[nagdu] vet reports and other issues

[The Pawpower Pack]

Hi Linda and all,
I'll tell you a bit about some experiences with the program where I  
went for my first two dogs.

I went to a program who had mandatory follow-up at the time.  I became  
very ill with a brain tumor and mentioned the fact on my follow-up  
visit.  At that time surgery was a very strong possibility.  I had  
several friends willing to care for my dog at that time.  However my  
field rep told me that she felt it was in the best interest of the dog  
to be be removed back to the program should I need surgery.  It didn't  
matter that I had chosen reliable and responsible people to care for  
my dog.  The field rep was going to take her.  I was terrified.  When  
I received this dog she was very under weight, had parasites and was  
eating a food that my instructors in class said that she was "probably  
allergic to."  I was afraid to send her back there after I had gotten  
her at a healthy weight and parasite-free and eating food which didn't  
make her ill.
   I very luckily did not need surgery and shortly there-after applied  
for ownership for my dog.  I asked for my ownership papers no less  
than four times, on for different instances.  They kept mysteriously  
getting lost in the mail.  I called another trainer and she made sure  
I got the papers.
I filled them out so I legally owned my dog.


When she needed to retire I called the program.  She was around six- 
years-old at that time.  She had severe degenerative joint disease and  
did not have use of her left front leg.  The program wanted to bring  
her back to the school for evaluation for possible re-issue even at  
her age.  There is no doubt in my mind what so ever that they would  
have taken her if I had not owned her.

During my relationship with this program I felt very threatened by my  
field manager.  She would frequently say demeaning things about other  
graduates and it was very clear that she felt like we, the grads,  
should be "grateful" for what we had and that gratitude should  
manifest itself in letting the program have a great deal of control  
over the dogs and grads.

She never took my harness or threatened to take my dog after the first  
time when I almost had brain surgery.  Justified or not, I felt very  
threatened.  I have not returned to that program.


Rox and Laveau, Guide dog, CGC