[nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights

Jordan Gallacher jgallacher1987 at gmail.com
Sun Jan 30 20:55:34 UTC 2011


That is the business's choice on what policies and regulations they will
have and someone must follow.
Jordan

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Cindy Ray
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 2:51 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights

Why should the school need a year to make this determination. I should think
they can figure that out before the student leaves. If they have elected to
take the student in the first place, and if he/she has passed their training
satisfactorily, then they should own the dog when they walk out the door
with ample follow up available.

On Jan 30, 2011, at 2:20 PM, Jordan Gallacher wrote:

> Here is how ownership should be.  The school should own the dog for no
more
> than the first year or until the school knows that the user is properly
> using the dog.
> Jordan
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Steven Johnson
> Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 2:04 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users';
'Blind
> Talk Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
> 
> Peter,
> 
> This is an interesting idea.  One thing that I don't believe you touched
on,
> or may have indirectly, is the issue of ownership which has been an
ongoing
> issue of discussion among the dog guide community and NAGDU for a very
long
> time.  This might be one way to at least bring this a little closer to
> creating something that addresses this.
> 
> Again, an interesting idea.  I will be eager to hear what others think.
> 
> Steve
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Peter Donahue
> Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 1:48 PM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Cc: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> 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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