[nagdu] researching programs

Mon Feb 15 16:31:07 UTC 2010

No it isn't. Why do you think it is? 
People mistreat animals for all kinds of reasons, frustration, the
animal not behaving as they think it should, not knowing how to use
appropriate training methods, all sorts of reasons

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mark J. Cadigan
Sent: Saturday, February 13, 2010 4:09 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] researching programs

So, from what I understand, owning the dog is nice, but not essential.
From 
what you are saying, it appears that if the school owns the dog there
should 
be no problems so long as I treat the dog properly. Correct me if I am 
wrong.

What schools let you own the dog either immediately after graduation, or

after a trial period.

I don't know why someone would ever mistreat an animal, but that is off 
topic.

----- 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: Saturday, February 13, 2010 1:49 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] researching programs

> Mark,
>
> I have my own personal feelings about ownership but for purposes of
this
> discussion, I'll give you the technical answer to the difference
between
> ownership and custody, or whatever term the particular school uses
that
> means they have legal ownership of the dog. Others here will more 
> eloquently
> give the philosophical perspective.
>
> When you legally own your dog, you literally own it. The school cannot

> take
> your dog away without a third party being involved, and usually
without 
> some
> type of legal action against you.
>
> Let me preface that by saying for most school staff the last thing we
want
> to do is to take a dog away from someone. We want to help make the
team as
> good as it can be.
>
> Now, let's say the rare, and it is extremely rare, instance occurs
when we
> misjudge someone's ability to handle the responsibility of a dog. The 
> person
> might be fine initially but life may change and for this example,
let's 
> say
> he or she is seen physically abusing the dog. There is also evidence,
> through the dog's medical condition, that it is being neglected.
People in
> the community have called the school to report this person.
>
> The first thing any school should do, and again, most do this, is to 
> contact
> the handler directly and discuss the complaints, offering help. We all

> know
> that sometimes things can be misinterpreted.
>
> Let's say this "worst case scenario" continues and the handler in
question
> refuses the school's help. Complaints continue and the dog's condition
> worsens or doesn't improve.
>
> Most local animal cruelty statutes don't include the kinds of things
we
> would think of as cruelty toward a guide dog. They involve excessive
times
> without food, water, shelter, or witnessed beating, open wounds,
> malnutrition, etc. Also, many animal control officers don't want to
get
> involved with service animals because they fear being sued for civil 
> rights
> violations.
>
> Yes, I know, there are other animal control officers with the very 
> opposite
> point of view and actions, overreacting to a standard leash
correction. 
> I've
> actually talked to both types in the same department, sadly in the
same 
> day
> once.
>
> So, what are all of us who are worried about the welfare of this dog
to 
> do?
> Well, if the handler legally owns the dog, all we can do is to go
through
> the legal processes of his or her community, city, county, etc., to
take 
> the
> dog away. This could mean anything from petitioning a court to getting
a 
> vet
> to testify about the dog's condition. It all depends on the local
laws.
>
> Now, on the bright side of ownership, the bright technical side that
is, 
> if
> you are ever involved in an accident, struck by  a car, etc. owning
the 
> dog
> means that you are legally entitled to ask for any number of things in
a
> settlement that you may not have gotten if you didn't legally own the
dog.
> There have been cases, and I wish I still had the citations, in which
a
> judge stated that because the school owned the dog, only it could come
> forward to collect reimbursement of vet expenses, etc.
>
> This issue is less important now than it was even 10 years ago thanks
to
> many states passing guide dog protection laws that specify people be
> reimbursed regardless of who legally owns the dog.
>
> The truly positive technical part of ownership is that you are the
final
> arbitrator of all decisions regarding your dog, from where it goes
when it
> retires to its medical care, etc.
>
> If the school retains custody of the dog for whatever reason or under
> whatever conditions, then in most cases, it can reclaim the dog
without a
> third party being involved. Again, for most schools this is an
absolute 
> last
> resort.
>
> If you want ownership because you are worried that a school will take
your
> dog, you may want to consider another school. Ownership is a trust
issue.
> Granting it is the school's way of saying that they trust you and your
> abilities to care for and work this dog.
>
> Hope that helps. It in no way means that those who choose schools that

> don't
> grant any form of ownership have made poor choices or are less valued
by
> their schools.
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
>
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