[nagdu] The Response I received from PETA

Fri Jan 16 13:32:27 UTC 2009

I hear Kuwait provides a human servant to all its blind citizens.  I
wouldn't mind a driver, and have thought of hiring one, but I wouldn't
want a human hanging around all the time.  I certainly wouldn't want one
all the places I've taken my dog.  On a date?!!!  No thanks!  And I'd be
wary of showing up at a prospective employer with a human, too.  You know
how people tend to ignore the blind person, and talk to the sighted one? 
Do I need to slap that down while dealing with a job interview?  And how
about the human guide Morris Frank hired, who ditched Morris in the middle
of the street because he refused the guide a raise?  No thanks.  It would
be handy to have a sighted person at my beck and call for some things, but
other times it would be a pain in the ---.  I'll stick with my dog.
Tracy

> I have always thought that the organizations that now provide guide dogs
> to
> blind people could just as well provide us with a trained driver/sighted
> guide/reader for the same money--except that maybe it is harder to get
> donors to contribute by showing them pictures of blind people being
> chauffered by human drivers than it is by showing pictures of cute
> puppies.
> I, for one, would be happy to purchase the car for the human assistant to
> drive.  The program could screen, train, and certify the assistant, and
> pay
> that person's salary, or subsidize it at least.  I would even be happy to
> train the person myself, if the organization would subsidize the salary
> and
> benefits for the driver.
>
> This would make it possible for blind people to get good jobs, even if the
> position requires a lot of car travel and a lot of on-the-fly reading of
> inaccessible material, and it would also serve to provide employment for
> some people who are in need of steady employment.
>
> I think a well-run organization could probably recruit, train, and
> subsidize
> the salary and benefits for a driver/aide for a blind person within the
> $60,000 cost of producing one guide dog.
>
> And PETA would be happy, wouldn't they!  And we blind people could have
> pet
> animals, just like non-disabled people, to satisfy our need for animal
> companionship, leisure exercise, and the health benefits of relationships
> with animals.
>
> Just my imagination running wild on a very frigid winter's night!
>
> Best,
> ann
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "helene ryles" <dreamavdb at googlemail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 6:49 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Response I received from PETA
>
>
>> Wayne:
>>
>> I think they mean that we all need looking after if we don't have our
>> dogs to do it for us. Sigh.  I guess this is just another myth about
>> how blindness makes us incapable. I guess we still have a lot of work
>> to do.
>>
>> Helene.
>>
>> On 15/01/2009, wcmerritt at gmail.com <wcmerritt at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Out of curiosity, what exactly is a "human assistance program?" What
>>> humans are trained for what tasks? Does this mean that my everyday
>>> sighted guide needs to go through this program in order to guide me
>>> effectively? Hmm. And, how do these "human assistance programs" fit
>>> into PETA's jurrisdiction?
>>>
>>> Wayne
>>>
>>> On 1/15/09, Merry Schoch <merrys at verizon.net> wrote:
>>>> Here is the response I received PETA:
>>>>
>>>> Dear Ms. Schoch,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thank you for your e-mail. Please allow me to respond on behalf of Ms.
>>>> Nachminovitch. We appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts
>>>> with
>>>> us about Ms. Nachminovitch's comments on the Los Angeles Times
>>>> "Unleashed"
>>>> blog, and we apologize sincerely for any offense this interview may
>>>> have
>>>> caused.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> What we wished to communicate in this interview was that dogs, guide
>>>> dogs
>>>> or
>>>> not, are affectionate animals who crave contact, play, and love from
>>>> their
>>>> human families, and we encourage their guardians to give it to them
>>>> and
>>>> make
>>>> the best choices they can when considering bringing an animal into
>>>> their
>>>> home.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> It is our hope that guide dog guardians (as well as anyone who cares
>>>> for
>>>> a
>>>> dog) do provide only the best care, and make every effort to keep
>>>> their
>>>> dogs
>>>> even after their "retirement.' It is encouraging to hear that both of
>>>> your
>>>> dogs will have a home with you forever. We understand that it is
>>>> impossible
>>>> for some people to keep more than one animal, whether for assistance
>>>> purposes or not, due to rental companies' and landlords' arbitrary
>>>> (and
>>>> often discriminatory) policies. We often hear from people whose living
>>>> situations leave them unable to accommodate their beloved animal
>>>> companions,
>>>> and our hearts go out to them.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> To clarify, we do not campaign against using guide dogs, but we do
>>>> answer
>>>> honestly when asked our stance on them. We encourage alternatives to
>>>> using
>>>> animals, and feel that human assistance programs are more appropriate
>>>> than
>>>> trained animals for helping people who have disabilities. Please know
>>>> that
>>>> we hold no animosity toward people who opt to work with assistance
>>>> dogs.
>>>> We
>>>> know that most people who make this choice genuinely love their dogs
>>>> and
>>>> give them only the best care.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> As an animal rights group, however, we cannot remain silent when there
>>>> is
>>>> even the smallest chance for an animal to suffer-to do so would be a
>>>> betrayal of our members and a disservice to the animals we strive to
>>>> protect.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thank you again for your letter and for the opportunity to address
>>>> your
>>>> concerns. We appreciate your feedback.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Heidi Parker
>>>> Mail Coordinator
>>>> The PETA Foundation
>>>> http://www.PETA.org
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> From: Merry Schoch [mailto:merrys at verizon.net]
>>>> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 9:10 PM
>>>> To: Daphna Nachminovitch
>>>> Cc: nagdu-request at nfbnet.org
>>>> Subject: L.A. Times Blog Post - PETA
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Ms. Nachminovitch,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Your comments on the Los Angeles Times blog L.A. Unleashed is full of
>>>> myths
>>>> and misconceptions.  It is unfortunate that you have such views, and I
>>>> am
>>>> curious how such ideas have been created for you to promulgate such
>>>> myths.
>>>> I am hoping that individuals who read this blog do not buy into these
>>>> untruths.  I find you comments very offensive; however, ignorance and
>>>> lack
>>>> of experience of certain situations can cause one to promulgate such
>>>> atrocities.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I  have not only been a puppyraiser I am also a guide dog user.  My
>>>> first
>>>> guide is 12 years old, and he will be with me until he expires.  He
>>>> lives
>>>> with two other dogs, and when he was working he had many hours in the
>>>> day
>>>> in
>>>> which to play and relax.  One of his playmates belong to my husband,
>>>> and
>>>> she
>>>> is a guide dog as well.  She will be 12 years old in a few months and
>>>> will
>>>> also be with us until her life has ended.  Some individuals may not be
>>>> as
>>>> fortunate as us by being able to keep their retired dogs, but these
>>>> individuals do not need to be bashed when they are giving up a guide
>>>> that
>>>> they have loved for many years.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I invite you to visit guide dog users and guide dog schools from
>>>> across
>>>> this
>>>> nation.  We will meet in Detroit in July.  Please go to www.nfb.org
>>>> and
>>>> find
>>>> details regarding our national convention.  You will learn so much
>>>> about
>>>> guide dog schools, the dogs, and the users.  Most of all, you will
>>>> learn
>>>> the
>>>> immense capabilities of the blind regardless of the mobility tools
>>>> they
>>>> choose.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>
>>>> Merry Schoch
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> My blog:
>>> http://wayneism.blogspot.com
>>> My websites:
>>> www.wayneism.com
>>> www.whitecaneday.org
>>>
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>>
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