[nagdu] Guide dogs and Therapy Dogs

[Dailyah]

Hi Cindy Lou,

I do not believe this has found a resolution, but at least with Therapy Dogs International (AKA "TDI" - one of the 2 BIG groups that certifies and "sends out" teams to hospitals, etc.) they will not allow a guide dog or any other kind of service dog to be a therapy dog through them.  They will allow a disabled handler to go through the exam with a pet dog...but if you then want to take your service dog along to assist you - not only do they require that you do their test handling both dogs simultaneously (you using your dog and managing the interactions and all of your pet dog AKA the therapy dog), they also then require you to carry your OWN liability insurance instead of being under the TDI umbrella policy.  TDI is being accused of discriminating against the disabled.  You can read more about it here: http://servicedogcentral.org/content/node/568  

I just happened to catch this at one point.  It wasn't that long ago that I read it and the story is still up on the Service Dog Central site which is why I don't think anything has changed, but I'm not positive.  I'm not really involved in therapy dog stuff these days.  Delta Society is the other really big program and I don't know what their stance is on assistance dogs also being therapy dogs.

I think the logic is that the working dogs should be focused on their handlers and be working that way so they should not be therapy dogs and paying attention to other people, but it seems like there's more to it than that.  I just figured you should know that there is some controversy.

Good Luck!

Dailyah



>________________________________
> From: Cindy Ray <cindyray at gmail.com>
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>Has anyone ever had his/her guide certified as a therapy dog while that dog was still guiding? If so, what are the pros and cons of it. If not, why not? I haven't really met any certified therapy dogs.
>
>Cindy Lou
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>