[nagdu] The Response I received from PETA

Tue Jan 27 00:11:32 UTC 2009

Rebecca,
I don't know how the lady in the wheelchair raised the kids and how she did 
it before she had them be her PCAs.  I didn't know her then.

Linda and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (IT)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at ngc.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 7:09 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Response I received from PETA

> Um, how did she care for her kids before they were able to wait on her?
> Kids don't start out being helpful, they are surprisingly primitive.
> I do agree, using them to wait on her was inappropriate.
> The reason in my mind why Moris Frank isn't a good example in PETA's
> argument is that he did not use a cane, and could not use one, at least
> not the way we think of it.
> An interesting case where human personal assistance *does* work is
> Stephen Hawking.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com
> Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 1:38 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> 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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