[nagdu] Fw: Breaking News About DOJ Changes

[Ann Edie]

Hi, Craig, Angie, and All,

The question of "dogs and other domestic animals" and the species 
specifically excluded were most definitely open to public comment during the 
comment period, and many of us did offer our thoughts on these issues.  I 
think the DOJ just decided that it was too hard to decide which species were 
reasonable as service animals and which were not, so banning all but dogs, 
which have been around long enough to have gained general acceptance, was 
the path of least resistance.  (I don't know why they felt they had to limit 
the species that could be service animals, except for the health 
considerations, but evidently, that is how they saw their duty.  Some who 
were around at the time of the formulation of the ADA say that it was indeed 
the intent of Congress to leave the definition of service animal open as to 
species.)

Best,
Ann

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Craig Borne" <cjborne at comcast.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 10:18 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: Breaking News About DOJ Changes


> Angie,
>
> I believe you are remembering correctly; instead, I think the portions
> posted by the reporter are not what received comments during the summer. 
> It
> is significantly different than I (or you apparently) remembered.
>
> As for further comments, it is doubtful.  Once the rules have been sent to
> OMB, that is the last step in the rules approval process.  I am just
> surprised that the proposed rule went from "domestic animals" to "dogs"
> only.
>
> Craig
>
> Craig Borne
> Baltimore, Maryland
> "A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial
> appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in
> defense of custom."  --Thomas Paine, Common Sense
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Angie Matney
> Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 8:51 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: Breaking News About DOJ Changes
>
> Hi Sarah,
>
> The DOJ accepted comments this past summer. I don't think they've 
> finalized
> anything, so perhaps they will have another comment period. Also, these 
> regs
> concerned only the ADA and not the Fair Housing Act, as far as I know. It
> does seem
> they were a little too eager to exclude lots of animals. (But a cat is a
> "common domestic animal," so if my memory of the proposed regs is correct,
> they would be included. I freely admit it's possible that I'm
> misremembering.)
>
> Angie
>