[nagdu] responsible handling and ownership

[Marion Gwizdala]

Jenine,
    In the first two scenarios, whether the individual owns the dog or not, 
I would contact the animal services office that has legal jurisdiction over 
such matters. They are competent to objectively assess the situation. A 
training program with a vested interest in the dog cannot do so with the 
same objectivity. In the third scenario, it is my non-expert opinion that 
the applicant, in signing the application, affirms that the information is 
true and correct to the best of their knowledge. If they lie on the 
application, all other agreements, including ownership agreements are most 
likely null and void. The training program, under these circumstances, would 
be fully within their legal right to repossess the dog. We do have some 
legal eagles on this list and would be interested to know their expert 
opinion!

Fraternally yours,
Marion



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2010 12:36 PM
Subject: [nagdu] responsible handling and ownership


> OK, let me take off my guide dog school staff hat before asking these
> questions of all of you.
>
> I too believe ownership is a very important principle and did encourage 
> the
> GDF board to adopt it in the mid '90's. That said, I'd like to ask what 
> you
> would do in the following scenarios.
>
> 1. You encounter someone, either on a regular basis or just now and then,
> whose dog growls repeatedly at other dogs. The handler doesn't seem to do
> much to stop the practice and even states that he/she likes it because
> he/she lives in a bad area and it keeps people away. The dog has growled 
> and
> lunged at your guide several times. What do you do? Should the handler 
> keep
> such a dog? If the person owns the dog and the school cannot convince
> him/her to retire it, what should happen?
>
> 2. You notice at convention, and I'm not going to go into how you'd notice
> this, but you do, that a number of dogs are moderately to severely
> overweight. The handlers are good people who are generally good at working
> their dogs. What role should the schools have, either those who retain
> ownership or those who grant it to the handler, in dogs' overall health?
>
> 3. A school has graduated someone who, it was later learned, lied on his
> application about having been to and been denied by or not completed
> training at other schools due to various issues. He is granted ownership 
> of
> his dog. A number of complaints are filed over their working time about
> cruelty issues and health concerns when the dog appears severely under
> weight. The person is defensive when the school calls to let him know 
> about
> the complaints. The school decides not to accept him for another dog. He
> wants you, or your organization, to stand behind his right to have a dog
> from that school. Do you do it? What do you base your decision on?
>
> These are just some of the scenarios I've seen in my 2 years on staff at 
> GDF
> and 5 years on their board, not to mention all my time with GDUI. I've 
> been
> on both sides of each one in one way or another and there are no right
> answers, just things to consider and discuss.
>
>
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blind411%40verizon.net