[nagdu] Service dog scams putting people 'at risk'

Fri Nov 22 13:10:59 UTC 2013

If they grandfather in all the big training programs, then where do they 
stop?  Does a tiny program like Gallant Hearts get in?  How about Guide Dogs 
of the Desert, which has been around a good while, but gone through some 
rough places?  Or that outfit in Arizona, that was having dogs raised, but 
not actually training them, apparently?
And what about people with program dogs who don't keep up their training? 
Or are working through problems?  My brother says his GDB dog sometimes 
barks at people in his office.  Does he get his ID revoked, if he can't 
resolve the problem within X months?
I just don't see how this idea could be of any use to anyone except those in 
charge of handing out credentials.
Tracy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tami Jarvis" <tami at poodlemutt.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2013 5:23 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Service dog scams putting people 'at risk'

> Cheery thought. Those who are calling loudest for standards and 
> certification also have an interest in seeing that the major training 
> programs are exempt or at least shielded from bearing as much of the 
> financial burden as possible. Those parties also have funds and 
> organizational infrastructure to bring to bear to help things turn out 
> their way.
>
> So that would bring it back to throwing the whole burden on those who 
> choose to provide themselves with service dogs rather than receiving them 
> from these programs?  While possibly also holding the do-it-yourselfers to 
> a different standard? And let us not forget the efforts to limit our 
> ability to purchase working gear! My relationship with the bluebird of 
> happiness is on the rocks. /lol/
>
> Oh, well. Time will tell what does and doesn't happen. I may write a nice 
> letter to the DOJ thanking them for not responding to that petition, 
> though. /lol/
>
> Tami
>
> On 11/21/2013 09:46 AM, Star Gazer wrote:
>> I suspect if certification ever happens, the schools will get an umbrella
>> liscense (like what many schools do for Microsoft) or that schools will
>> somehow be excempt from meeting these standards.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tami Jarvis
>> Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2013 3:18 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Service dog scams putting people 'at risk'
>>
>> Rebecca,
>>
>> I agree! For years, my first question regarding the ID/certification 
>> issue
>> is, "who pays?" It's going to cost money, and someone is going to have to
>> pay it. Then I started catching the calls for the programs -- especially 
>> one
>> or two -- to be the ones to graciously step in and create the standards 
>> and
>> the program. Ah... The other side of the question of who will pay for it 
>> is
>> who will get paid.
>>
>> So here is how it has started to stack up for me:
>>
>> 1. Currently, the training programs provide their own certification, 
>> since
>> there are no standards and requirements. The certification they give
>> themselves is no more or less than a fundraising tool.
>>
>> 2. A standardized certification requirement would affect these
>> organizations, as well as owner-trainers. Moreso, in fact. I only have 
>> one
>> dog to take to be tested, only one fee to pay, and so on. Having to have 
>> all
>> of their dogs tested before issuing them to work would get expensive fast
>> for any of the training programs. It's possible -- perhaps even likely --
>> that this would put some of the smaller programs out of business.
>>
>> 3. If one of these fundraising organizations was given the contract to
>> administer the testing and certification, that would be great for the
>> company balance sheet! They wouldn't be able to put out more dogs and 
>> would
>> probably end up still producing fewer working dogs as a result of the
>> certification requirement. But the company would look great on paper!
>>
>> 4. Looking great on paper and having the cachet of being in charge of
>> certification of all service dogs nationwide would come in real handy as
>> part of the fundraising spiel. It seems to me it would give some 
>> advantage
>> in the competition for new donors in a difficult economic climate.
>>
>> 5. It has also occurred to me that the organization that can claim the
>> highest percentage of dogs passing with the highest marks would also have 
>> a
>> fundraising advantage. What are the odds that by happy coincidence this 
>> will
>> turn out to be the same organization in charge of standards and testing?
>> Depends on the integrity of the organization and individual testers, I
>> think. Given the amounts of money that will inevitably be involved, 
>> however,
>> I also think that that likelihood is something to consider.
>>
>> So, yes, I think now that the most important question is not who pays but
>> who will benefit. Service dog users? The "service dog industry" as a 
>> whole?
>> Or the yet-to-be-created industry of testing service dogs?
>>
>> I do understand why the idea of standards and testing and
>> certification/identification are attractive to so many, especially those 
>> who
>> are accustomed to having an ID from a training program saying their dog 
>> is
>> certified. It's considering the implementation of any system to put that
>> idea into practice that makes me almost certain it would cause far more
>> problems than it would solve.
>>
>> Of course, others will disagree with good reasons, too. /smile/
>>
>> Tami
>>
>>
>>
>> On 11/19/2013 08:46 AM, Star Gazer wrote:
>>> Help who? Serious question and an important one.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William
>>> Vandervest
>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2013 11:36 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Service dog scams putting people 'at risk'
>>>
>>> maybe cci has a good idea, while id's won't solve all the problems
>>> they would certainly help
>>>
>>>
>>> There are none so blind as those who will not see
>>>
>>> William and LD Lynard
>>>
>>>
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