[nagdu] Fidelco Responds to Guide Dog Users' Bill of Rights

Wed Aug 14 20:37:16 UTC 2013

Michael and Tina,

My boyfriend (who is also a guide dog user) and I compiled the
following concerns/comments. I think a lot of the issues we have are
more legal stuff that we feel that the Bill of Rights didn't really
take into consideration. However, I don't know the rationalization
behind these proposals, so some clarification and discussion would be
appreciated.

>A. The guide dog training program shall seek input from the consumer concerning the type of dog requested throughout the matching process.

* I really like this to an extent; I believe that it is necessary and
 important to gain consumer input (and my school, GDB does this well).
What I have misgivings on is the fact that this could be interpreted
by a consumer to say that they can receive any dog they want. . I
believe that it is best to let the instructors choose your
 dog for you, unless you really do have requirements that are not just
 something you specifically want. I think here it is important to
 distinguish between "I want"/"I need." I have heard a lot of stories
about people ademently insisting on a specific type of dog and how
disastrously wrong that match was. I believe that the trainers know
best what kind of dog a user might need and as consumers of the
organization, we should respect their expert opinions. Again, I'm not
saying that consumer input is not valuable and should be discouraged,
but that people shouldn't have a free reign when deciding what dog
they are going to get.

>A. The consumers freedom of independent travel with a white cane shall not be restricted by the training program, unless doing so would
 interfere with the training process or adversely impact other consumers.

* I was honestly confused by the word "restrictions." Are there
training programs out there that do not allow their clients to use a
white cane at all? If it so, then I definitely do not agree with that
as there have been instances in which I have had to take out my cane
and heel my dog in order to find certain landmarks. However, there
could be people guide dog users that tend to refer back to their canes
more than working with their guides, which would defeat the whole
purpose of getting a guide in the first place.

 >B. Consumers shall be free to independently monitor and >manage their
 personal health, including, but not limited >to blood pressure
monitoring, blood glucose testing, insulin injections, pain management
regimens, and all other health maintenance routines. Assistance may be
offered; however, the
 consumer has the right to refuse such assistance.
 This is one of those legal issues that I was concerned with. It is
important I guess as long as the refusal is done with the
 knowledge that improper use of the medications does not negatively
 impact the organization they are training at.

>D. Consumers shall be afforded opportunities to independently travel off-campus accompanied by their guide dogs prior to completion of training At the discression of the training program.
 I pretty much say no here; GDB does not allow you to go galavanting off
 campus because it could be dangerous for both you and the dog if you are
 an untrained guidedog user. I still feel that even as a retrain, it
 could still be dangerous if you don't know the dog very well.
 Alternatively, I believe there are also legal implications if something
 should happen to a dog; from what I was told, after graduation a sort of
 partial ownership is transfered to you. I equate this situation with
getting a driver's license; you wouldn't want somebody that did not
complete their driver's course to roam the streets. It takes time for
a dog and handler to understand one another's patterns and habits and
allowing someone to just take off with a guide just doesn't make
sense.

>B. A consumer’s refusal to allow other training programs >to share
 information during the application process　>shall not be used as the
 sole grounds for
 >denial of services.
 I am kind of confused here; I don't believe your information should be
 randomly shared, but I do believe that organizations such as gdb have
 the right (and the responsibility really) to request information from
 other organizations. My concern is this scenario; a client could have
 had a dog from 3 other schools that was taken away for specific reasons.
 Perhaps one bad experience with one school should not be an indicator of
 the client, but multiple experiences should have to be explained and
 should be known to the school at which you are applying. I believe that
 if an organization is going to invest in a dog and training of a client,
 they should be aware of the client's record before making that investment.

>B. Follow up services shall be optional. Invitations for >follow up
 services may be made when a representative will >be in the area, with
 the understanding
 >that the consumer may decline the offer without >consequences.
 To a point, I agree with this; I've heard a ton of stories about
 representatives just randomly dropping in on clients. I believe that
 this shouldn't be made optional though; if you personally agree upon
 receiving training or a dog that you will be visited say, once a year
 until it is decided that this isn't necessary, then you should be held
 to this. By investing in a dog and a client, the organization should
 have the right to check on their dogs and make sure everything is ok.

>A. i. Consumers shall have the right to know the >identities of those
 who file allegations
 >of abuse, maltreatment and/or neglect and shall be given >the
 opportunity to answer such allegations before the >training program
 commences any action. Anonymous
 >complaints shall not be accepted.
 I know a few people here feel pretty strongly about this. I do believe
 it is important to know what the complaint was and why, but I believe
 the person should be able to remain anonymous. Again, I see a scenario
 in which a dog is having a lot of issues, or perhaps the person is
 mistreating their dog in a workplace, but where a person does not want
 to make their name known because it may cause issues. The organization
 should encourage dialog between the the complaintant and the handler, or
 in the least facilitate some sort of dialog with the other person
 remaining anonymous. Maybe a system can be implemented where
anonymous complaints can be verified that they are coming from a
credible source before being investigated.

On 8/14/13, Tina Thomas <judotina48kg at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello- I would be very interested in your concerns and misgivings on the
> bill of rights.
> Tina
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of minh ha
> Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2013 12:09 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fidelco Responds to Guide Dog Users' Bill of Rights
>
> Marion,
>
> Has the Bill of Rights already been voted on at this year's national
> convention? I just read it on the blog and agree with many of the points.
> There were only a couple that I had misgivings on and I was wondering if
> there was a place to comment on them.
>
> Minh
>
> On 8/14/13, National Association of Guide Dog Users <blind411 at verizon.net>
> wrote:
>> Sheila,
>> 	If you go to the blog, you will be able to read exactly what Fidelco
>
>> said - or did not say - as well as my commentary on their response.
>>
>> Marion
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sheila
>> Leigland
>> Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2013 1:43 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fidelco Responds to Guide Dog Users' Bill of
>> Rights
>>
>> from what I remember there wasn't much response from fidelco I was
>> hoping for more openness from the representative.
>> On 8/14/2013 11:33 AM, National Association of Guide Dog Users wrote:
>>> Dear All,
>>>
>>>                  During this year's annual meeting of the National
>>> Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU), a strong and proud division
>>> of the National Federation of the Blind, we invited guide dog
>>> training programs to offer input on our Guide dog Users' Bil of
>>> Rights. The first of these responses is from the Fidelco Guide Dog
>>> Foundation, along with official comments from NAGDU. You can read
>>> this response and our commentary on our Harness Up! Blog by going to
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> http://harnessup.wordpress.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The text of our Guide dog Users' Bill of Rights is also available on
>>> our blog. Please feel free to leave comments!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Fraternally yours,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Marion Gwizdala, President
>>>
>>> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc.
>>>
>>> National Federation of the Blind
>>>
>>> (813) 626-2789 (Office)
>>>
>>> 888-NAGDU411 (Hotline
>>>
>>> President at nagdu.org
>>>
>>> www.nagdu.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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>
>
> --
> "All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty
> recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
> but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their
> dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence
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-- 
"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty
recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on
their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." T. E. Lawrence