[nagdu] Goodwill Changes Policy On Service Dogs

Wed Jul 18 15:22:32 UTC 2012

Decided?  I hope that's just a bad wording choice on his part.  If
not, it's sad to me that a business like Goodwill would think that the
ADA is optional.  I wonder how many state laws conflict with the
federal ADA like that.

Also, I don't really like the way she kept saying that the woman
"claimed."  Like she was lying about her experiencing descrimination.
I also found some gramatically incorrect wording and strangely written
expressions in this article.  That kind of stuff from the media really
bugs me.

On 7/18/12, Buddy Brannan <buddy at brannan.name> wrote:
> Of course the ADA overrides state law. I was only commenting on his
> statement that they'd best go ahead and follow it, as if they had a choice
> in the matter.
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>
>
>
> On Jul 18, 2012, at 10:46 AM, Cindy Ray <cindyray at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Gees, Buddy, calm down. <Grin> I don't think that is a good analogy. The
>> fascinating thing is that the ADA over rides the Tennessee law, I think,
>> so how is it they are just doing this out of the goodness of their little
>> hearts.
>>
>> Cindy Lou
>>
>> On Jul 18, 2012, at 9:36 AM, Buddy Brannan wrote:
>>
>>> "why: ?Even though we were already operating under the Tennessee law, we
>>> decided that it would be best for us to go ahead and comply with the ADA
>>> law."
>>>
>>> "
>>>
>>> So, what, the ADA is optional? Like, you can choose whether to follow it
>>> or not? That's fantastic! So, I can murder the guy in the next cube over
>>> because he annoys me, and it's OK, because I choose not to acknowledge
>>> the laws against murder? Annoying people of the world, you'd better watch
>>> out!
>>> --
>>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>>> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Jul 18, 2012, at 7:11 AM, "Ginger Kutsch" <GingerKutsch at yahoo.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Goodwill Changes Policy On Service Dogs
>>>>
>>>> By Megan Brantley
>>>>
>>>> Jun 15 2012
>>>>
>>>> http://www.wcyb.com/Goodwill-Changes-Policy-On-Service-Dogs/-/14590664/15240
>>>> 106/-/9ycsahz/-/index.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -
>>>>
>>>> She claimed to be a victim of discrimination because Goodwill turned
>>>> her
>>>> away and wouldn't let her service dog in the store. Earlier this week
>>>> we
>>>> told you about a local woman and a controversy over her service dog.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Original story: Service Dog Owner Claims Discrimination
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Rose Hollowka suffers from epilepsy and said her dog, which warns her
>>>> beforehand that she is about to have a seizure, was not allowed in a
>>>> Johnson
>>>> City Goodwill store. The story said that was because she didn't have
>>>> documentation to prove Honey was a service dog.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> That story touched a nerve for many folks; it has been viewed over
>>>> 15,000
>>>> times here on WCYB.com. It also brought a flood of calls and emails to
>>>> Goodwill about disability discrimination.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Nationally we heard a lot. A lot of Goodwill [stores] across the
>>>> country do
>>>> hear a lot. They want to comment on it. They want to know. They really
>>>> don't
>>>> know how the Goodwill organization is set up," said Bob Miller, CEO and
>>>> President of Goodwill of Tenn/Va.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> We searched the law and found Tennessee does in fact allow businesses
>>>> to
>>>> choose whether or not to ask for documentation when someone has a
>>>> service
>>>> animal, but the organization is now making some changes. Miller
>>>> explained
>>>> why: ?Even though we were already operating under the Tennessee law, we
>>>> decided that it would be best for us to go ahead and comply with the
>>>> ADA
>>>> law."
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Miller told us that Goodwill will announce on its website the new
>>>> policy
>>>> with service animals. Now it will only ask what service an animal
>>>> provides,
>>>> but not ask for documentation. "I am glad that they changed the policy,
>>>> said
>>>> Rose Hollowka. ?I am disappointed that it takes someone going to the
>>>> media
>>>> to get this changed and taken care of."
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> That's a change that backs up Goodwill?s mission to serve those with
>>>> disabilities.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Original story: Service Dog Owner Claims Discrimination
>>>>
>>>> By Megan Brantley
>>>>
>>>> POSTED: Jun 12 2012 05:48:52 AM EDT UPDATED: 5:43 AM Jun 12 2012
>>>>
>>>> http://www.wcyb.com/Service-Dog-Owner-Claims-Discrimination/-/14590664/15240
>>>> 206/-/h8wnql/-/index.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -
>>>>
>>>> A Johnson City woman claims that she was discriminated against for
>>>> bringing
>>>> her service dog inside a store.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> According to the Americans with Disability Act, state and local
>>>> governments,
>>>> businesses, and non-profit organizations that serve the public must
>>>> allow
>>>> service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of
>>>> the
>>>> facility where the public is normally allowed to go.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> One woman she was not allowed to do so when she was shopping at the
>>>> Goodwill. Rose Holowka is dealing with a disability. "I was in a car
>>>> wreck
>>>> back in 1992 which caused seizures that developed into epilepsy and
>>>> have
>>>> partial complex seizures," she explained.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Her service dog Honey makes things a little easier, but we learned that
>>>> the
>>>> law makes it a little harder. ?About a month ago my husband and I went
>>>> to
>>>> the Goodwill, and we were approached by their supervisor. We were told
>>>> that
>>>> we had to leave or show certification or documentation for the dog,"
>>>> said
>>>> Holowka.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Unlike being blind, Holowka doesn't have a visible disability and she
>>>> says
>>>> that makes it harder to convince people.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Federal law does not require folks to show proof an animal is a service
>>>> dog.
>>>> State representative Jon Lundberg says places are not allowed to ask.
>>>> ?You
>>>> can't ask to see that,? says Lundberg, ?This is not like 'let's see you
>>>> driver's license, let's see your dog credentials.' It doesn't work that
>>>> way,
>>>> it wasn't designed to work that way."
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Although it wasn't designed that way, it's put places like Goodwill in
>>>> a
>>>> very tough position. With the animals not being required by law to wear
>>>> a
>>>> vest or dog tag, it makes it hard to tell which dog is a service dog
>>>> and
>>>> which isn't.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> We spoke with a representative from Goodwill who said that with the
>>>> right
>>>> paperwork they'd be happy to allow them in, but until then, their
>>>> policy
>>>> says no pets allowed.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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>>
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-- 
Julie McG
 Lindbergh High School class of 2009, National Federation of the Blind
of Missouri recording secretary,
Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President,
and proud graduate of Guiding Eyes for the Blind

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
life."
John 3:16