[nagdu] Guide dogs and airport security

Sun Jul 18 01:12:35 UTC 2010

According to the TSA (Transportation Security Administration, under
the Department of Homeland Security), " {The} belongings (collar,
harness, leash, backpack, vest, etc.)...
will not be removed from your dog at any time..."

I think it might be a good idea for each guide dog handler and person
with a visual impairment to print the relevant sections from the TSA
website. There is a good section for "Visual Impairment," as well as
the "Service Animal" section I have linked to below. Just look at the
bottom of the page for navigation to other sections about other
disabilities. This is truly a good resource and it is the federal
government, so it is a good credible source.

Source: Homepage of the Transportation Security Administration, within
the guidelines for People with Disabilities, "Service Animals."
<http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/editorial_1056.shtm>

On 7/17/10, Pawpower Creations <pawpower at cox.net> wrote:
> This is very true.  By law they can not ask you to remove the dogs gear.
> Both Rox and I have experienced this, and we refused to remove either the
> harness or cape.  We have had some interesting experiences in security, but
> so far they have not tried to force us to remove the gear.  Asking you to
> remove the leash and collar is totally wrong.  In fact I would contact the
> person in charge of airport security and report the incident and explain the
> law.  If some one else on this list has information on how the law reads
> that would be good.  I would be interested in knowing, and I will do some
> research and try and find out as well.
>
>
> Best wishes from the Pawpower pack!
> Bristol, Mill'E, Rudy, and Laveau
>
> Pawpower Creations, Products designed with you and your Canine in mind
> Bob Blackner/Rox'E Homstad
> 504-312-2609
> pawpower at cox.net
> www.pawpowercreations.com
> Custom made guide dog harnesses, leashes, collars, and relieving harnesses.
> Pawpower Creations is constantly growing and expanding as we strive to
> provide quality products for you and your canine companions. Soon we will be
> offering
> herb classes taught by a certified Herbalist, dog training classes, a
> training tips section, and other useful information for a nominal charge.
>
> We will also be selling hand crafted soaps, bath salts, and other fragrant
> products designed to relax the mind, cleanse the body, and soothe, calm and
> uplift
> your spirit.
>
> With eye upraised his master's look to scan,
> The joy, the solace, and the aid of man:
> The rich man's guardian and the poor man's friend,
> The only creature faithful to the end.
>
> George Crabbe
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Susan Jones" <sblanjones11 at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2010 5:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dogs and airport security
>
>
>> Julie and listers,
>> You should never even take your dog's harness off.
>> What if you were traveling alone, and your dog decided to make a run for
>> it,
>> have an adventure?
>>
>> I know there are people on this list who can verify that the regulations
>> do
>> not require removal of the harness, let alone leash and collar.
>>
>> I had no difficulty on either end going to National Convention.
>> Though I have had variances, such as people asking that we go through
>> together, and they pat us both down, this is what I usually do:
>> Have my dog sit at the door, make a long leash, go through first, and then
>> call her.
>> They will then call a guard to pat the dog down.  I have never been asked
>> to
>> remove the harness.
>> The worst thing that happened is that once, they confiscated the little
>> poop
>> patrol container that had plastic bags inside for pickup.  I didn't
>> realize
>> it until we were on the plane.  Not worth bothering about.
>>
>> Susan & Rhoda
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Julie McGinnity
>> Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2010 6:17 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: [nagdu] Guide dogs and airport security
>>
>> Hi everyone.  I hope you are having a nice weekend.
>>
>> I just got back from a week long trip to Philadelphia this morning.
>> At the airport both going there and coming back something weird happened
>> in
>> airport security.  I am wondering if there are some policies I don't know
>> about, or if the people were really doing something wrong.
>>
>> Last Sunday I traveled from St. Louis to Philadelphia.  When we got to
>> airport security, I took the dog's harness off and put it with my purse
>> and
>> everything on the conveyerbelt.  I made her sit and stay while I went
>> through and then called her after I was out.  She came right to me, and of
>> course she made the thing beep because of her leash and collar.  I just
>> waited at this point because this is what always happens, and someone
>> always
>> comes to pat the dog down.  The last 2 times I have traveled it happened
>> this way.  Instead of coming over to pat the dog down, they asked me if I
>> could take her leash and collar off and make her go back through.  I said
>> that I would really prefer not to do that, and I said that I don't mind if
>> they need to pat her down because that's what usually happens.  They then
>> asked me again to take off the leash and collar.  I didn't know how to
>> argue
>> with them further, so I just did what they said.  I took off the leash and
>> collar and let my mother call her back through.  Thankfully, she was very
>> good.  I think she thought the whole thing was a game.  She went through
>> without her stuff on, and it didn't go off, and she came right to me.  It
>> was very hard to get a handle on her though without her stuff, and the
>> security people had taken her leash and collar, so it wasn't like I could
>> just put it back on her.  I had to wait for them to scan it, which meant I
>> had to hold on to her awkwardly and walk to where the stuff was going to
>> come out.  Brie was very good, but the whole process annoyed me.  I don't
>> understand why they couldn't just pat the dog down.  That's what happened
>> when I flew to and from Dallas.  It seemed to work fine.  I know how to
>> take
>> my dog through security.  They tought us at guide dog school.
>>
>> When I flew back to St. Louis this morning I experienced a similar thing.
>> I
>> went through security the way I was taught.  They stopped me again after
>> the
>> dog had gone through, and again, I expected them to just pat her down so I
>> could be on my way.  I was very late.  Instead they took me to the side,
>> said they were not going to pat her down.
>> When I asked why they weren't just going to pat the dog down, the lady
>> didn't answer me.  I had to wait around 5 or 10 minutes, and another lady
>> came.  She basically looked at me and the dog and said we could go.  I
>> don't
>> understand why, if they weren't going to pat her down, they made us sit
>> there and wait.  I heard them talking, and it sounded like they didn't
>> know
>> what to do.  Isn't there procedure for this?  We were taught to go through
>> security this way for a reason, because it works out that way.  Why are
>> the
>> security people being so difficult?
>> Of course it is entirely possible that there is something I don't know or
>> overlooked in the situation.  Just let me know what I should do next time
>> in
>> this situation, or even if this situation is something to think about.
>> Sorry for the novel length email.  I wanted to tell this right.
>>
>> Julie and Brie
>>
>> --
>> Julie McG
>> Lindbergh High School class of 2009, participating member in Opera
>> Theater's Artist in Training Program, and proud graduate of Guiding Eyes
>> for
>> the Blind
>>
>> "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone
>> who
>> believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."
>> John 3:16
>>
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