will work 
six to eight years total," she explains.

And while guide horses may prompt more questions when entering a store or 
restaurant than guide dogs, their strengths can make it worth it, she 
explains. In addition to having amazing vision, they instinctually work in 
synchronicity with their owner.

"They are herd animals, so they naturally work really well with other 
people," she says, adding that "they are aware of their surroundings in a 
way dogs aren't because they are prey animals as opposed to predators."

Skloot spent many hours observing how a miniature horse named Panda helped a 
blind woman named Ann Edie. Even after all her preparatory research, Skloot 
was blown away.

"I could sort of envision how a horse could guide a person. But the level at 
which Panda guides her is amazing. In just a few blocks, I saw her maneuver 
around things that I, as a person that's sighted, wouldn't have thought of."

As Panda walks, her hooves make a distinctive sound on the ground, sort of 
like a person walking in clogs. The pitch changes on wood, leaves, cement 
and metal, offering important clues for Edie about her surroundings. Panda 
can also use her hooves to tell Edie to step up or touch the crosswalk 
button - something a dog couldn't do.

"This is a perk we didn't expect," Skloot says that Panda's trainer told 
her.

A Calming Parrot

The surprises don't end with horses. Jim Eggers, who suffers from bipolar 
disorder, accidentally discovered that his parrot can help him calm down and 
avoid destructive behavior.

Sensing that her owner is on the verge of a psychotic episode, Sadie talks 
him down with, "It's OK, Jim. Calm down, Jim. You're all right, Jim. I'm 
here, Jim."

He carries her around at all times in a backpack carefully fitted to hold 
her cage. It's not an arrangement that people are accustomed to and people 
are often skeptical.

"The reaction from a lot of business owners and the general public is often 
one of suspicion, that you're making it up," Skloot says.

Eggers has been told, for example, that his parrot isn't allowed on the bus 
with him.

This is why the "service animal" definition is crucial to people such as 
Eggers and Edie. According to the American with Disabilities Act, service 
animals are allowed to go anywhere with their owners. Confusion stemming 
from the current law prompted a move for a more careful definition. But the 
proposed change would exclude birds and horses, among other animals not 
technically considered "common."

This means people like Eggers and Edie will risk breaking the law if they 
keep their helpers.

Your can read more about the proposed legislation in Skloot's article in The 
New York Times Magazine and see additional photos on her blog.

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