[nagdu] Flying cats and other creatures

Dan Weiner dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net
Wed Jan 28 17:56:13 UTC 2009


Well, Becca:

The answer is that, as Mike pointed out, the needs of the disabled are not
considered as important as those of pretty much anyone, including
allergy-sufferers.
Despite my sarcasm in a previous post, I can understand that  allergies can
be severe or unpleasant.  It seems to me, though, that the user of a service
animal need not, nor should he be, the one required to make the
accommodation.  Plus allergies aren't considered, legally, a disability.
Most allergy-sufferers I know, including my sister, wouldn't want themselves
considered disabled as it might limit their choice of work, etc.

Dan  

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Pickrell, Rebecca M (IT)
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 10:53 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Flying cats and other creatures

I also wondered if the doctor in this column would refuse to treat a patient
with a service animal? 
Makes one wonder just how servere her allergies truly are being that she has
chosen a career that involves intimate contact with all manner of the
public. 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of mhingson
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 11:14 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
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


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