[nagdu] Rlease: New Service animal Hotline

Michael Hingson mhingson at sbcglobal.net
Sat Apr 2 14:37:48 UTC 2011 

ALL,

THERE ARE SOME GOOD QUESTIONS HERE.  If I may ask your indulgence I will
answer all questions tomorrow after returning from the NFBC board meeting.
I have been traveling and, with this meeting, am still on the road.  Please
keep emailing new questions to the list and they will be answered.  Thanks
again.


Mike Hingson

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Aaron Cannon
Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2011 7:27 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Rlease: New Service animal Hotline

Hi all.

I have a couple questions for folks about this.  Perhaps these
questions would be better asked off list, but I wouldn't know who to
send them to, so I'll just ask them here, and folks can email me off
or on list as needed.

First, I like the coverage and the various topics of information
available.  I think the committee did a great job with this!

One thing I didn't care for was the interface.  Is there a reason
we're using long extension numbers instead of single digits to access
information in each menu?  Also, are there any plans to replace the
digitally read text with human read content?  I realize that digitally
produced speech is no big deal for most of us, as we're used to it.
However, I know from experience that many people who aren't used to it
find it difficult to follow, even when it is the newer clearer sort.
The issue is, I suspect, compounded when you consider that many folks
who call may not be native English speakers.

I have some experience developing automated phone systems, so if you
folks need any help with things, please don't hesitate to ask,
although it seems like you mostly have things under control.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who worked on this.

Aaron

On 4/2/11, Sherri <flmom2006 at gmail.com> wrote:
> This is terrific! Way to go NAGDU!
> ----- 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: Friday, April 01, 2011 10:24 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Rlease: New Service animal Hotline
>
>
> Yay!  Congratulations and thank you all for your great work.
>
> I will be getting the information onto the website over the weekend.
> /smile/
>
> Again, great job!
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Marion Gwizdala
> Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 8:59 AM
> To: NAGDU List
> Subject: [nagdu] Rlease: New Service animal Hotline
>
> Dear All,
>     As members of this NAGDU sponsored list, I wanted to share this
> information with you first. Please feel free to circulate this message as
> widely as it is appropriate. Many thanks to Mike Hingson who serves as the
> Project manager for this excellent service and everyone who gave of their
> time, talent, and treasure to serve on the committees responsible for the
> project. This hotline is evolving and information on updates will be
shared
> with the NAGDU List first. Please take a few minutes to check out the
> hotline and offer your input to us. Comments can be sent to
>
> Info at NAGDU.ORG
>
> If you are receiving this information as the result of a forwarded message
> and would like more information about the National Association of Guide
Dog
> Users or would like to join the NAGDU discussion list, please visit our
> website
> HTTP://NAGDU.ORG
>
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion Gwizdala, President
> National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU)
> National Federation of the Blind
> 813-626-2789
> President at NAGDU.ORG
> HTTP://WWW.NAGDU.ORG
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> FROM: National Association of Guide Dog Users
>
> DATE: March 13, 2011
>
> TO: All Media
>
> CONTACT: Marion Gwizdala
>
>                      (813) 626-2789
>
>                      President at NAGDU.ORG
>
>
>
> GUIDE DOG ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE HOTLINE
>
>
>
>             The National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU), the
leader
> in service animal advocacy, has launched an innovative new service. The
> NAGDU Education & Advocacy Hotline not only offers information about the
> legal rights of individuals who use service animals, it offers the option
to
> speak with an advocate who is trained to resolve access denials. According
> to the new federal guidelines that took effect on March 15, 2011, , a
> service animal is "any dog that is individually trained to do work or
> perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability". (28 CFR
> Part 35.104 & 28 CFR Part 36.104). The new regulations specifically state,
> "Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained,
> are not service animals for the purposes of this definition." In an effort
> to further clarify its intent, the Department of Justice specifically
> states, "The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the
> provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do
not
> constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition." The new
> regulations concerning service animals follow this release.
>
>
>
>             "We find that most access problems are the result of a lack of
> information," says Michael Hingson, the Association's Vice President who
> serves as Project Manager for the hotline. "This hotline is an excellent
> resource for accurate information."
>
>
>
>             The NAGDU Education & Advocacy Hotline currently offers
general
> information about service animals under the Americans with Disabilities
Act
> (ADA),   as well as specific guidance concerning restaurants, taxicabs,
and
> health care facilities. Callers needing immediate assistance can connect
> directly to a live trained advocate. Future plans for the hotline include
> summaries of each of the state laws concerning service animals, more
> industry specific information, and guidance in a variety of languages,
such
> as Mandarin and Arabic. The Hotline is available anytime by calling,
> toll-free, 866-972-3647.
>
>
>
>             The NAGDU Education & Advocacy Hotline was created by a grant
> from the National Federation of the Blind's (NFB) Imagination Fund, as
well
> as with contributions from the California and Florida Associations of
Guide
> Dog Users. The National Association of Guide Dog Users is a strong and
proud
> division of the NFB. NAGDU conducts public awareness campaigns on issues
of
> guide dog use, provides advocacy support for guide dog handlers who face
> discrimination, supports effective legislation to protect the rights of
> service animal users, offers educational programs to school and civic
> organizations, and functions as an integral part of the National
Federation
> of the Blind. For more information about the National Association of Guide
> Dog Users, you can visit their website at
>
>
>
> HTTP://WWW.NAGDU.ORG
>
>
>
> Or send an email message to
>
>
>
> Info at NAGDU.ORG
>
> # # #
>
>
>
> The following information is excerpted from
>
> http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleII_2010/titleII_2010_integrated.htm
>
> and
>
> http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleIII_2010/titleIII_2010_integrated.htm
>
>
>
> 28 CFR part 35.104 & 28 CFR Part 36.104
>
> Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or
> perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability,
including
> a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental
disability.
> Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained,
> are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or
> tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the
> individual's disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not
> limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with
> navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of
> hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent
> protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual
> during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens,
> retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical
> support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with
> mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and
neurological
> disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive
> behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the
> provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do
not
> constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.
>
>
>
> 28 CFR § 35.136 Service animals
> (a) General. Generally, a public entity shall modify its policies,
> practices, or procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an
> individual with a disability.
>
> (b) Exceptions. A public entity may ask an individual with a disability to
> remove a service animal from the premises if-
>
> (1) The animal is out of control and the animal's handler does not take
> effective action to control it; or
>
> (2) The animal is not housebroken.
>
> (c) If an animal is properly excluded. If a public entity properly
excludes
> a service animal under § 35.136(b), it shall give the individual with a
> disability the opportunity to participate in the service, program, or
> activity without having the service animal on the premises.
>
> (d) Animal under handler's control. A service animal shall be under the
> control of its handler. A service animal shall have a harness, leash, or
> other tether, unless either the handler is unable because of a disability
to
> use a harness, leash, or other tether, or the use of a harness, leash, or
> other tether would interfere with the service animal's safe, effective
> performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be
> otherwise under the handler's control (e.g., voice control, signals, or
> other effective means).
>
> (e) Care or supervision. A public entity is not responsible for the care
or
> supervision of a service animal.
>
> (f) Inquiries. A public entity shall not ask about the nature or extent of
a
> person's disability, but may make two inquiries to determine whether an
> animal qualifies as a service animal. A public entity may ask if the
animal
> is required because of a disability and what work or task the animal has
> been trained to perform. A public entity shall not require documentation,
> such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as
a
> service animal. Generally, a public entity may not make these inquiries
> about a service animal when it is readily apparent that an animal is
trained
> to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability (e.g., the
> dog is observed guiding an individual who is blind or has low vision,
> pulling a person's wheelchair, or providing assistance with stability or
> balance to an individual with an observable mobility disability).
>
> (g) Access to areas of a public entity. Individuals with disabilities
shall
> be permitted to be accompanied by their service animals in all areas of a
> public entity's facilities where members of the public, participants in
> services, programs or activities, or invitees, as relevant, are allowed to
> go.
>
> (h) Surcharges. A public entity shall not ask or require an individual
with
> a disability to pay a surcharge, even if people accompanied by pets are
> required to pay fees, or to comply with other requirements generally not
> applicable to people without pets. If a public entity normally charges
> individuals for the damage they cause, an individual with a disability may
> be charged for damage caused by his or her service animal.
>
> (i) Miniature horses.
>
> (1) Reasonable modifications. A public entity shall make reasonable
> modifications in policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a
> miniature horse by an individual with a disability if the miniature horse
> has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit
of
> the individual with a disability.
>
> (2) Assessment factors. In determining whether reasonable modifications in
> policies, practices, or procedures can be made to allow a miniature horse
> into a specific facility, a public entity shall consider-
>
> (i) The type, size, and weight of the miniature horse and whether the
> facility can accommodate these features;
>
> (ii) Whether the handler has sufficient control of the miniature horse;
>
> (iii) Whether the miniature horse is housebroken; and
>
> (iv) Whether the miniature horse's presence in a specific facility
> compromises legitimate safety requirements that are necessary for safe
> operation.
>
> (C) Other requirements. Paragraphs 35.136 (c) through (h) of this section,
> which apply to service animals, shall also apply to miniature horses.
>
>
>
>
>
> 28 CFR § 36.302 Modifications in policies, practices, or procedures.
>
> (c) Service animals.
>
> (1) General. Generally, a public accommodation shall modify policies,
> practices, or procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an
> individual with a disability.
>
> (c)(2) Exceptions. A public accommodation may ask an individual with a
> disability to remove a service animal from the premises if:
>
> (i) The animal is out of control and the animal´s handler does not take
> effective action to control it; or
>
> (ii) The animal is not housebroken.
>
> (3) If an animal is properly excluded. If a public accommodation properly
> excludes a service animal under § 36.302(c)(2), it shall give the
individual
> with a disability the opportunity to obtain goods, services, and
> accommodations without having the service animal on the premises.
>
> (4) Animal under handler´s control. A service animal shall be under the
> control of its handler. A service animal shall have a harness, leash, or
> other tether, unless either the handler is unable because of a disability
to
> use a harness, leash, or other tether, or the use of a harness, leash, or
> other tether would interfere with the service animal´s safe, effective
> performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be
> otherwise under the handler´s control (e.g., voice control, signals, or
> other effective means).
>
> (5) Care or supervision. A public accommodation is not responsible for the
> care or supervision of a service animal.
>
> (6) Inquiries. A public accommodation shall not ask about the nature or
> extent of a person´s disability, but may make two inquiries to determine
> whether an animal qualifies as a service animal. A public accommodation
may
> ask if the animal is required because of a disability and what work or
task
> the animal has been trained to perform. A public accommodation shall not
> require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified,
> trained, or licensed as a service animal. Generally, a public
accommodation
> may not make these inquiries about a service animal when it is readily
> apparent that an animal is trained to do work or perform tasks for an
> individual with a disability (e.g., the dog is observed guiding an
> individual who is blind or has low vision, pulling a person´s wheelchair,
or
> providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with an
> observable mobility disability).
>
> (7) Access to areas of a public accommodation. Individuals with
disabilities
> shall be permitted to be accompanied by their service animals in all areas
> of a place of public accommodation where members of the public, program
> participants, clients, customers, patrons, or invitees, as relevant, are
> allowed to go.
>
> (8) Surcharges. A public accommodation shall not ask or require an
> individual with a disability to pay a surcharge, even if people
accompanied
> by pets are required to pay fees, or to comply with other requirements
> generally not applicable to people without pets. If a public accommodation
> normally charges individuals for the damage they cause, an individual with
a
> disability may be charged for damage caused by his or her service animal.
>
> (9) Miniature horses.
>
> (i) A public accommodation shall make reasonable modifications in
policies,
> practices, or procedures to permit the use of a miniature horse by an
> individual with a disability if the miniature horse has been individually
> trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with
a
> disability.
>
> (ii) Assessment factors. In determining whether reasonable modifications
in
> policies, practices, or procedures can be made to allow a miniature horse
> into a specific facility, a public accommodation shall consider -
>
> (A) The type, size, and weight of the miniature horse and whether the
> facility can accommodate these features;
>
> (B) Whether the handler has sufficient control of the miniature horse;
>
> (C) Whether the miniature horse is housebroken; and
>
> (D) Whether the miniature horse´s presence in a specific facility
> compromises legitimate safety requirements that are necessary for safe
> operation.
>
>
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