[nagdu] service dogs and people's fears or allergies

Marion Gwizdala blind411 at verizon.net
Tue Aug 9 14:50:44 UTC 2011


Frandi,
    One of the points you make is important to consider. It is difficult to 
determine whether someone is really allergic to dogs or just using it as an 
excuse to not be around a dog. I always tell people to not make other's 
issues your own. In other words, if you are in a public place, like a bus or 
a restaurant and someone claims they are allergic to dogs, it is that 
person's responsibility to take care of the issue by moving. It is not our 
responsibility to move. It is very rare that someone's allergies rise to a 
level of a disability. In fact, experts say that the incidence of this is 
<.05%. This is one-half of one-half of 1% - extremely rare. Now, when you 
mention a relative's house, this is very different, since a residence is not 
a place of public accommodation. BTW, I do not subscribe to the thinking 
that "if they don't want my dog, they don't want me!" I will visit people 
who don't want my dog in their house and leave my dog at home. HTH!

Marion


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <frandi.galindo at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, August 08, 2011 10:16 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] service dogs and people's fears or allergies


> I'm pretty sure I missed the beginning of this thread, but people with 
> guide dogs should be considerate about peoples alergies.  I have been in 
> these situations, and it doesn't take much to compromise.  My Fiancé's 
> aunt is severely alergic to dogs, and I don't bring him to her house when 
> we go visit her.  That’s when I use my cane, or just go on what I know 
> when I travel without a cane or a dog.  I once worked at a camp for the 
> blind and visually impaired, and one of the campers was alergic to dogs, 
> or so she claimed.  She seamed fine around my guide at times, so I believe 
> she was just faking it.  It doesn't mean you have to leave your dog at 
> home when you are traveling, but it also means you also should be 
> considerate.  Yes there are those who do fake ailments, or who claim to be 
> alergic to things just because they don't feel like dealing with them, or 
> because they are afraid of something, for example a dog, but there are 
> also those who are truly alergic.  That is when you use the next best 
> thing when you travel.  Your cane!  Besides its good to keep up on your 
> cane skills because you never know when you are gonna need them.  What if 
> the dog is sick, and is unable to function as your eyes?  Anyways, that’s 
> what I have to say about that.
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Criminal Justice Major Extraordinaire
> Sent: Monday, August 08, 2011 12:44 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] service dogs and people's fears or allergies
>
> Sounds like that guard obvious had a dislike for dogs upon using that fear
> or whole allergy thing as an excuse.
> Another il-informed worker again arises upon the need of being educated.
> Bibi
>
>
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