[nagdu] The Response I received from PETA

[lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com]

Merry,
What a crock from PETA!  Too bad they didn't believe in what they wrote you!

Maybe they need to read Peter Putnam's "Love In The Lead" the story of the 
Seeing Eye and what the problems blind people had that made them turn to 
dogs in the first place!  The book clearly tells of Morris Frank's problems 
with hiring sighted human help and how that doesn't work.

Many years ago, I knew this woman with Cerebral Palsy.  She had some kids 
and she - rightly or wrongly - used her kids as care attendants.  When the 
kids got mad at her, they would withhold needed help - including food and 
water - from her.  I did tell her that using her kids as assistants wasn't 
right for them.  They needed to be kids and she needed to get adult 
attendants.

Linda and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Merry Schoch" <merrys at verizon.net>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 12:29 PM
Subject: [nagdu] The Response I received from PETA


> 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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