[nagdu] Disabled vet and service dog banned from supermarket

Fri Aug 13 17:17:16 UTC 2010

Lyn,

Good for you!  And thank you! /grin/  It's always nice to hear that someone
is willing to go to bat for the legitimacy of our owner-trained dogs when so
many autmotically dismiss them.

Well, Mitzi may not be a real guide dog because I am not a real guide dog
trainer, but for an imaginary guide dog she does seem to do what real guide
dogs do...  /grin/

I was recently informed -- or rather she was -- that she would make a very
nice friend for someone one day.  So I guess she has something to fall back
on.  /evil grin/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Lyn Gwizdak
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 11:49 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Disabled vet and service dog banned from supermarket

Hi Julie,
I was replying to your e-mail when the electricity cut out - computer didn't

like that shutdown!  So, here goes again.

It doesn't matter to me if a dog is program trained or owner trained.  I 
care that the dog IS trained and the appropriate dog is used.  I was just 
curious if the dog was school trained by a service dog program because I 
wanted to know what they taught their dogs and graduates about access rights

and responsibilities.  If the dog was owner trained, I wanted to know if she

really knew what she was doing.  I have known and seen owner trained dogs 
who were trained very well and were good ambassodors for the service dog 
community.  I have also known people who just brought out their untrained 
pet and called it a "service dog" when the dog never was trained to do 
anything.  This one caused alot of problems in public and gave us all a very

bad name.

Outside of NAGDU list folks who train their own dog, I've known a couple of 
blind women who owner trained their own guide dogs.  I was impressed with 
the job they did and the quality of dog they had. One I knew from the 1970s 
in Boston and the other I spent the afternoon with during a visit to CT in 
1998.  They did a great job with their dogs.  Here in San Diego, I have been

the lone voice to defend owner training to the folks here who were dumping 
on the rights of people to owner train.  Our blind center was trying to pass

a rule that only school trained guide or service dogs were allowed in - this

was before ADA passed. My view finally prevailed and the ADA passed making 
the proposed rule moot.

So, I was just curious as to what training the woman and her dog got, that's

all. (grin!)

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie J" <julielj at windstream.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 11:38 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Disabled vet and service dog banned from supermarket

> Lyn,
> Out of curiosity, how would the knowledge of what program the dog came 
> from or if it was owner trained affect your opinion of the situation 
> described in the article?
>
> Julie
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Lyn Gwizdak" <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 10:46 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Disabled vet and service dog banned from supermarket
>
>
>> Interesting article.  My question is why was the dog OFF LEASH???  Why 
>> did it have several accidents???
>>
>> It sounds like the dog could do its job on leash and under control of the

>> owner.  Sounds like the owner isn't giving the dog enough time to relieve

>> before entering the store.  Or, the dog either has a medical problem, or 
>> is stressed and not a good candidate for service dog work.
>>
>> Now, really we all don't know what really happened because none of us 
>> were there to see the incident.  I wonder if a program trained the dog 
>> and owner or was the dog a pet she trained herself and didn't do such a 
>> great job in selecting an appropriate dog to work for her.
>>
>> I'd like to hear the store's version of the story.  Perhaps the business 
>> has had alot of problems with this person and her dog - even though she 
>> did pick up the mess.
>>
>> Over the course of my guide dog using career, I've had a few dogs - 
>> including Landon - have a very occassional accident in a store.  Landon 
>> had an accident in CostCo when I first got him and wasn't clear on his 
>> relieving needs yet.  there was no problem as we picked it up right 
>> away - it was a poop.  I have never had a store "ban" my dogs because of 
>> an accident.  Hey, kids have accidents of some sort all the time and the 
>> store workers know this! (grin!)
>>
>> Lyn and Landon
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Aaron Cannon" <cannona at fireantproductions.com>
>> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, August 09, 2010 1:16 PM
>> Subject: [nagdu] Disabled vet and service dog banned from supermarket
>>
>>
>> If the store is to be believed, it sounds like the owner is largely at
>> fault, though the bit about calling ahead leaves a bad taste in my
>> mouth.
>>
>>>From 
>>>http://www.examiner.com/x-36055-Hartford-Disability-Examiner~y2010m8d4-Di
sabled-vet-and-service-dog-banned-from-supermarket
>>
>> According to NBC News Connecticut, Kim Mucha is a veteran who served
>> in the Air Force Military Police. She was injured in battle and now
>> requires the help
>> of a service dog to keep her balance and reach lower placed objects.
>>
>> Ms. Mucha entered the Big Y in North Haven, Connecticut along with her
>> service dog, Ivy, to do some shopping. While in the store, Ivy
>> defecated in an aisle.
>> Despite the fact that Mucha cleaned up the feces immediately, she was
>> banned from the store. Mucha told the New Haven Register, "They
>> treated me and my
>> dog like criminals."
>>
>> A spokeswoman for the store, Claire D'Amour-Daley, defended the
>> decision stating the store was well within its right. She told the
>> Register that the dog
>> was not on a leash at the time that it had several accidents,
>> including one near a food preparation area. D'Amour-Daley went on to
>> say that the Big Y
>> is happy to work with people and their service dogs, but prefers that
>> the customer call ahead to inform the store prior to arrival.
>>
>> There is no stipulation in the
>> Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
>> stating that individuals need to give notice to a business prior to
>> entering. Mucha told the paper that she is considering filing a
>> lawsuit against the
>> Big Y stores.
>>
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>
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