[nagdu] Matilda Ziegler article on PA service dog protection law

[rhonda cruz]

 hey great job. on getting the law passed.


On Aug 16, 2012, at 6:56 PM, Passle Helminski wrote:

>> The ceremonial
> signing of the bill went well last week.
> 
> Passle not Passel.
> 
> 
>> Feature Writer Ann Chiappetta - State Law Passed to Protect Guide and
>> Service Dog Teams
>> 
>> The rise in dogs attacking guide and service dog teams appears to be
>> escalating, or at least it seems that way to those who are keeping watch.
>> Just this week alone, an Australian man's guide dog was attacked and
>> subsequently died during the assault, and a Scottish man's 2 year-old black
>> Labrador guide dog was retired prematurely due to the trauma from continued
>> harassment by unsupervised dogs. The push for officials to pass laws
>> penalizing offending dog owners is gaining interest in the global community,
>> 
>> and most notably, right here in the United States, thanks to a long-time
>> guide dog handler and a Pennsylvania lawmaker.
>> 
>> The latest push to protect guide and service dogs comes from a woman named
>> Passel Helminski, who lives in Pennsylvania, and who has been lobbying for
>> stricter laws for over 15 years. Thanks to her and Pennsylvania State
>> Representative John Evans, House Bill 165 has passed and is now in the state
>> 
>> law books. The law makes it a third degree misdemeanor for offending owners
>> of a dog who attacks a service dog.  A service dog is defined as a dog that
>> serves to mitigate a physical disability, a hearing dog, or a guide dog. If
>> convicted, the offender could pay a five thousand dollar fine. If evidence
>> shows a dog owner could have restrained their dog and prevented the attack,
>> they may also be forced to pay veterinary bills, and pay the cost of
>> retraining or replacing the service dog.  The training of a guide dog is
>> estimated at costing roughly $45,000 and the cost of training a dog for the
>> deaf or a person with physical disabilities runs between $5,000 and $30,000,
>> 
>> respectively.
>> 
>> Aside from the economic strain resulting from an attack, the trauma is akin
>> to being the victim of a robbery or assault due to the physical and
>> psychological effects upon both dog and handler. A study performed by a
>> popular guide dog school revealed that close to one third of dogs are
>> prematurely retired after being attacked. As for Passel, all three of her
>> guide dogs were attacked by aggressive dogs.
>> 
>> Passel and her service dog are heading to Harrisburg for a ceremonial
>> signing of the bill later this week.
>> 
>> 
>> 
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