[nagdu] rejected by teh lions club?

[Marion Gwizdala]

Jessica,
    The writer of this message is not only very misinformed about the rights 
of service animal users and our access to places of public accommodation, 
this person is making a judgement of a person's capacity to train their own 
guide dog based upon what seems to be a paternalistic attitude of the 
capacities of blind people! There are several members of NAGDU  who have 
successfully trained their own guide dogs and the law protects them equally 
to those who obtain their guides from established programs!

fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jessica Pitzer" <rolosgirl at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2010 3:52 PM
Subject: [nagdu] rejected by teh lions club?


Hi all,
following is an email I received in response to an email I sent to my
local lions club about asking for help with some of the costs of owner
training. I'm.. not quite sure how to feel right now except baffled as
we have some many owner trainers and I just embarked on this journey
myself.
Thoughts?
On 5/2/10, Rosemary Richert <rosemary at richertnet.com> wrote:
> Hi Bert,
>
> It is highly unusual, and questionably irresponsible, for someone to train
> their own guide dog.  The state only recognizes service animals which have
> been professionally trained.  Any other such dogs may be banned from 
> places
> which would otherwise allow access to service animals.  Necessary training
> of the dog is very comprehensive and time consuming.  And, subsequently,
> training of the blind person with the dog is, also, very comprehensive and
> time consuming.  For the person's training, alone, three weeks of on-site
> training with the animal determined best suited to their needs is 
> required.
> The blind person needs to prove their orientation and mobility skills 
> before
> even being accepted into a training program.  Without proof of the 
> adequacy
> of those skills, they will not be accepted.
>
> I served on the Board of Directors of Leader Dogs for the Blind for four
> years, and am the person who convinced the facility to become trainers for
> the blind/deaf community...to the best of my knowledge, it remains the 
> only
> facility with qualified instructors of deaf/blind individuals.  I tell you
> this, so that you may understand that I have a credible background in 
> these
> matters, and know whereof I speak.  I would strongly caution your Lions
> club, or any other Lions club, about considering involvement with a person
> who thinks they can train a guide dog for the blind on their own.
> Involvement under such circumstances could come back to haunt an otherwise
> well-meaning club.  It would make much more sense for this person to be
> screened as to qualifications; and, if qualified, be sponsored to a
> recognized service do training program.
>
> Thank you for your kind consideration.
>
>
>
> God bless.
>
>
>
> With Lionism at Heart, ©
>
>
>
> PDG Rosemary

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