[nagdu] Doctor bars guide dog fromwaiting room - phillyBurbs.com

Marion Gwizdala blind411 at verizon.net
Fri Aug 12 16:19:22 UTC 2011


Peggy,
    As to the first part of your message, please see my response elsewhere. 
As to the issue with the doctor, I recently broke my leg and needed to visit 
an Orthopedic physician who I had never seen before. I had no issues during 
my visit and knew I would not, since the physician was also a former Florida 
legislator with whom I had worked on guide dog related issues in the past. 
If, however, this was not true, I should have no concerns about whether or 
not the physician was going to be open to my choice to use a guide dog or 
deny me treatment based upon my disability. As Mr. Hingson has already 
stated, the denial of a person who uses a guide dog is not a denial of the 
dog; rather, it is a denial of the civil rights of the individdual based 
upon their disability - a choice protected by the law that is not preempted 
by ignoarance or negative attitudes.

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peggy" <pshald at neb.rr.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 6:37 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Doctor bars guide dog fromwaiting room - 
phillyBurbs.com


>I can see people subscribing if they are trying to decide whether to get a
> dog or not but if you have no interest in getting a dog, I guess I don't 
> see
> the point.  As far as the doctor office's delima, before any of my 
> children
> ever got really sick I would hope that we already had a primary care 
> person
> to go to ... all of my children have had the same doctor since they were
> born, and yes they let Nyla, my dog in.  However, if I went into an office
> with a really sick child and this happened I would go to the emergency 
> room
> rather than give some doctor like this my business.  If the dog was
> aggressive or a patient showed distress over the dog being there ... that
> might be another matter ... but for the doctor to act this way without a
> reason ... nope sorry, my sick child and I will go elsewhere.  I take my
> kids to the health dept for their shots and there's a woman in there who 
> is
> deathly afraid of dogs, when I come in she will step away from the counter
> and ask someone else to help me ... do I think it's silly, of course, but 
> if
> someone in there handed me a big old spider I'd drop it and run the other
> way so I certainly understand fears.  But she's very polite and just says
> ... hold on I'll find someone to help you.
>
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: GARY STEEVES
> Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 5:16 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Doctor bars guide dog fromwaiting room -
> phillyBurbs.com
>
>
> This one is a bit silly. Of course people can be on here who don't have
> dogs. How would people be able to gather information before deciding if 
> they
> should get a dog. I know, before I got Bogart, the list was a great 
> resource
> to answer question, be them silly or not, and certainly helped me be
> prepared for school when I got there.
>
> Sometimes I'm a little amazed at the closed attitudes of folks, be it here
> or anywhere else for that matter.
>
> Gary
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: d m gina <dmgina at samobile.net>
> Date: Thursday, August 11, 2011 1:57 pm
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Doctor bars guide dog from waiting room -
> phillyBurbs.com
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>
>> Hi there,
>> Since you don't have a dog and wish not to get one from this
>> message,
>> why are you here on this list?
>> I understand the stand you took and yes you did the correct
>> thing,
>> still want to know why you are on the list.
>> Is this list now open to anyone who wishes to come?
>> If so I understand, if not, then what is going to happen to
>> Rebecca,
>> would she pleased be asked to be removed?
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Original message:
>> > You know, this is part of why I don't have a dog.
>> > My daughter had a sore throat that was impacting her ability
>> to eat. It
>> > is called kissing tonsels and she needed to be seen right now.
>> > I am glad I didn't have a dog to deal with.
>> > It's fine to say "I'll see somebody else" but what do you do
>> when you
>> > or your child needs to see somebody right now.
>> > My little girl was so sick and so hungry. It was horrible. She
>> was
>> > hungry but couldn't swallow food and she had a high fever.
>> Truly awful to see.
>> > How as a mom (or dad) would you feel if a doctor gave you that crap?
>> > My daughter was a toddler at the time. There's no way I could
>> have just
>> > said "Okay sweetie, go on in there and I'll chill out here"
>>
>> > Have other parents been in that situation? What have they done
>> about it?
>>
>>
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-
>> bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> > Behalf Of Sherry Gomes
>> > Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 2:56 PM
>> > To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog
>> Users'> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Doctor bars guide dog from waiting
>> room - phillyBurbs.com
>>
>> > I had an opposite experience with a doctor of mine once, a
>> very
>> > positive experience.  when I lived in san Diego, I had an
>> orthopedic
>> > surgeon for my joint replacement surgeries.  He was
>> really good and
>> > always seemed happy to see my then golden retriever guide
>> dog.  one
>> > day, before I went to the back office for the appointment, the
>> front
>> > office staff took me aside, and told me privately that the
>> doctor had
>> > terrible dog allergies.  They said he loved dogs and
>> never wanted to
>> > tell me about the allergies, so they never had.  but this
>> particular
>> > day he was having trouble in general.  They asked if I
>> would mind
>> > leaving her with my friend in the waiting room for this one
>> time.  I
>> > didn't mind, actually, and I had my appointment.  The doc
>> asked where
>> > my dog was, and I explained.  He thanked me.  But
>> the next appointment,
>> > my dog went into his office with me, as she always had done
>> before.  It
>> > was only the one time they asked me to let my friend hold her,
>> and they
>> > wouldn't have argued if I'd insisted on taking her in with me.
>>
>> > On the other hand, if I went to a doctor's office that refused
>> to see
>> > me or my partner or spouse or child or whatever, cart blanche,
>> because
>> > of my dog, I would find a different doctor and be filing complaints.
>>
>> > Sherry
>>
>>
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-
>> bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> > Behalf Of cheryl echevarria
>> > Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 12:46 PM
>> > To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> > Subject: Re: [nagdu] Doctor bars guide dog from waiting room -
>> phillyBurbs.com
>> > This was also posted on my guide dog school alumni list.
>>
>> > I think it is appalling how this all turned out.
>>
>> > Whether there were other patients or not I go to my doctors
>> office
>> > probably more then others, I see at least 4 doctors a few
>> times a year,
>> > and some are smaller than other ones. I only had to put my
>> foot down
>> > once as well, he was from another country, but my doctor
>> recommended
>> > him, and was in the building right next door.
>>
>> > The Staff where he worked which was part of Stony Brook
>> University
>> > Hospital Clinics here on Long Island.  They I had a right
>> to be there,
>> > the dog had a right to be there. He said well he can't see me
>> then, I
>> > said fine, I will just go next door to the Head of the
>> Transplant
>> > Department, and tell him he wouldn't see me because I have a
>> guide dog.
>>
>> > Let's just say, we found me another doctor in the same office
>> to see
>> > me, and that doctor has moved on.
>>
>> > Not much they can do. Yes they do.  They also have to
>> determine if that
>> > is the kind of doctor they want to deal with as well.
>>
>> > Leading the Way in Independent Travel!
>>
>> > Cheryl Echevarria
>> > http://www.echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/>
>> > 631-456-5394
>> >
>> reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com>
>> > Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
>> CST-1018299-10
>>
>> > Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise &
>> Travel, Inc.
>> >   ----- Original Message -----
>> >   From: Ginger Kutsch<mailto:GingerKutsch at yahoo.com>
>> >   To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of
>> Guide Dog
>> > Users<mailto:nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> >   Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 1:38 PM
>> >   Subject: [nagdu] Doctor bars guide dog from
>> waiting room - phillyBurbs.com
>>
>>
>> >   Doctor bars guide dog from waiting room -
>> phillyBurbs.com
>> >
>> >
>> http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/breaking_news/doctor-bars-guide-dog-from-waiting-room/article_2bb1009f-5a51-5350-bb2f-6783c4767b5a.html<http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/breaking_news/doctor-bars-guide-dog-from-waiting-room/article_2bb1009f-5a51-5350-bb2f-6783c4767b5a.html>
>>
>> >   Doctor bars guide dog from waiting room
>>
>> >   By Christian Menno
>>
>> >   Staff writer
>>
>> >   Thursday, August 11, 2011
>>
>>
>>
>> >   ?A guide dog for a visually impaired Bensalem man
>> was kicked out of a
>> > local doctor�s office, but the doctor said she had the right
>> to do so.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   But, according to a lawyer and advocate for the
>> disabled, the Lower
>> > Southampton doctor�s actions violated the Americans with
>> Disabilities Act.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   �You cannot exclude service animals except in very
>> specific
>> > situations,� said Rocco Iaculla, an attorney with the
>> Disability Rights
>> > Network of Pennsylvania. �Unless the animal is out of control
>> or not
>> > housebroken or someone nearby has a severe allergic reaction,
>> you must
>> > permit them in any area that the public is permitted. It has
>> to be more
>> > than someone feeling uncomfortable with an animal present.�
>>
>>
>>
>> >   Dr. Priya Punjabi argues that it is her right to
>> determine who enters
>> > the property and that a large animal could scare or upset her
>> patients.
>>
>>
>> >   On Aug. 4, Joseph Cichonski accompanied his wife,
>> who was scheduled
>> > to receive a physical, to Punjabi�s office at 1629 Bridgetown Pike.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   As he does whenever he leaves his home, Cichonski,
>> 58, brought his
>> > guide dog Hero, a Labrador-golden retriever mix.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   Cichonski said Hero was lying calmly at his feet
>> in the waiting room
>> > and Cichonski�s wife was waiting to be treated in the
>> examination room
>> > when the doctor approached him, saying that pets weren�t
>> allowed in the
>> > office and telling him that he had to wait outside.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   �I told her that it�s not a pet, it�s a guide dog,
>> but she still said
>> > I couldn�t have him in there,� Cichonski told the newspaper.
>> �How many
>> > pets do you know that can be declared on your federal income
>> tax forms?�
>>
>>
>>
>> >   Cichonski, who said he sees only a little light
>> and shadows, said he
>> > then stepped outside the office because he didn�t want to
>> cause a
>> > scene, but not before informing the staff that he was calling
>> the
>> > police to file a complaint.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   �I could have just sat in that chair until the
>> police arrived,� he added.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   He said his wife was told she wouldn�t be treated
>> while the dog was
>> > in the office. So she left, too.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   Cpl. Michael Wojnar of the Lower Southampton
>> Police Department
>> > arrived and went inside to speak with Punjabi, Cichonski said.
>> He said
>> > the officer was friendly and helpful and told him that a
>> report would be filed.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   On Wednesday, Wojnar said that a complaint had
>> indeed been filed. He
>> > added that if the newspaper wants to see the report, a right-
>> to-know
>> > request must be completed because the matter is civil, not criminal.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   Punjabi told the newspaper that the dog had
>> occupied a large portion
>> > of the floor space in the small waiting room. The room holds
>> just seven
>> > chairs for patients, she said.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   While no other patients were there at the time,
>> she said that two
>> > walked into the waiting room just as the situation with
>> Cichonski was
>> > unfolding.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   Punjabi said that a Bensalem woman who arrived
>> later that morning to
>> > accompany her 90-year-old mother for an appointment heard the
>> story and
>> > agreed with the doctor�s decision. Punjabi said she asked that
>> woman to
>> > put her feelings in writing and provided the newspaper with a
>> copy of
>> > the letter Tuesday.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   The woman, who asked that her name not be
>> published, said that while
>> > she loves dogs and respects all disabled people, she would not
>> have
>> > felt comfortable having the dog in the room with her mother.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   �My mother has liquid bones and is very frail,�
>> she added. �I would
>> > have been afraid the dog might have bumped into her, causing
>> even more
>> > injuries.�
>>
>>
>>
>> >   Punjabi, who said she is afraid of dogs, added
>> that her request was polite.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   �We simply asked him to step outside,� she said.
>> �I have my rights
>> > and my phobias, too.�
>>
>>
>>
>> >   Iaculla said that Cichonski handled things
>> correctly by staying calm.
>>
>>
>>
>> >   �Unfortunately, there�s not much you can do in a
>> situation like
>> > that,� he added. �I�d recommend contacting an organization
>> (like the
>> > Disability Rights Network). Hopefully, the agency can contact
>> the
>> > doctor�s office and try to get a dialogue going to explain the
>> laws and
>> > how to handle a similar matter in the future.�
>>
>>
>>
>> >   Cichonski said Wednesday that he�s exploring his
>> options.
>>
>>
>> >   �I�m not trying to cause a fuss,� he added. �I
>> just want to let
>> > people know that things like this are happening and I�d like
>> to prevent
>> > them from happening to other people with disabilities.�
>>
>> >   _______________________________________________
>> >   nagdu mailing list
>> >   nagdu at nfbnet.org<mailto:nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> >
>> >
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