[nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
solsticesinger
solsticesinger at gmail.com
Mon Jan 31 17:17:49 UTC 2011
I think some people believe that, if the schools do not retain ownership,
they will not give good follow-up services. I know, before graduating and
retaining ownership of Caroline, I questioned GDF about what ownership would
mean, in terms of aftercare. I was reassured that I could still get help if
I needed it. The school wasn't abandoning me, because I chose to own my dog.
Shannon and Caroline
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Julie J" <julielj at neb.rr.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 4:37 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
> Jordan,
>
> I don't understand the link between ownership and follow up services you
> are insinuating. Can you explain how ownership affects follow up
> services?
>
> Julie
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jordan Gallacher" <jgallacher1987 at gmail.com>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 2:45 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
>
>
>> Peter,
>> Let me clue you in to tsE. TSE reposesed my last dog without any reason
>> what so ever. AS a matter of fact, they did that after I retired him and
>> had found a home for him. TSE really doesn't care enough after you
>> graduate
>> and you will have to do something about that to change my mind about the
>> ownership policies at other schools. I had to retire my last dog because
>> of
>> lack of support where as GDB has sent an instructor out twice and pretty
>> quickly, I might add, to help resolve issues. Without the 1 year
>> ownership
>> policy, I doubt that this would be happening.
>> Jordan
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> Of Peter Donahue
>> Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 2:37 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
>>
>> Hello Jordan and everyone,
>>
>> Why. One school all ready gives its graduates complete ownership when
>> they're finished with training. The legislative idea I'm suggesting would
>> require all schools to follow Seeing Eye's example. Hopefully it will
>> also
>> raise expectations among guide dog handlers to where they'll demand that
>> such a policy be duplicated in all guide dog training facilities. Hay man
>> not more selling blind people short by suggesting a year's retention of
>> ownership of the dog.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jordan Gallacher" <jgallacher1987 at gmail.com>
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 2:20 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights
>>
>>
>> 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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