[nagdu] Article: Lawsuit raises questions about therapy dogs at colleges

[Tami Kinney]

Julie,

Yeah, the intrusiveness shocked me. And I noted that, per usual with 
these sorts of violations, the more the family cooperated the more they 
go nowhere. So I am glad they are pursuing this matter under the federal 
law.

And I noted how so many people tried to blame something for all the 
confusion... Except their own bleeping ignorance! Grumble, grumble.

The confusion is about which law applies where, which has not changed 
and is pretty simple and easy to understand. If knowing those laws is 
part of your job and you can't figure it out, why are you getting paid? 
That's what I'm confused about. /lol/ Okay, I've never popped out with 
that line to someone who is claiming that it's not their fault they're 
breaking the law, because the law is just so confusing... But I want to! 
/lol/

So DD finished one phase of cooperating with our manager this morning. 
We'll see what comes of that. He is hoping to just not hear another word 
about it. I have my doubts for some reason... Sigh. We'll see. I keep 
suggesting the steps to take that I have learned from all my whopping 
experienced advocate friends and acquaintances. But he's a stubborn 
cuss... Probably why we get along so well.

So I also find myself mulling over some other ins and outs. I was joking 
about my "secret plan" to sneak some guide dog training into Zay's 
future, just for fun and practice... Only, now that she's been with us 
for 3 weeks or so for close up observation and all those temperament 
tests life and circumstances bring... DD and I have sort of agreed that 
we should plan that for real. True, there's no reason to expect that 
Mitzi will be ready to hang up her harness 2 or 3 years from now... But, 
since Zay passes all the tests with flying colors and has such a great 
older step sister to learn from... Why not?

So naturally, we've discussed whether this changes the legal ins and 
outs of his prior accommodation from Zay, who is primarily his comfort 
dog for medical reasons... Honestly, as I read the law, it doesn't 
change the matter of reasonable accommodation or prior accommodation one 
whit. Also, can you imagine trying to get an attorney or advocate on 
*that* point? Well, I've decided to train her to be a guide dog, so... 
/lol/ Then again, there is a German Shepherd here -- another forbidden 
breed -- and quite a large one who was theoretically being trained for a 
young man with blindness in one eye... Dog's still here. Don't know 
about the kid, since he was supposedly about to head off to college, 
needing the dog there. Dog's still here. Nice dog, don't get me wrong, 
but... Does not seem to have become a working guide that anybody has 
ever discovered. /lol/

So we're doing things the right way, reasonably and all, according to 
the law and reality... And we get this nonsense? /lol/ Anyway, we took 
our not-quite-12-week old to the vet, who examined her in detail and 
determined her to be a mutt. Also, he predicted that she would be a 
medium size at her adult weight. So... I've known that since we brought 
her home. She's a mutt of some sort, maybe with some heeler in her, but 
who can tell, really... And she will grow up to be a mid-sized dog, 
about the size of Mitzi or Daisy. But what would I know? I'm blind!

Anyway, it must be weird to read about your Alma Mater in an article 
like this. /lol/

Tami

On 12/14/2011 06:32 PM, Julie J. wrote:
> Interesting, very, very interesting. This is the college I graduated
> from in 1999. There was a student with a guide dog who lived in the
> dormitory, which is different than what they are talking about in the
> article. Anyway, I know the student housing they are talking about, I
> think. they are like little one person apartments. the entrances open to
> the outside and to the best of my memory there are no common areas. Of
> course they could have added on since I was there. They do enough fund
> raising, they should have enough money for it by now.
>
> I think the woman should have her dog. I am utterly appalled at the
> level of intrusiveness the college thinks is appropriate documentation.
> I also don't think that just because a dog was a family pet and is now
> needed for emotional support in an apartment makes it illegitimate. I
> think the opposite is true. If the person had the dog at home, why
> wouldn't they need it in their apartment? It's obvious the college
> hasn't a clue about the differences between an emotional support dog and
> a service dog and what the ADA actually says. They require all that
> documentation and certification and then have the audacity to say they
> are following the ADA. It'd be laughable if it wasn't so horrid.
>
> Julie
>
>
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