[nagdu] Service Animals and Ambulances,

Doug Parisian eggmann at shaw.ca
Thu Dec 22 17:30:44 UTC 2011 

Obviously, whether to allow a service animal or not in an ambulance is not 
as simplistic as say, permitting access to any place where the general 
public is allowed.  In the vast majority of cases, both animal and master 
will be in full function order and unstressed.

In the case of the ambulance, there are so many situations:

1.  Is the patient conscious, or for any reason unable to control the 
situation?

2.  Is the animal injured?

3.  Is the animal stressed to the point of being disruptive and/or totally 
unmanageable?

4.  Is there room for a significant other in the vehicle who can deal with 
the particular service animal in cases there the master cannot?

And gentle readers, that's only a start.  In my own situation, I have those 
eventualities mostly covered by virtue of having information on me as to 
emergency contacts and so on.

Doug: If I died alone in my suite, would my dog eat me?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 8:31 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Service Animals and Ambulances,


> Doug,
>    What you say is certainly true; however, whether or not a service dog 
> should be allowed to accompany its disabled handler must be based upon the 
> actual behavior of the dog or the evidence of a direct threat. It should 
> not be based upon an assumption of how the dog might behave nor upon 
> unsubstantiated belief that a threat exists.
>
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion Gwizdala
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Doug Parisian" <eggmann at shaw.ca>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 1:53 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Service Animals and Ambulances,
>
>
>> Indeed, there may be control issues with having a service animal in an 
>> ambulance, depending on the state of the master and depending on animal 
>> placement, real issues surrounding any required medical interventions 
>> during the trip.  Not only are we looking at rights here but 
>> responsibilities as well, and that includes the master of course.
>>
>> Doug: my dog knows mouth to mouth; yech!
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Larry D. Keeler" <lkeeler at comcast.net>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 12:34 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Service Animals and Ambulances,
>>
>>
>>> The only thing I have been told by our ambulance company is that dogs 
>>> have to ride in back.  They claim that animals are unpredictable and 
>>> might interfere with driving.  So, when I ride with my wife, Holly goes 
>>> in back with her while I ride in front.
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 11:44 AM
>>> Subject: [nagdu] Service Animals and Ambulances,
>>>
>>>
>>>> Though I agree that service animal users may have different ways of 
>>>> handling this issue, how an individual chooses to do so and how the 
>>>> ambulance company does are diffent issues. One may choose to tell an 
>>>> ambulance provider - or any entity - about the presence of a service 
>>>> dog, but the entity cannot require this be done. A handler may decide 
>>>> to not transport the service dog with them, but the provider cannot 
>>>> refuse to do so unless the animal poses a direct threat or is out of 
>>>> control.
>>>>    As for the specific issue in Baltimore, the City and County have 
>>>> requested from NAGDU and have received model policies concerning 
>>>> service animals in pre-hospitalization treatment and transportation. 
>>>> Their legal counsel has confirmed with me that they are considering the 
>>>> adoption of these policies.
>>>>
>>>> Fraternally yours,
>>>> Marion Gwizdala
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>> From: "Criminal Justice Major" <orleans24 at comcast.net>
>>>> To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 10:48 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man says paramedics prevented guide dog 
>>>> fromtraveling with him
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hi, all,
>>>>> I know some may agree or disagree with me on this, but that's fine by 
>>>>> me.
>>>>> Although all states do have laws that state that service dogs are to 
>>>>> be transported with their handlers, it's also up to us in regards of 
>>>>> using common sense when being transported via ambulance.
>>>>> During the time I had to call an ambulance on myself February 23, 
>>>>> 2007, I immediately notified that paramedic dispatcher that I had a 
>>>>> guide dog on scene.
>>>>> That made the situation much easier and less stressful because the 
>>>>> dispatcher put the information into the system directly which 
>>>>> wirelessly communicated with the responding paramedic vehicle in my 
>>>>> area.
>>>>> Technically, the fire department, paramedics and police department do 
>>>>> have Odie listed in their computer system, so they're fully aware of 
>>>>> him.
>>>>> On the other side of the flip coin however if handler were to pass out 
>>>>> or get hit by a car, then truth is that what are they to do then?
>>>>> Another important factor for me was to get to know all the firemen, 
>>>>> paramedics and police officers as a whole so they could be educated 
>>>>> not just on blindness, but also the importance of a guide/assistance 
>>>>> dog.
>>>>> All of us do have a way of doing things and I say what works best for 
>>>>> one may not work for another.
>>>>> Just my thoughts on this one.
>>>>> *Smiles*
>>>>> Bibi and Odie
>>>>> the happy spirited bounty labra wolf
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>
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