[nagdu] Veterinary assistance
Michael Hingson
info at michaelhingson.com
Sun Apr 14 00:30:03 UTC 2013
All,
I think we are getting a bit tense concerning this topic. Whether or not
someone chooses to use veterinary assistance from a guide dog school is
their own business. I do not believe someone is less independent, perhaps
except financially, if they use a school's aid if it is available.
I do think that each of us as consumers do need to take responsibility for
our guides which does include supporting them medically. Some schools have
raised enough money that they have begun providing aid to grads who need it.
GDB, for example, offers a $250 stipend to each grad every year to pay for
basic care such as a physical and vaccinations. One only gets the stipend
if they ask for it. In addition, if a grad incurs other medical expenses
for one reason or another the school will assist in paying those bills on a
case by case basis when asked.
I think GDB recognizes its responsibility to insure that each expensive
guide dog it provides works as long as possible by offering the vet
assistance programs it has put in place. I do not have to utilize those
programs if I choose to pay the vet bills myself.
If someone decides to attend GDB because it offers the programs it does then
so be it. I would hope, however, that veterinary assistance is down the
list from good training and good service overall.
On another front, the reality is that the NFB DOES represent the most
positive and independent philosophy toward blindness in the country. Jenny,
it is your voice as much as it is the voice of others. You can choose to
have an influence on that voice if you wish, but by remaining silent and by
not becoming involved you are making your choice to let others speak for
you.
What the NFB says is not just rhetoric, but it speaks most through action.
No one else is working to get a minimum wage for all blind people. No other
organization began the effort to mandate that silent cars be manufactured
with sounds to warn ALL pedestrians of their proximity. The NFB alone
caused Target to make their web site available. The NFB was probably the
only outside impetus that brought about accessible Apple devices. Finally,
it was the NFB that other organizations turned to in order to help get the
"Space Availability" legislation addressed and, hopefully, soon passed.
Just rhetoric it is not. It is the blind collectively speaking up and
working together to bring about change for all of us. I know personally of
what the NFB has done for all of us. I was kicked off an airplane in 1980
simply because I had a guide dog. The NFB was a major part of the solution
to that problem. You too can be part of the solution if you choose.
Now all, I suggest we have discussed veterinary assistance enough, but I
leave it to the moderators to decide.
Best,
Michael Hingson
Vice President NAGDU
-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jenny Keller
Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2013 05:05 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Veterinary assistance
Look,
I personally don't feel that it's anyone's feelings on the matter changes
the situations.
A dog can bring so much freedom to a person's life.
Saying that, yes, there may be that need in the beginning.
But if the person at the school gets the honest information about the
clients need for help and decides to give that person a dog. Then it's up
to the school to make the right decisions.
This independence thing that the NFB spews as their retoric or mantra is
offensive to me.
I have chronic headache and fibromyalgia. It's almost impossible to work
for me.
It doesn't mean I'm less than a person because of it. It just means that I
still have to go and handle things in my life, and need a guide to help.
Sorry if this offends anyone, but I'm getting tired of the NFB mantra being
pushed on me. That, in fact, is the reason I only take part in this list
and don't have the desire to belong to any of their chapters.
Despite all that the NFB says, they are not my voice of the blind, and they
are not the voice of all of the blind people who live on this earth.
Thanks for hearing me out.
Jenny
On Apr 13, 2013, at 5:16 AM, "Steven Johnson" <blinddog3 at charter.net> wrote:
> Yep, I understand, but it is a good discussion point if we start
> looking at one's long-term ability to actually care for a dog.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Eve Sanchez
> Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2013 12:14 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Veterinary assistance
>
> Well, Steve. I am not actually asking for a philosophical discussion
> on rights and wrongs about veternary assistance. I just wondering
> which schools do provide assistance. For people starting out, it may
> be a consideration whether you believe it should be or not, so I was
> curious. Actually with Pilot, I believe that the assistance comes
> through fund raising done by the alumni association, so it is handlers
> raising money for themselves. I may be wrong there, but I think so.
> Either way, I was just wondering which schools have any programs to
> help support their graduates. Eve
>
> On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 10:09 AM, Steven Johnson
> <blinddog3 at charter.net>
> wrote:
>> Eve,
>>
>> Veterinary assistance is an interesting subject as I wonder how many
>> feel that if one is not able to take care of a dog, then why even
>> bother getting one? Kind of a like a car, a home, or any other type
>> of property. In my bias opinion, it is the responsibility of the
>> individual, not the training program to care for the dog. If a
>> training program grants ownership upon graduation, then by all means,
>> it is that handlers responsibility, and that should be a term in the
>> final ownership contract. If the training program does not provide
>> ownership until after 1, 2 or however many years, then yes,
>> subsidizing that cost may indeed be a part of the training programs
>> responsibility with the caveat that after ownership is granted, it
>> becomes their baby to take care of and care for. I would be
>> interested in hearing what others have to say, as any of us who have
>> a guide realize that there are costs involved, and sometimes,
>> significant
> costs especially if something catastrophic or emergent occurs.
>>
>> Steve
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Eve
>> Sanchez
>> Sent: Friday, April 12, 2013 10:51 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] A cane user interested in a dog guide
>>
>> Just curious. Reading all the posts, there is a lot of mention of
>> veternarian assistance. I am wondering if all the schools provide
>> assitance of some type. I heard specifically that GDA does and I know
>> that
> Pilot does.
>> What of the others? As I said, just curious. Eve
>>
>> On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 8:46 AM, Eve Sanchez <celticyaya at gmail.com>
wrote:
>>> Oh I knew I would get it for that. It's just a personal prejudice I
>>> guess. I wont own one. Never have. Well, I actualy have owned two
>>> dogs that were each one quarter lab, but I didnt admit it often.
>>> Cant really say as to why. Just experiences I have had I guess and
>>> dont bother trying to change my mind. No one can. I have a golden
>>> retriever right now. My last dog was a german shepherd. I know that
>>> not all dogs in a breed are alike, but I cant get over my prejudice
>>> I guess. I do know that for some reason I could tolerate yellows
>>> much better than blacks so I am wondering if it might be a childhood
>>> thing. Never really thought about chocolates one way or another.
>>> Well,
> sorry, but
>>> that's how I feel. ;X Eve Oh and I know it is not black dogs in
>>> particular that I do not like. We had a black pitbull once that was
>>> a sweetheart. Her name was Loca and she thought she was a chihuahua.
>>> Again, sorry.
>>>
>>> On Thu, Apr 11, 2013 at 5:39 PM, Lyn Gwizdak <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
>> wrote:
>>>> Hi Eve,
>>>> What kind of dog do you have? What do you not like about Labs? I
>>>> like to hear why people like certain breeds or why they dislike
>>>> certain breeds. Many schools are using Lab/Golden crosses now.
>>>> Landon is one and he matches my red hair - and he has more grey
>>>> than I
>> have! LOL!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Lyn and Landon
>>>> "Asking who's the man and who's the woman in an LGBT relationship
>>>> is like asking which chopstick is the fork" - Unknown
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eve Sanchez"
>>>> <celticyaya at gmail.com>
>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2013 2:53 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] A cane user interested in a dog guide
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> I myself would not worry about the location unless you want your
>>>>> training to double as a vacation. haha I believe all schools will
>>>>> take you no matter where you are with maybe a couple of exceptions
>>>>> like one in NY and one in Texas. I myself chose based on multiple
>>>>> things. The breeds available, the amount and type of training
>>>>> avalable and yes, assitance and support afterwards. Ideally I
>>>>> would have gone to San Rafael as I am from Northern Cal originally
>>>>> and still have family right there, but I did not under any
>>>>> cercumstance want a labrador (no offense people). The school I
>>>>> chose have a variety of breeds, yes including poodles for the
>>>>> allergic. They also have Dobermans, shepherds, boxers, labs, goldens,
and vizlas.
>>>>> I probably spelled that last one wrong. Once in a while they have
>>>>> crosses like labradoodles. Most are bred for the program and some
>>>>> are donations by breeders they work with. All are screened for
>>>>> suitability. The training process is there at the facility as I
>>>>> would have been very uncomfortable doing it at my home. Just me,
>>>>> but as I was also in process of moving it made sense. Look at all
>>>>> the schools online, call and talk to their staff, and make your
>>>>> own decision. I could tell you that my school is best, but it may
>>>>> not be best for you. Either way, be prepared, there will be people
>>>>> found who could tell you what is wrong with each school. Again,
>>>>> judge for yourself. I am also thinking you are not even sure at
>>>>> this point if a dog is right for you. For this I will tell you the
>>>>> same
> thing.
>>>>> When I struggled with this, I had some very opinionated people
>>>>> tell me why I should not get a dog. I also had sympathetic wusses
>>>>> tell me it would be wonderful for me to be taken care of. What
>>>>> finally helped me decide was an incident in which I was left alone
>>>>> in a park and had no idea where I was. I realized at that moment
>>>>> that, though a cane helps me be safe, it does not tell me where to
>>>>> go. A cane is also crappy companionship when on your own. When I
>>>>> am in an unknown area with my dog, though some people say this is
>>>>> not true, I could tell my dog to find the sidewalk or whatever.
>>>>> She will and then once I have a landmark, I have my bearings and
>>>>> can go on from there. Yes, a cane is safe, but a dog gets you places
AND is safe.
>>>>> You decide though and talk all that we say with what you think it
>>>>> is
> worth.
>>>>> Blessed Be. Eve
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, Apr 11, 2013 at 12:10 PM, Chantel Cuddemi
>>>>> <jawsgirl87 at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I chose Pilot Dogs because they trained standard poodles, the
>>>>>> breed I chose to train with, and I also chose Pilot because
>>>>>> they're right here in Ohio.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Good luck with whatever school you choose.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Chantel and Motley.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>>>>>> Anjelina Cruz
>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2013 10:31 AM
>>>>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> Subject: [nagdu] A cane user interested in a dog guide
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Good morning all,
>>>>>> I am currently a cane user who recently has been interested in
>>>>>> choosing a dog guide school. How did you choose your school?
>>>>>> Thanks for any feedback.
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Anjelina
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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