[nagdu] contact with puppy raisers/walkers

[Tracy Carcione]

Hi Ginger and all.
I don't mind either way, meeting my puppy raiser or not.  I've done it in
the past with my GDB dogs, and it was fine, but I sure don't miss
graduation.
What I do mind about TSE's policy is someone redacting my letters as if my
secret identity were a matter of national security.  My employer would not
presume to edit my correspondence.  My family would never even think of
doing something so ridiculous.  It does not seem consistent with TSE's
policy of treating its graduates as adults, a policy I truly appreciate.
Tracy

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ginger Kutsch" <gingerKutsch at yahoo.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, December 17, 2010 6:07 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] contact with puppy raisers/walkers
>
>
>> All,
>>
>> There is a question about The Seeing Eye's policy regarding
>> raiser contact on the consumer satisfaction survey that graduates
>> are invited to participate in after they have been home with
>> their dogs for nine months. When I worked on the consumer
>> satisfaction committee, the majority of respondents,
>> approximately 80%, were satisfied with the current puppy raiser
>> contact policy.
>>
>> As a graduate of The Seeing Eye, I have no strong feeling one way
>> or another about puppy raiser contact. I've written a thank you
>> note to my puppy raisers for each of my three dogs and have never
>> received a response. Whether I am able to have direct
>> communication with my puppy raiser or not has no bearing on my
>> dog's ability to guide me safely and effectively. Therefore, it
>> is not part of my decision making process when I consider a
>> school.
>>
>> There are, however,  several graduates who attend The Seeing Eye
>> because there is *no contact. Whether we are all "adults" or not,
>> people are generally brought up to feel obligated in some way to
>> those people who offer us assistance, give us gifts, etc. How
>> many times have you done something simply because you feel
>> obligated?
>>
>> The fact is that, whether we call ourselves "consumers" or not,
>> when we attend a guide dog school and receive a dog, we are
>> accepting charity. Those people who raise puppies for a guide dog
>> school are performing a charitable act. If you consider the
>> definition of charity for a moment, it may give you more insight
>> on the philosophy of The Seeing Eye. Charity is defined as 1),
>> generous actions or donations to aid the poor, ill, or helpless;
>> And 2), something given to a person or persons in need.
>>
>> Early on, The Seeing Eye created policies that supported its
>> belief that blind people deserved respect and dignity. Now I know
>> there are some on this list that dislike the word dignity, but
>> when applied correctly, one realizes that The Seeing Eye's tag
>> line  is not saying that dogs provide independence and dignity;
>> but rather  it's saying that the organization firmly believes
>> that independence and dignity is a right that everyone deserves.
>>
>> That said, many of the policies that The Seeing Eye upholds
>> support this belief.
>>
>> 1. There is a charge for the dog. Seeing Eye does not advertise
>> that a blind person can come get a dog for free. This smacks of
>> "charity".  The fee hardly covers the true cost of the dog and
>> may only be symbolic, but it enables the organization to promote
>> its belief that blind people are not looking for a hand-out but
>> rather a hand-up.
>>
>> 2. The Seeing Eye does not accept funding, or ask its graduates
>> to seek funding, for any one individual's  specific training
>> needs. I think Buddy's post adequately explained the reason for
>> this policy.
>>
>> 3. The Seeing Eye does not facilitate puppy raiser contact. This
>> policy is in keeping with the organization's belief that blind
>> people who receive a dog from The Seeing Eye are not charity
>> cases but rather individuals who are looking to enhance their
>> lives. This policy switches the focus of puppy raising from
>> raising a dog for any one blind individual to raising the dog for
>> an organization that provides dogs for the blind. This makes the
>> organization obligated to the puppy raisers, rather than placing
>> that burden on the individual blind person.
>>
>> Years ago when graduates expressed a desire to be able to
>> personally thank their puppy raisers if they so chose, The Seeing
>> Eye responded and created a system so that graduates might do so
>> while still preserving anonymity. Since the majority of Seeing
>> Eye graduates are satisfied with the current policy on puppy
>> raiser contact, it's highly unlikely that the organization will
>> seek to change it at this point.
>>
>> Anyway, I'm not speaking on behalf of the organization, just
>> offering my two cents for what its worth!
>>
>> Ginger,
>>
>>
>>
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