[nagdu] Flying cats and other creatures

Wed Jan 28 16:04:03 UTC 2009

Hello,
I can't help but to be reminded of my first time purchasing a flight with my guide dog (not through the school).  I had ordered the tickets online and asked to talk to someone who was in charge of accessible issues, where I had to continue and explain someone that works with the disabled before they actually knew who to transfer me to.  I had to be very specific since I was traveling in a small commuter plane with two seats available for bulkhead that were already taken I had to make some kind of arrangement for me to sit there with my dog since Dante isn't collapsible as his fellow guide dogs, so bulkhead was a must.  During the conversation she asked if he was a REAL service DOG and what breed he was.  I said yeah he's a black lab.  She started asking more questions about what his behavior would be during the flight and if he had flown before.  I couldn't take the suspense, so I asked if they had dealt with service animals before and said I would be willing to help educate the airline.  After she finished giggling and apologizing she explained to me that a woman had boarded the plane and told everyone that a potbelly pig was her service animal (I know they are and can be) and she needed it on board with her.  They let her come on and everything was fine until the plane took off, the pig got up run up and down the isle and started pooping everywhere, then went to first class and ate someone's food then urinated in first class.  She said that the women didn't stop the pig or anything but just sat in her chair while the stewards had to try and catch it.  It resulted in 2 asthma attacks, 1 panic attack, and 3 allergy attacks, and with those 2 trips to the ER.  Needless to say I insured her that Dante would be just fine on the floor and would not be "doing his business" around the plane. 
I feel like I agree with both parts of the argument.  On one hand I know a lot of allergic people and have had to leave my dog home because of their allergies.  If they were on the plane with me I wouldn't want to cause a reaction or make them uncomfortable.  On the other hand I know people who would want their cat or small dogs with them for travel because of rough transport, cold, or other problems.  I guess it boils down to what can make everyone happy.  Can we seperate the passengers with pets or the ones with allergies and where does it stop with allowing animals (not service) on the plane.  Do we have huge size dogs on there, pigs, horses, what about chickens or roosters, or spiders and lizards.  I love them all but I am well aware that other do not.  who gets the priority seating.  Let's say that someone has a cat and the other person is allergic.  There is only one seat left and it's in first class who would get it, I'm sure it would be a fight...  
Sarah

> From: info at michaelhingson.com
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:13:59 -0800
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Flying cats and other creatures
> 
> Hi,
> 
> The problem with what Nicole suggests is that once again the needs of
> disabled people who legitimately need service animals are put behind the
> needs of the nondisabled, in this case the people with allergies.  There is
> and should be no more reason for me or any blind person using a guide dog to
> provide advance notice that I will be traveling with a guide dog than there
> is for the person with allergies to give advance notice that they will be
> traveling and that there special requirements need to be accommodated.
> 
> In the best scenario the person with allergies might be considered to be
> "disabled".  I suppose it might be possible for allergies to be considered
> an invisible disability.  If a person with allergies that are so severe so
> as to make them uncomfortable or severely ill should they sit near a guide
> dog or other assistance animal plans to travel on an airplane I submit that
> they are the ones who should notify the airlines in advance.  A legitimate
> assistance animal is visible while an allergy is not.
> 
> Since animals traveling in the cabin are becoming more common it would seem
> to me that the responsibility should lie with the person with analogy to
> observe their surroundings and be aware of nearby animals.  In any event I
> do not believe it is incumbent on me to bear the burden of proof or to be
> the one who has to be more responsible and be more singled out by notifying
> the airline in advance that I'm traveling with my guide dog.  I should not
> have to be the one who suffers the consequences of someone else who is not
> responsible enough or careful enough to make sure that their allergies are
> not activated because an assistance animal is near.
> 
> 
>             Michael Hingson,
>  NSA   
> President,
> The Michael Hingson Group
> 84 Bahama Reef
> Novato, CA 94949
> Phone Direct number (415) 827-4084
> Fax number (415) 883-6220
> Mobile/Pager (888) 965-9191
> Email info at michaelhingson.com <
> mailto:info at michaelhingson.com>
> For information on Michael's speaking topics, his availability, and his
> consulting services on Diversity and Access Technology for blind persons
> please visit <
> http://www.michaelhingson.com>
> For information on Guide Dogs for the Blind please visit <
> http://www.guidedogs.com> 
>   
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Nicole B. Torcolini
> Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 2:44 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Flying cats and other creatures
> 
> My opinion on the topic is that people with service animals should notify 
> the airline ahead of time. The people in the seats near that person should 
> be notified of the presence and type of animal, so that they can switch 
> seats if they are uncomfortable or allergic.
> 
> Nicole
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dan Weiner" <dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 12:20 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Flying cats and other creatures
> 
> 
> Oh, allergies, I've heard the allergy excuse from cab drivers until I'm sick
> of it, honestly.
> 
> Maybe those with allergies should inform the airlines that they can't be
> next to animals.
> 
> Now, one sentence in the article makes me wonder.  It says that "many" blind
> people are using guide horses, do we know just how many?
> 
> Cordially,
> 
> Dan
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Ginger Kutsch
> Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 10:57 AM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nagdu] Flying cats and other creatures
> 
> Flying cats and other creatures
> By Ken West
> Published: January 26, 2009
> Lynchburg News, VA
> http://www.newsadvance.com/lna/lifestyles/features/article/flying
> _cats_and_other_creatures/12799/
> 
> The once "friendly skies" aren't so friendly any more. Families need to take
> extra precautions when flying with children or older adults who have health
> concerns. An example follows.
> 
> After New Year's, my son and daughter-in-law were flying from Dulles to
> Portland. Patrick and Sarah are both medical doctors in Oregon. During the
> flight, Sarah's eyes began to swell. She took on asthma-like symptoms and
> experienced difficulty breathing normally. Although doctors, both became
> worried as her symptoms worsened without any apparent explanation.
> 
> Upon "deplaning," the two watched in disbelief as the couple sitting
> directly behind them pulled two cats in cages from underneath their seats.
> Along with 15 percent of the American population, Sarah has a severe allergy
> to cats. Unlike many Americans, she has immediate access to a colleague who
> is an allergist.
> 
> Nevertheless, the next day she was forced to greet her new AIDS patients
> while wearing a patch over one eye and with skin speckled with rashes. She
> imagined the patients were wondering if they should be the ones wearing
> plastic gloves.
> 
> Not so simple
> My initial reaction was to wonder why cats were allowed on planes. Quickly,
> I discovered that the issue is more complicated than I thought (see
> "Assistance Animals" below). While some airlines do not allow passengers to
> carry pets in the cabin, others allow owners to pay a hefty fee to stow
> animals under their seats.
> 
> What remains inexplicable is why airlines are not required to check with and
> relocate people who may have allergies to animals.
> In addition, there are some people who simply don't like animals.
> On a long trip to Hawaii, I was forced to sit away from my family. I looked
> at the person next to me. To my surprise, I saw four eyes staring back: the
> passenger's and her dog's. It's not that I don't like dogs, but I do dislike
> the permissiveness of many dog owners. I was not happy.
> 
> Fortunately, the stewardess asked if I would mind trading seats with a
> person who had asked to be moved and was also not seated with a family. But
> when I sat in my new seat, there was a man next to me who must have weighed
> 400 pounds and totally covered the armrest between us, and more. I could
> only smile, thinking that the person who asked to be moved was now looking
> into a dog's eyes.
> 
> Assistance animals
> The most intriguing argument about animals on planes concerns which ones are
> truly assistance animals. We are accustomed to, and tolerant of, guide dogs.
> However, the definition of assistance animals is expanding. National Public
> Radio interviewed Rebecca Skloot, who writes about airlines and restaurants
> and people who advocate they broaden their views of "assistance animals."
> 
> Skloot told of a man named Jim Eggers, who has bipolar disorder.
> He is now allowed to carry his parrot named Sadie on planes and into
> restaurants. "Sensing that her owner is on the verge of a psychotic episode,
> Sadie talks him down with, 'It's OK, Jim. Calm down, Jim. I'm here, Jim.'"
> (NPR)
> 
> Many blind people have traded in traditional guide dogs for guide miniature
> horses, which can legally help their owners through stores and restaurants.
> Why? "Horses tend to live and work into their 30s, whereas a guide dog will
> work six to eight years total," Skloot explained.
> 
> As readers can imagine, expanding the definition of assistance animals
> creates challenges. People are not required to prove their animals are
> trained to help with their disabilities (which also do not require
> documentation). Unfortunately, some people take advantage of the loose
> regulations. Stay tuned.
> 
> Common sense
> Few people would object to a person taking an assistance animal on board. We
> would even have empathy for people carrying animals on board, which could
> not bear the temperature changes that might occur in a plane's cargo hold.
> 
> However, I am amazed that airlines are not required to inform passengers
> that an animal will be near them and then to reseat people, if they have
> allergies or strong objections. Warning: If you or a family member has
> allergies, the skies are no longer friendly.
> 
> Ginger Bennett Kutsch
> Morristown, NJ
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/dcwein%40dcwein.cnc.n
> et
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/ntorcolini%40wavecabl
> e.com 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/mhingson%40sbcglobal.
> net
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/wolvessarah%40hotmail.com