[nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights

Mon Jan 31 00:15:03 UTC 2011

Hello Cindy and everyone,

    The U.S. Department of Justice comes to mind right now. If we can urge 
Congress to pass a Technology Bill of Rights we should be able to encourage 
them to pass similar legislation to protect the rights of guide dog 
handlers. I believe the legislation calls for a commission to enforce the 
Technology Bill of Rights. Perhaps a similar entity should be created to 
administer this legislation. We need to figure it out and create the 
proposed legislation.

Peter Donahue

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cindy Ray" <cindyray at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 2:49 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights

He did actually mention ownership in there. Who would you expect to 
legislate this mandate?

On Jan 30, 2011, at 2:04 PM, Steven Johnson wrote:

> 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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