[nagdu] Legislative Consideration

Sun Jan 17 19:14:42 UTC 2010

As an owner trainer Julie is correct. It would be not be fake at all.

Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
CEO/Founder
My Blind Spot, Inc.
90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
New York, New York  10004
www.myblindspot.org
PH: 917-553-0347
Fax: 212-858-5759
"The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
doing it."

Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Julie J
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 1:58 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Legislative Consideration

But that's the thing, it wouldn't be fake.

Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tamara Smith-Kinney" <tamara.8024 at comcast.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 12:18 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Legislative Consideration

> Marion,
>
> I could fake one up on my computer and print it out!  /grin/
>
> So could anyone else with a computer and printer.
>
>  I'm just to lazy and can't be bothered to waste the ink and card stock.
> /smile/  Also, I don't need one!
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Marion & Martin
> Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 6:58 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Legislative Consideration
>
> Cheryl,
>    If someone chooses to use the I.D. card, that is there choice; however,
> the guidance from the DOJ specifically asserts that no such documentation
> can be required as a condition of access. Some of us carry such cards and
> some of us do not: some of us have such cards and some of us do not! Do
> Julie, Tami, and the other owner trainers have the same protections as 
> those
>
> of us from programs? Where would one of them get such a card?
>
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2010 3:53 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Legislative Consideration
>
>
>> Well if someone impersonates you it is against the law, if it is us, and
>> someone asks for an I.D. such as the one we get from the schools then
>> there is no problem, I don't mind using my  card that is given to me by
>> the schools to show proof, if some one has a service animal they should
>> have a card to prove it.
>>
>> Isn't that proof enough, I know some people don't like the idea of a 
>> card,
>
>> but then again, the schools give them to us shouldn't we use them.\
>>
>> Cheryl Echevarria
>> Independent Contractor
>> www.Echevarriatravel.com
>> 1-866-580-5574
>> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
>> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
>> CST-1018299-10
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Nicole B. Torcolini" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2010 3:09 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Legislative Consideration
>>
>>
>>> I actually think that a different angle should be taken on this.  Why 
>>> was
>>> attention drawn to the dog in the first place?  Because it bit the
>>> driver.
>>> If it had not bitten the driver, it is possible that no question would
>>> have
>>> been raised.  I think there needs to be more of a penalty on misbehaving
>>> dogs rather than passing off a dog as a service animal.  Regardless of
>>> whether or not a dog is a service animal, if it goes around biting 
>>> people
>>> and dogs, then it should not be allowed in public.
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Sherri" <flmom2006 at gmail.com>
>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2010 11:06 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Legislative Consideration
>>>
>>>
>>> > Marion and list,
>>> >
>>> > I think this is an excellent idea! The ADA had gotten so watered down
>>> > with
>>> > acceptance of every kind of dog you can think of as a service animal
>>> > that
>>> > there has to be some penalty for those who pretend that their animal 
>>> > is
>
>>> > a
>>> > service dog. I will help in whatever way I can. I feel bad that Merry
>>> > had
>>> > such a problem on the bus, but it is problems like this that cause
>>> > change.
>>> > Think of Rosa Parks!
>>> > Sherri
>>> > ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> > From: "Marion & Martin" <swampfox1833 at verizon.net>
>>> > To: "FLAGDU List" <flagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> > Cc: "NYAGDU List" <nyagdu at nfbnet.org>; "NAGDU List" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> > Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2010 11:10 AM
>>> > Subject: [nagdu] Legislative Consideration
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >> Dear All,
>>> >>    Last week, someone claiming protection under the ADA brought what
>>> >> they
>>> >> purported to be a service animal onto a Hillsborough Area Regional
>>> >> Transit (HART) vehicle and this animal bit the employee. Though we 
>>> >> are
>>> >> unclear about all of the circumstances, such as if it was a fixed
>>> >> route
>>> >> or para transit vehicle or if the dog was a legitimate service 
>>> >> animal,
>>> >> the incident has caused some issues.
>>> >>    When Merry was coming home from her internship last Wednesday, the
>>> >> operator told her she needed to provide documentation for Kappie,
>>> >> which
>>> >> she refused to do. He refused to move the vehicle while he contacted
>>> >> the
>>> >> dispatcher. ITM, Merry called me concerning this. When I called the
>>> >> dispatcher, I was told that HART had implemented a new policy that
>>> >> "all
>>> >> animals, including service animals, must show proof of vaccination"
>>> >> (his
>>> >> words). I advised him that such a policy was in violation of the ADA,
>>> >> to
>>> >> which he asserted it was not. When I asked him if he was an attorney,
>>> >> he
>>> >> said he was not but he would be happy to transfer me to HART's legal
>>> >> counsel. He also told me that Merry could ride this time, but would
>>> >> need
>>> >> to provide such documentation  of vaccination the next time she
>>> >> traveled.
>>> >>    I left a message for HART's counsel, Sylvia Berrien,  and received
>>> >> a
>>> >> return call the following morning. I have discussed this issue with
>>> >> Ms.
>>> >> Berrien, with HART's  Director of Customer Service, Sylvia Castillo,
>>> >> and
>>> >> Katherine Eagan, HART's Chief of Route Development, all of whom
>>> >> apologized for the incident, assured me that there was no such 
>>> >> policy,
>>> >> and immediately issued a memorandum to all HART operators concerning
>>> >> this.
>>> >>    This all leads me to the subject of this message. Florida statute
>>> >> 316.1301, Commonly known as the "White Cane Law", states in paragraph
>>> >> (1), "It is unlawful for any person, unless totally or partially 
>>> >> blind
>
>>> >> or
>>> >> otherwise incapacitated, while on any public street or highway, to
>>> >> carry
>>> >> in a raised or extended position a cane or walking stick which is
>>> >> white
>>> >> in color or white tipped with red. A person who is convicted of a
>>> >> violation of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second
>>> >> degree". In addition to this incident (HART seems to believe this
>>> >> animal
>>> >> was not a service animal under the definition of the ADA), we have
>>> >> encountered others claiming their pets were service animals in order
>>> >> to
>>> >> gain access with them.
>>> >>    How would you feel about a measure to create a criminal penalty 
>>> >> for
>>> >> those who pass their pets off as service animals in order to gain
>>> >> access
>>> >> with them, similar to those provisions mentioned above? I am also
>>> >> circulating this message to other affiliate divisions and to the 
>>> >> NAGDU
>>> >> list to gain input on this issue. All comments are invited!
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> Fraternally yours,
>>> >>
>>> >> Marion Gwizdala, President
>>> >>
>>> >> National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> >>
>>> >> National Federation of the Blind
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>> >> 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/flmom2006%40gmail.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/ntorcolini%40wavecabl
> e.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/cherylandmaxx%40hotma
> il.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/swampfox1833%40verizo
> n.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/tamara.8024%40comcast
> .net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/julielj%40windstream.
net
> 

_______________________________________________
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/albert%40myblindspot.
org