[nagdu] The Response I received from PETA

Fri Jan 16 21:00:15 UTC 2009

Well, I found out their response is a generic one, since Marion received the 
same one.  It is too bad that they really believe that a dog that is working 
is an unhappy dog.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 1:37 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Response I received from PETA

> 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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>
>
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