[nagdu] Ownership of guide dog

[Marion Gwizdala]

Ava,
    Since the contract one signs with the training programs is a legally 
binding agreement, should an allegation of abuse, neglect, or maltreatment 
be made, the terms of the agreement and their legality would be reviewed. In 
the case of Fidelco, for instance, a legal expert in the area of consumer 
and ownership rights has told me the terms of Fidelco's agreement would 
likely be deemed unenforceable. It basically states, "You own your dog 
unless we decide you don't!" Such contradictory language is logically 
flawed.
    As for the terms of other agreements I have seen, the programs generally 
use the terms "evidence of abuse, neglect, or maltreatment" when referring 
to their right to repossess a dog. In such cases, I would assume the legal 
procedures and definitions of "evidence" would be used.

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ava Foster" <avapup.7 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2012 9:27 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Ownership of guide dog


> Thank you all for your answers to my question about which programs
> grant total ownership. It's not that I'd mind having a contract
> stating a program could take a dog for abuse or such, but what worries
> me is, who determines what constitutes that abuse, such as in the
> example which I believe involved Fidelco. As an owner-trainer who
> would NEVER abuse a dog, I'd hate to think that asking for help could
> result in having a beloved family memer taken away. Thanks again! Ava
>
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