[nagdu] Another Reason for Having Your Own Harness

Fri Aug 20 15:18:10 UTC 2010

Mark,
    One of the most important things to look at is whether or not the school 
transfers ownership upon graduation. This, I believe, speaks volumes about 
the attitude the school has about blindness! Some schools may assert that 
"This is the trend among guide dog schools today!" but this is categorically 
false! As to the "trend", though it is true that some schools offer 
ownership and others some form of "waiting period, there is no "trend". If 
there is, I believe the trend is toward a more dignified, respectful policy 
that believes a blind person is capable of caring for a dog and doesn't need 
a parental figure looking over our shoulders.
    Another assertion I have heard is that, if ownership is transferred, we 
limit the availability of follow-up services. Frankly, this is untrue, as 
those schools that transfer ownership have just as solid follow-up services 
available as those who do not! The Seeing Eye, for instance, has always 
transferred ownership since their inception 80+ years ago. There are no more 
problems than among those who do not transfer ownership, I am told their 
follow-up is second to none, and their graduates seem to be excellent 
handlers. In an effort for full disclosure, I am not a TSE grad. I received 
my guide dog from the Guide Dog Foundation (GDF) which also transfers 
ownership upon graduation and, I have found, provides very good follow-up 
services.
    BTW, the guy who kicked his dog to death in a drunken rage, it is my 
understanding, was on his second dog and had Inky for more than two years, 
so any such policy would not have prevented this. Even if I am incorrect, 
how would not having ownership have prevented this unfortunate incident? It 
would not have, unless the school was following him around everywhere he 
went. Is this what is meant by "follow-up"?
    In those few cases in which a blind person is allegedly abusing their 
dog and has ownership, there must be objective, third-party evidence of 
abuse by someone qualified to make such an assessment, such as a 
veterinarian or an animal services officer. In those incidents in which a 
blind person does not own the dog, the school can arbitrarily remove the dog 
without cause and without due process!

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 9:46 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Another Reason for Having Your Own Harness


>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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