[nagdu] Are we in search of a solution without a problem?

[Larry D. Keeler]

Aaron, I have seen buisness owners and workers in public service who most 
deffinetely form oppinions about previous encounters with service dogs or 
even fake service dogs. If they have had a well behaved dog come in before 
we get to there place, they often have strong oppinions as to how are dogs 
should be behaving! Not fair but true! Also, the reverse is true. I 
constantly am compared with other dog handlers wherever I go. I have a 
labradoodle and she is often accused of not being a service dog even when 
she is working! Not because she isn't working well but because most folks 
don't believe that a dog who looks like that, can't be a service dog! I feel 
that we have a probblem with out a solution! Mainly because many of the dogs 
I've seen who ar questionable often are not behaving in a way that would be 
tolerated from our dogs. If a dog is being claimed to be performing a 
service and is behaving pretty well. I wound not have much of an issue.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Aaron Cannon" <cannona at fireantproductions.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2013 8:45 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Are we in search of a solution without a problem?


Hi all.

The recent petition from CCI that was forwarded to this list made some
assertions:

"When untrained pet dogs are somewhere they shouldn’t be, it can
create all kinds of problems that make business owners think twice
before allowing the same access to legitimate service dogs and the
people who need them.

"This outrageous and potentially dangerous fraud only adds to the
discrimination often faced by people with disabilities who actually
need assistance dogs.

"Legitimate service dogs require years of expert training to perform
specific commands like picking up dropped items and opening doors that
benefit people with disabilities – many of them U.S. veterans who are
injured while fighting for this country. These dogs provide calm,
reliable assistance to their human partners and help them live more
independently.

"Now is the time to crack down on service dog fraud and end the online
sale of fake service dog certification products. Please don’t allow
the benefits of a service dog to be taken away from people who need
them."


First, has anyone actually seen some evidence, anecdotal or otherwise,
that this is as big a problem as they claim it is?  Has anyone been
denied access because someone else used a fake ID card?  Honestly
curious, as I have no information either way.

Second, (and now I am being a bit sarcastic) did anyone's dog receive
a few years of expert training?  Did it concern you that your dog took
over 6 times longer to train than the average?  What sorts of amazing
things can your dog do with all that expert training?

Third, does anyone else get a bit suspicious when people or
organizations start appealing to "think of the children" or "think of
the service men and women" arguments to make their case?

Fourth, has anyone seen anything that might indicate that the benefits
of service dogs are in danger of being taken away from "those who need
them"?

There are other issues with this petition which I'll address in
another email, but in short, I'd think carefully before signing.

Aaron

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