[nagdu] Removing Harness and Leash for Security Re: flyingwithPrincess for the first time

[Robert Hooper]

Hello:

Just an additional thought on the subject: why don't you agree with not removing the harness? The ADA protects your right not to be separated in any way from your dog along with your right to maintain control of your dog--thus, you are not obligated to remove the harness; so why would you feel as though you need to do so? In my experience, it's much easier to go through security without taking things off the dog and putting them back on the dog.

Robert Hooper
Hooper.90 at buckeyemail.osu.edu
The Ohio State University
0653 Buckeye-Cuyahoga CT
653 Cuyahoga Court
Columbus, Ohio 43210
(740) 856-8195

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nicole B. Torcolini at Home
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 12:30 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Removing Harness and Leash for Security Re: flyingwithPrincess for the first time

I was told by a trainer to absolutely never remove the dogs harness, collar or leash

For going through security, I agree with never removing the leash/collar, but I do not agree with not removing the harness. Is it what people will think of the dog, what people will do to the harness, or how the dog will behave without the harness? Yes, Lexia usually interprets harness off as play time, but she is also smart enough to know that the airport is no place for messing around.
    As far as putting on a different collar/leash, it is possible to switch collars and leashes without giving your dog full freedom. I admit that this may not be a good idea for a new guide dog team, but it should not be a problem for a team that has been together for a long time.

Also I knew of a handler and her guide  going through security after 911 and the person working the security told this handler to remove the dogs harness and she did and the security people took the harness totally apart and after she went  through security the security people gave her the harness back in pieces. Too me that's unacceptable  and very wrong.

And did your friend do anything about it? In that case, you fix the problem by talking to the person who did it or a supervisor, not by just avoiding it. Did the person take it apart to fit it in the bin or to investigate it? 
Sometimes, no matter what we do, we cannot keep the security from investigating things that way. Also, what exactly is "apart"? The GDB harness that Lexia has can be put into three pieces that are very easily put back together.

Finally, what has disturbed me more than just what you are saying is how you said it. I agree that everyone on the list has the right to express his/her opinion, but no one is the "expert" on what to do and what not to do. You could have put something along the lines of "I would" or "In my opinion""

Okay, I am going to go hide under my rock now.

Nicole

----- Original Message -----
From: "loriandleo" <loriandleo at ohiohills.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 8:19 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Removing Harness and Leash for Security Re: 
flyingwithPrincess for the first time


> Hi Nicole,
>
> I was told by a trainer to absolutely never remove the dogs harness, 
> collar
> or leash.  Also I knew of a handler and her guide  going through security
> after 911 and the person working the security told this handler to remove
> the dogs harness and she did and the security people took the harness
> totally apart and after she went  through security the security people 
> gave
> her the harness back in pieces. Too me that's unexceptable  and very 
> wrong.
> Take care.
>
>
>
> Lori and theGipper
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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