[nagdu] Vermont - Douglas signs guide dog bill

[Ginger Kutsch]

Douglas signs guide dog bill
By Louis Porter VERMONT PRESS BUREAU
Jun 2, 2010
MONTPELIER - Gov. James Douglas has signed a bill into law that
increases civil and criminal penalties for those whose pets
attack guide dogs for the blind.
 
It is not clear how common the problem is since many such
incidents go unreported, said Stan Greenberg. But when such
incidents occur - as happened to him - it is terrifying and
debilitating for the visually impaired person involved and their
guide dogs, which are trained not to be aggressive, even in such
situations.
 
When his guide dog was bitten in South Burlington near where he
lives the result was 12 stitches to the dog's ear, a $250 vet
bill and expenses from a legal battle at the end of which he
learned there were few penalties for those whose unrestrained
dogs attack guide dogs, Greenberg said.
 
"Several other people have had their dogs attacked with
impunity," he added. Some of them testified in the Legislature
this year about "how they were terrorized" as their dogs were
attacked, Greenberg said.
 
The bill establishes restitution as a possible penalty for the
owner of the attacking dog in civil cases and criminal penalties,
including the potential for jail time, in repeated and serious
cases.
 
Douglas, who gave Greenberg the pen he used to make it state law
on May 26, said he could imagine the feeling of helplessness of a
blind person whose guide dog is being attacked.
 
"I can imagine there is nothing more devastating," he said. The
ability to have guide dogs "makes a tremendous difference in the
quality of life" for blind Vermonters "and by extension for us
all."
 
The bill was cosponsored by Reps. Duncan Kilmartin, R-Newport,
and William Lippert, D-Hinesburg. The two men, both lawyers, have
had many differences in the Legislature over the years but on
this bill they were united, said Lippert.
 
It really was the testimony of those whose guide dogs were bitten
or harassed by other dogs that convinced lawmakers to support the
measure, Lippert said.
 
"These are highly trained animals who become an extension of a
person's ability to be in the community," said Lippert, the head
of the House Judiciary Committee.
 
"When you can get a bill to be sponsored by Rep. Lippert and Rep.
Kilmartin it is really hard for anyone to say no to it,"
Greenberg said. About 30 states now have similar laws, he said.
 
Greenberg also recalled the issue of getting ballots usable by
the blind in Vermont towns so that visually impaired voters could
vote in private. Douglas was secretary of state at the time and
traveled around the state on the issue.
 
"You said 'you can either give them a secret ballot or we will
find another town clerk who will,'" Greenberg recalled.
 
Vermont town clerks have been accommodating about getting ballots
for the blind, although in some states it is still common to
require that someone accompany blind voters into the voting
booth, Douglas said.
 

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 Source:
http://www.timesargus.com/article/20100602/NEWS02/6020311/1003/NE
WS02