[nagdu] Meghan Whalen: Attack on service dog points to need for responsibility

[Ginger Kutsch]

FYI. Here's a follow up letter regarding the dog attack on Meghan's guide
dog. Casey's Law was named after a Seeing Eye boxer whose owner initiated
the legislation. The statute can be found at:
http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stuswiguidedoglaws.htm#s951.097

Loretta Himmelsbach: Casey's Law protects service animals
Madison.com  Opinion piece
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/opinion/mailbag/loretta-himmelsbach-casey-s
-law-protects-service-animals/article_19276c24-4bd7-11e2-bc86-001a4bcf887a.h
tml

Anyone who observes the interaction between a blind or visually-impaired
individual and his or her service dog understands the animal plays a key
role in that person's independence, mobility and confidence.

A service dog becomes that person's eyes, helping to navigate employment,
school, places of worship and family gatherings. In addition, the two
develop a strong, close emotional bond.

We were saddened to learn about the recent attack on a dog guide, described
in a letter to the editor last Saturday.

The Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired reminds readers of
Casey's Law, legislation enacted in 2006 that makes it a misdemeanor or
felony to interfere with, harass, steal, injure or kill a service dog,
punishable by fines, restitution and imprisonment.

Wisconsin boasts one of the best legal protections nationwide for service
dogs and their owners. One service dog costs approximately $10,000 to
replace. And they are irreplaceable to owners to maintain their
self-sufficiency.

Please respect all service animals and their owners, and be responsible for
your own pets.

- Loretta Himmelsbach, executive director, Wisconsin Council of the Blind
and Visually Impaired


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ginger Kutsch
Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2012 7:16 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] Meghan Whalen: Attack on service dog points to need for
responsibility

Meghan Whalen: Attack on service dog points to need for responsibility

Source:
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/opinion/mailbag/meghan-whalen-attack-on-ser
vice-dog-points-to-need-for/article_1c086292-4653-11e2-ada6-0019bb2963f4.htm
l

 

I originally moved here to go to school, and I stayed because I fell in love
with the city. The vast majority of Madison residents are open-minded and

respectful.

 

I am blind, and it was a breath of fresh air to find a lack of people who
judged me based on my blindness or wanted to pet or otherwise interact with
my guide dog.

 

But a serious issue came up recently. I was walking with my guide dog, and
an aggressive dog came out of its yard and attacked my dog. It was 30
seconds of terror for me as I tried to give my dog enough room to defend
himself or get away. I couldn't let him go, because I was on a busy street.
As a result of the attack, he has some bruising and swelling and one small
puncture wound.

 

The physical trauma is upsetting enough, but my bigger concern is the
psychological trauma for my dog and myself. He is already showing signs of
being fearful of other dogs. He growls when he hears another dog bark, and
he is very jumpy. I am reluctant to work him for fear of how he may react if
we come across another dog on our walks.

 

I hope that those who share their lives with dogs will do all they can to be
responsible. A few seconds of bad judgment may have cost my partner and
companion his career. He is not yet three years old, and we should have many
years ahead of us.

 

- Meghan Whalen, Madison 

 

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