[nagdu] Another Reason for Having Your Own Harness

[Mark J. Cadigan]

I don't currently have a guide dog, but I am going to be applying to a 
school in the near future. I would definitely like to avoid the schools with 
a very custodial attitude. In researching schools what should I look for? 
The school is not going to state on there website that they do X Y and Z 
wrong, and, no one wants to say the name of a school when they have a 
problem with them.
Very confused,
Mark


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, August 20, 2010 7:41 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Another Reason for Having Your Own Harness


> Mark,
>    all of the schools retain ownership of the tack; however, some are more 
> custodial than others. What those who are deciding to get dogs should 
> consider is the ownership policies of the school. If the school does not 
> transfer ownership upon graduation, one should question why this is so! If 
> we, as blind people, have the capacity to raise children without, why do 
> schools feel as if we are unable to properly care for our dogs and, thus, 
> need to "supervise" us and have control over our lives in this way?
>
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion Gwizdala
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mark J. Cadigan" <kramc11 at gmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, August 20, 2010 1:30 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Another Reason for Having Your Own Harness
>
>
>> What school are you referring to? I have herd references to this school 
>> from several people, but I can't figure out what school it is. Or are 
>> there several schools doing this kind of stuff. Saying the name of the 
>> school will not call down the fury of the guide dog police.
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
>> To: "NAGDU List" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2010 1:15 AM
>> Subject: [nagdu] Another Reason for Having Your Own Harness
>>
>>
>>> dear All,
>>>    Another very important reason for having your own harness is that the 
>>> school retains ownership of the gear. Now, most schools will not 
>>> arbitrarily reclaim their harnesses, but I have heard of a few people 
>>> from one particular school that did do such a thing and without just 
>>> cause. Since each of these people owned their dogs, the school could not 
>>> take possession of the dogs, but did repossess the harnesses. In one 
>>> instance, the school actually went so far as to go to the local police 
>>> department and assert that the dogs were no longer "certified guide 
>>> dogs" and, as such, had no rights of access. Fortunately, the police 
>>> knew better and advised the trainer of that, letting him know they would 
>>> protect the blind person's legal rights, if needed. This particular 
>>> school has since changed its ownership policy and now has demonstrated 
>>> that they are willing to repossess dogs without cause and without due 
>>> process!
>>>    BTW, in one specific case, the school could not repossess the dog 
>>> because, at that time,  the individual had ownership and the local 
>>> animal control, while making an unannounced visit, found no evidence of 
>>> abuse or neglect. In fact, the official report said there was plenty of 
>>> food in the house, fresh water on the floor, and the dog's nails were 
>>> painted! When I spoke with the investigator, he said, "The dog was 
>>> certainly neither abused nor neglected; however, the trainer was 
>>> certainly abusive to the individual!"
>>>
>>> Fraternally yours,
>>> Marion Gwizdala, President
>>> National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> National Federation of the Blind
>>> 813-626-2789
>>> President at NAGDU.ORG
>>> HTTP://NAGDU.ORG
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
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>
>
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