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

Lyn Gwizdak linda.gwizdak at cox.net
Fri Aug 12 22:43:55 UTC 2011 

Yeah, Nordstroms is still there.  That mall is a great way to give a guide 
dog practise in obstacle avoidance as there are vendors and benches in the 
center of the walkways plus all the moving pedestrians!  And the pet dogs 
they bring.  I sometimes have to stop and put Landon's head collar on when 
he gets in a being distracted mood.

I don't go to that mall much.  I prefer Mission Valley or Grossmont Center 
in La Mesa.  Landon liked to see the puppies in that mall until the 
authorities shut it down when it was discovered that it was selling puppy 
mill puppies and many were sick.  Good!  I hate puppy mills and won't shop 
in any pet store that sells from these terrible places.

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sherry Gomes" <sherriola at gmail.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 5:26 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Doctor bars guide dog from waiting room- 
phillyBurbs.com


> Yeah, the construction was well underway when I left.  I hope to visit 
> again
> someday. I'd like to see my store again.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Lyn Gwizdak
> Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 6:21 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Doctor bars guide dog from waiting room-
> phillyBurbs.com
>
> You wouldn't recognise Fashion Valley now.  they added a second story on 
> it
> and it is VERY challenging to get around in there!  A great maze for a 
> guide
>
> dog to go through. Occassionally, a group of us guide dog users will go to
> that mall for fun.  Now the trolley (Green Line) goes there on a raiseed
> platform.  There are stairs or an elevator that is glass enclosed so my 
> dogs
>
> get to look outside as we go up or down.  The buses are around the trolley
> station on ground level.
>
> I lived in La Mesa from 1993-1995 and I lived near the Village (University
> and La Mesa Blvd).  At that time, I was working a yellow Lab named Olivia
> from GDA.  I still go up there with a friend and her guide dog and it is
> still fairly nice there.
>
> Lyn and Landon
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Sherry Gomes" <sherriola at gmail.com>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 3:54 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Doctor bars guide dog from waiting room-
> phillyBurbs.com
>
>
>>I was there from 1992 to 1998.  I lived in La Mesa and worked at Nordstrom
>>in Fashion Valley mall.  Loved it a lot.
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>
>> Of Lyn Gwizdak
>> Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 4:46 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Doctor bars guide dog from waiting room-
>> phillyBurbs.com
>>
>> I've known several dog lovers who had dog allergies.  They insist on
>> petting
>> my dog although they will get red eyes and stuffy frfom the resultant
>> allergy.  They do go wash their hands immediately after playing with my
>> dog
>> before they touch their nose of eyes.  But they love dogs and will endure
>> the allergy to have the fun of interacting with a dog.  I would never
>> bring
>> a dog into their home.
>>
>> At our blind center, a staffer has dog allergies and we all know it and 
>> do
>> not bring our dogs into her office. We put the dogs on a down-stay just
>> outside the door and go in the office and leave the door open.  Everyone
>> is
>> happy with this.
>>
>> Hey, when did you live in San Diego? I've been here sinse 1988 but lived
>> in
>> three other towns in SD County - Chula Vista, La Mesa, and Ramona.  I've
>> lived in the Mid City part of SD for the last 11 years.
>>
>> Lyn and Landon
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Sherry Gomes" <sherriola at gmail.com>
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 11:55 AM
>> 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/docto
> r-bars-guide-dog-from-waiting-room/article_2bb1009f-5a51-5350-bb2f-6783c4767
> b5a.html<http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/breaking_n
> ews/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.?
>>>
>>>  _______________________________________________
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