[nagdu] Ann Edie - Day to day on NPR

Mon Jan 5 18:05:38 UTC 2009

Another problem is that some breeds of monkeys transmit diseases that can be fatal to humans.

Angie

On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:58:34 -0500, Marion & Martin wrote:

>Julie,
>    The issue is whether or not the animal complies with the definition of a 
>service animal. By this definition, the animal must be trained to perform a 
>task. An innate ability is not a task-trained behavior. In Florida, a man 
>carrying a snake into a Courthouse was denied access because the snake was 
>not a service animal, even though the man said it was able to detect a 
>seizure. the innate ability of the snake to detect a seizure is not 
>sufficient to qualify it as a service animal, as it was not trained to 
>perform any tasks to mitigate the person's disability.
>    Furthermore, it was decided that the mere presence of the snake created 
>a direct threat that could not be mitigated by a modification of policies, 
>practices, or procedures.
>    My understanding is that the specific issue with monkeys is that they 
>are wild animals. though they can be tamed, they still have wild tendencies 
>that cannot be controlled. It is also my understanding that there have been 
>a large number of incidents in which monkeys, acting as service animals, 
>have reacted adversely to environmental stimuli that has had negative 
>consequences, supporting the aforementioned issue. the DOJ is considering 
>banning wild and farm animals from their definition of service animals. 
>Though I believe that horses may be the exception, I do not believe that 
>some of the array of animals is appropriate as service animals. I am certain 
>there will be some legal challenges to whatever definition the DOJ releases 
>and we will need to let the courts vet out that issue with evidence from 
>both sides.

>Fraternally,
>Marion gwizdala

>----- 
>From: "JULIE PHILLIPSON" <jbrew48 at verizon.net>
>To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
><nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 5:33 PM
>Subject: Re: [nagdu] Ann Edie - Day to day on NPR

>Marion even though monkeys are reacting to a stimuli with their innate
>abilities what difference does it make as long as they are performing the
>service that the person benefits from every time the stimuli occurs.  Our
>dogs are trained based on their innate abilities too.

>Julie Phillipson
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Marion & Martin" <swampfox1833 at verizon.net>
>To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
><nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 7:58 AM
>Subject: Re: [nagdu] Ann Edie - Day to day on NPR

>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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