[nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights

Peter Donahue pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com
Sun Jan 30 20:38:56 UTC 2011


We all ready have a union of sorts the National Association of Guide Dog 
Users, (NAGDU.)

Peter Donahue

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark J. Cadigan" <kramc11 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 1:55 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights


How about making a guide dog handler's union? In all seriousness, the only
way for something like the guide dog handler's bill of rights to work would
be a collective action by all the handlers, thus me drawing the similarity
between this and a union.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 2:48 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights


>
> Hello everyone,
>
>    The situation Marion posted about concerning Fidelco's removal of dogs
> from graduates without detailed bonified reasons for doing so along with
> other issues concerning the treatment of students in training and gradutes
> of guide dog programs is leading me to believe that perhaps the best way
> to
> address them is through legislation I'll refer to as a "Guide Dog
> Handler's
> Bill of Rights." Such legislation would require guide dog programs among
> other things to give valid reasons for the removal of someone's dog and an
> appeals  procedure to be put in place should a guide dog handler feel
> he/she
> has been wrongly accused of mistreatment of the dog. Yes it's true there
> are
> irresponsible guide dog handlers among us just as there are irresponsible
> individuals in our society. This is no reason to treat the blind like
> children.
>
> The failure of Fidelco to give the graduate in question valid reasons for
> the removal of the dog is a situation we should not tolerate and need to
> put
> a stop to. Leader Dogs has also behaved in a similar way towards its
> graduates. If memory serves me correctly a Leader Dog Graduate's dog was
> removed from them during a recent national convention. And as I recall
> there
> was insufficient reasons for the removal of that dog from its handler.
>
>    A Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights could require all guide dog programs
> to give their graduates full ownership of their dogs upon successful
> completion of their programs. I emphasize the word "Successful."
>
>        Another issue the legislation could address is communication
> between
> guide dog handlers and puppy raisers. In most cases this isn't an issue.
> Sadly there is at least one U.S. guide dog organization that refuzes to
> offer their graduates and puppy raisers the opportunity to communicate
> directly with each other. The Seeing Eye only permits communication
> between
> the two parties through the school. It removes all contact information
> from
> correspondence from notes passed between the two parties. Such a custodial
> practice also subjects both parties to censorship of such correspondence
> by
> the school. Has this organization and others that may have similar
> practices
> forgotten that they're dealing with adults who must learn to manage their
> life's affairs including how communication between themselves and their
> dog's puppy raiser will occur if it does at all. This decision should rest
> with the parties in question and not the dictates of a guide dog program
> that thinks it is doing the right thing when in reallity it is doing more
> harm than good.
>
>    A guide dog handler's Bill of Rights would require guide dog programs
> to
> establish procedures for facilitating direct communication between its
> graduates and puppy raisers and would prohibit the removal of contact
> information it may pass between them.
>
>    A number of Seeing Eye graduates have discussed this matter with the
> school only to receive one excuse after another. And oh yes. As was told
> to
> Marion by Fidelco concerning the graduate who's dog was wrongly removed
> the
> same old fashion voodoo about confidentiality and privacy are touted
> concerning direct communication between puppy handlers and guide dog
> school
> graduates. Programs like the Seeing Eye and others with similar practices
> would do well to enter the new Milennium on this matter or face the
> possibility of a legislative mandate to do so. Guide dog handlers have a
> right to learn about their dog's up-bringing. Who best to provide that
> information than the dog's puppy raiser.
>
>    One Seeing Eye Instructor told me that when one adopts a child contact
> information for the child's former parents is withheld. The same should be
> done in the case of guide dog puppy raisers and SE'S graduates. I wouldn't
> be pressed to want such information from an adoption agency in the first
> place. As the child becomes a part of the family and begins to share
> his/her
> background I'd have a way to get the information I need to be a more
> effective parent. A dog is unable to communicate such information to its
> owner. I have had guide dogs from several guide dog schools and had no
> issues with communication between myself and the dog's raiser. I have very
> specific requirements any future guide dog program would need to me if I'm
> to seek training from them. Because all guide dog programs have one less
> then desireable practice or another switching schools to address the puppy
> raiser communication issue is not an option. No self-respecting blind
> individual should be put in such a predicament. Let's make sure graduates
> of
> all guide dog programs have the opportunity to communicate directly with
> their dog's puppy family if they choose to do so.
>
>    These are just two issues a "Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights" could
> address. I'm sure folks on these lists can think of more. It's an idea
> worth
> considering to help put an end to practices many of us find demeaning and
> offensive. Thanks for reading.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
>
>
>
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