[nagdu] ID cards for sale online

Thu Jun 25 17:46:27 UTC 2009

Linda,

Cool story.  And I agree that a well-behaved pet slipping through the cracks
is not a problem.  It's the people who go out of their way to abuse our
"privileges" that don't have well-socialized dogs, so they make life
difficult for all.  Ugh!

It is really funny seeing dogs pick up the ways of their guide dog buddies.
When I put the harness on Daisy around the house, she is so proud to
demonstrate that she can be as cool as Mitzi!  And she does know exactly
what to do.  Not that I would take her out in public.  Oh, the drama that
would ensue!  /lol/  I absent-mindedly told the girls next door they could
try shortening up Mitzi's training harness to see if it would fit their pug,
secure in the knowledge that it couldn't possibly.  It's one of those sporty
pugs who loves to run and play and have adventures, so it's not nearly as
big around as the mellower kind.  Apparently, when I measured Mitzi when she
was a year old -- right before she had a growth spurt -- she was skinny as a
pug (on stilts).  So the pug got to wear the harness at the park and I let
them use the handle, since we were there when it wasn't crowded.  Sure
enough, Mitzi's little buddy knew the position and the basic commands and
was very proud of herself.  Don't worry, the girls gave the harness back, so
we won't be seeing a guide pug about town any time soon.  /smile/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Linda Gwizdak
Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 9:42 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] ID cards for sale online

Hi,
it was back in the early 1970s right before I went to get my first guide. 
With getting a guide, I couldn't also keep the pet dog and my family wanted 
to take him.  So, I needed to take him on Amtrak to my family home.

I could bring the dog on the subway where I lived at the time and I just 
used my white cane and walked the dog on leash. Never did I use a harness 
either self made or a school's harness.  But I couldn't just bring the dog 
on Amtrak (grin!) so, I got one of those leather pet harnesses at a pet 
shop. It was black leather and the dog was also black so the harness didn't 
show up well. Then I took some wire coat hangers and shaped them into a 
U-shape for the handle. I wrapped this in black tape.

I needed to get the dog to my parents' home and I didn't have the money to 
get a crate to ship him in.  This was the ONLY time I ever did this!  I did 
it so I knew that the dog would be safe on the trip and he was as well 
behaved as a real guide dog - he hung out with the best (grin!)!  He had 
that great Lab disposition as well and he LOVED to ride transit.

So, nobody was the wiser and his behavior would rival the best behaved 
guide. Now, if he was badly behaved, I would have never done this. I knew 
that bad behavior would have impacted access for the real guides.  That dog 
traveled as well as any of my guides did.

So, that dog got a good home with my family and I went off to guide dog 
school.

I wouldn't really recommend doing this, but at the time, I didn't have many 
options. I was a real blind person then as I am now.

As for sharing this story, I have told lots of people over the years aboout 
doing that.  They were all impressed with the dog. The people who knew that 
dog were impressed with how he taught himself to "guide" me around stuff. 
Of course I used my white cane.  That dog was smart and he watched the guide

dogs and followed what they did.  I walked behind my guide dog using friends

so their dogs didn't get lazy and follow us.

Doing this wasn't the same as people who have no disability and bringing 
their pets places.  Even some who have disabilities who bring their pets who

are scared to death and unsocialized. These folks are the ones who create 
problems for us - not me bringing a well behaved dog on the train to his new

home.

So, just an adventure of a brash 22 year old!

Linda and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (IS)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at ngc.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 1:44 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] ID cards for sale online

> Linda,
> Do tell us more. How did you get the harness, and why did you do this?
> If pet dogs could be on-leash and accompany you, why pretend it's a
> guide dog?
> What motivates someone to do this?
> And hats off for having the um, anatomy to share this on list. Do tell
> us more.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Linda Gwizdak
> Sent: Sunday, June 21, 2009 12:34 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] ID cards for sale online
>
> Hi All,
> I have been using guide dogs sinse 1973 and I can think of only a
> handful of times I've been asked to show my school ID - and these times
> were all in the 1970s way before the ADA!
>
> So, all my IDs from the schools just sit there in my wallet and then get
> moved to a photo album when the dog retires! (grin!)
>
> I think with 80 years of guide dogs, people just think "dog = blind".
> This is more of a problem with partials who can see pretty good. It is
> much more of a problem for a visually impaired person in a wheelchair.
> People don't see as many of these folks. I come across tons of people in
> wheelchairs on the busses, trolleys, and on the streets of San Diego.
> NONE of them have a service dog!  Disabled people using service dogs is
> much newer in concept
> (1972 with CCI) than guide dogs. Disabled people have to go through what
> Morris Frank went through (groan!) which, I think, shouldn't be
> happening.
> Then you add in the mix those who look perfectly able bodied who have
> dogs.
> And the fakers!  I'm sorry that all you guys are going through lots of
> troubles with access. You'd think people should be used to us all with
> dogs and the laws that are there to protect us.
>
> I think if the folks who make themselves stick out by bringing an
> untrained or unsuitable dog into public  - real service dog or not, real
> disabled person or not - just invite problems. And cause problems for
> everyone else with real service dogs.
>
> A long time ago, before I got my first guide dog, I brought a pet dog on
> the train into another state. I made a harness and walked with the dog
> with my white cane!  Nobody said "boo" about it. Everyone just assumed
> that it was a real guide dog.  How did I pull this off?  This dog was
> very well behaved, learned how to ride under the seat like wwe do with
> our guide dogs - and he sorta guided me! He would watch my roommate's
> guide dog and imitated it!
> This dog was a black Lab mix and very smart. He loved to ride the
> subway!
> Back then all leashed dogs were welcome on the transit system as long as
> they didn't cause problems.
>
> This dog's undoing was being off leash.  After I gave him to my family
> when I went for a guide dog, he got loose, ran out in the street and got
> himself killed. A real plug for off leash training!  Had he had this and
> had I known how to train for it, he would have lived a nice long doggy
> life.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Linda and Landon
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bunny Davidson" <bunnydavidson at live.com>
> To: "National Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 9:29 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] ID cards for sale online
>
>
>
> hi all,
>
>
>
> way back when i began using a service dog (over a dozen years and 2 dogs
>
> ago) I had
>
> gotten hastled so many times in malls, and stores, restarants et...
>
> so i went online, saw the sites selling service dog id cards, jotted
> down
> some notes,
>
> went into photoshop and word perfect and designed my own.
>
> First i stated on card that under the law
>
> disabled people are not required to carry proof that dog is a service
> dog,
>
> and a summary of the ADA service dog deal, the ADA 800#, and my name as
> handler/owner.
>
> and i put a photo of my service dog in vest on it,
>
> I did not put my address as i felt that would be too much info for some
> of
> these yo-yo's
>
> (hey im a disabled woman and here is where i live, come get me!!!)lol
>
>
>
> I then took the plastic fishing license holder with pin on back and
> shoved
> the newly made ID card into it.
>
> then i put it inside the zipper compartment of dogs service vest...
>
>
>
> I always told folks (and still do) if they give me a hard time, ask for
> ID,
> certification et.. that
>
> the ADA says disabled people dont have to carry a card or proove we are
> disabled and in fact
>
> there is no LEGAL certification of service dogs in the entire
> USA...(school
> certification is not federal usa certification)
>
>
>
> If they are still all upity about it i produce the card, show them, ask
> them
> to copy the 800# and to contact them for info on service dogs in places
>
> of biz.. i tell them to ask dept of J to send them the documents on this
> so
> they dont end up in civil court for violation of civil rights, or fines
> or
> both.
>
>
>
> I dont like the idea of producing a card because then folks think all
> people
> with a service dog HAVE TO HAVE A CARD and if not, no admit to shop
> et...
>
>
>
> I think if you have a SD ID card and feel the harrasment warrents
> display of
> it,prequisit with "ada doesnt certify any dogs for service and furthr
> there
> is no law requiring I carry an ID card.
>
>
>
>
>
> just my 2cents...(please hold back the tomatoe flinging)...
>
>
>
> bunny who is tired and still recouperating from the car wreck 8 weeks
> ago.
>
>
>
>
>
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