[nagdu] Guide dogs on the college campus

[National Association of Guide Dog Users]

Jewel,
	Some time ago there was a message disseminated by one of the
Regional ADA Technical Assistance Centers concerning service animals on
school campuses that provided some very incorrect information. It seems your
college has received this information and are following the guidelines this
publication suggested. The fact of the matter is that following these
guidelines is in violation of the ADA. Your college is required to modify
its policies, practices, and procedures to allow you to be accompanied by a
service animal. The implementing regulations that took effect on march 15,
2011 reiterate that public entities (if your school is a state school) and
private entities that provide public accommodation (if your school is
private) cannot require documentation nor impose any restrictions on your
use of a service animal unless the presence of your service animal poses a
direct threat or is out of control and you do not take immediate action to
control the animal. If your school asserts that either of these conditions
exist, they must present evidence of such conditions; it is not your
responsibility to prove it does not. This is known as an affirmative
defense.
	I have attached the recent implementing regulations for you should
you want to present them to your disabilities services office or the
school's ADA Coordinator. If you need our assistance, please do not hesitate
to get in touch with me. My contact information is below my signature.

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

 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jewel
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 2:12 PM
To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users NAGDU Mailing List
Subject: [nagdu] Guide dogs on the college campus

Since I am going to guide dog school next month, I brought it up at my
college's disability services office. They told me I would have to bring
paperwork from the school, such as the certificate that GDF provides, to
demonstrate that this is a legal service animal. Then, before I can bring
the dog to class, he or she will have to be added to my accommodation list,
requiring a review by disability support officers. I would also be required
to tell my professors in advance or I would not be allowed to bring my
service animal. From being on this list, I have learned my rights under the
ADA, and none of this seems to fit with those legal rights. An I missing
something or should I fight them on these requirements? 
Yours, 
Jewel 

Typed with Fleksy
reply://herekittykat2@gmail.com



Sent from my iPhone
_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blind411%40verizon.net
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: definition of a Service Animal.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 38912 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nagdu_nfbnet.org/attachments/20130625/77b34c62/attachment.doc>