[nagdu] Canada: MVSH denies blind senior to reside with guide dog

Doug Parisian eggmann at mymts.net
Wed Feb 19 16:28:15 UTC 2014


Daryl, I strongly suspect that several organizations will be down the 
throats of this unfortunate retirement home, or whatever they call 
themselves.  Fortunately, one bad apple doesn't spoil the whole barrel.

Wonder what one would find out by doing a google search--web site, 
contact information, etc.  Does the Alberta Human Rights Commission have 
any teeth?  Do they know how to bight?

On 19/02/2014 9:38 AM, Daryl Marie wrote:
> OK, this story makes me really really mad on a couple of levels.  While I can appreciate the concerns of a seniors facility on some level (the ability of Jack to care for Rufus, the fact that they've never had a guide dog before), two things stand out:
> 1) If they had a problem, they should have mentioned something before
> 2) RUFUS IS NOT A PET!
> 3) (OK, I lied)  This facility is willing to separate a bonded guide dog team.. a VERY bonded guide dog team from all appearances... and they are okay with that?  They wouldn't expect deaf residents to go without hearing aids or residents in wheelchairs to leave them behind... and this is a living, breathing, feeling creature!
>
> Getting angry and almost ashamed to be an Albertan,
>
> Daryl
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Ginger Kutsch <GingerKutsch at yahoo.com>
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 08:04:44 -0700 (MST)
> Subject: [nagdu] Canada: MVSH denies blind senior to reside with guide dog
>
> Canada: MVSH denies blind senior to reside with guide dog
>
> Tuesday, Feb 18, 2014
>
> http://www.sundreroundup.ca/article/20140218/SUN0801/302189976/-1/sun0801/mv
> sh-denies-blind-senior-to-reside-with-guide-dogBY PATRICIA RILEY
>
>   
>
>   
>
> An 82-year-old blind resident of Sundre has been denied a request for his
> guide dog to reside with him at the Foothills Lodge, after he applied to
> rent a unit there in recent weeks.
>
>   
>
> Jack Mortimer doesn't go anywhere without his guide dog, a black lab named
> Rufus, who he has owned for 10 years. The dog is a certified Seeing Eye dog
> trained through the International Guide Dog Federation.
>
>   
>
> "If I drop something on the floor I have to rub my hand around on the floor
> to find it," said Mortimer, adding he can only see a few feet in front of
> him.
>
>   
>
> Mortimer applied for a room at the lodge, owned and operated by Mountain
> View Seniors' Housing (MVSH), because he is in need of assistance at his
> age.
>
>   
>
> MVSH officials say there is currently no policy in place to allow guide dogs
> to reside in any of their buildings but they will be looking into it. But
> for now, the ruling stands.
>
>   
>
> "Currently we have no policy about Seeing Eye dogs. We do have a policy
> about pets.at this time we don't have a policy on any other animals other
> than pets," said Sam Smalldon, MVSH chief administrative officer.
>
>   
>
> "We're not ignoring it. We just don't have a policy at the moment and before
> we say yes we need to make sure we know we have a policy."
>
>   
>
> According to Cheryl Chichak, public affairs officer with Alberta Human
> Services, as long as the guide dog is trained by a school that is certified
> by the International Guide Dog Federation, the dog should be able to reside
> anywhere.
>
>   
>
> She said a person who violates the Alberta Blind Persons' Rights Act could
> be fined up to $3,000.
>
>   
>
> Section 5 (2) of the act reads as follows:
>
>   
>
> "No person, directly or indirectly, alone or with another, by himself or
> herself or by the interposition of another, shall (a) deny to any person
> occupancy of any self-contained dwelling unit, or (b) discriminate against
> any person with respect to any term or condition of occupancy of any
> self-contained dwelling unit, for the reason that the person is a blind
> person keeping or customarily accompanied by a guide dog."
>
>   
>
> Mortimer and his neighbour Betty Thomas went to the lodge roughly three
> weeks ago to apply for a unit there.
>
>   
>
> About a week later, Mortimer received a letter from Michele Langmead,
> admissions counsellor at Foothills Lodge, stating that Mortimer was
> accepted, but not Rufus.
>
>   
>
> "If you wish to make alternate living arrangements for the care of your dog
> then you would be able to move into the lodge when a suite becomes
> available. Your dog would be able to visit you at the lodge for short
> periods of time as long as you were able to manage his care during his
> visits," the letter states.
>
>   
>
> Thomas, who is also 82, has been helping Mortimer with meals and other
> necessities, but is also having a hard time at her age. They both currently
> reside at Pioneer Place.
>
>   
>
> "Everything seemed to be fine when we went over there. We told the girl,
> Michele -- she wrote the letter -- that he was a guide dog and that Jack
> would be bringing him in with him. And she never said anything. She didn't
> say he wasn't allowed to be in there at all," said Thomas.
>
>   
>
> "It was really strange. I couldn't even have believed that she wrote that
> letter. It just shocked both of us right out of our minds when we got that
> letter because it was just really upsetting," she said.
>
>   
>
> "He has never been anywhere without that dog for all those years."
>
>   
>
> She added that Mortimer is becoming forgetful, and Rufus has arthritis and
> requires medicine.
>
>   
>
> "Now I take Jack his medicine because he forgets that he's taken them," she
> said.
>
>   
>
> "Jack goes for walks with him every day and that dog knows Sundre. Even when
> he is taking him for walks he will push Jack's legs so that he will get off
> the ice and off the snow.
>
>   
>
> "He has started to want to sleep on Jack's bed. He is such a wonderful dog.
> He sleeps right on the bed, up on his pillow. And if Jack has to get up in
> the night the dog is right up there. He goes with him to the bathroom and
> everywhere with him."
>
>   
>
> She said she would never reside at the Foothills Lodge after this incident.
>
>   
>
> "My dog, heaven sakes, I mean he is part of my life," said Mortimer.
>
>   
>
> "It just gives you an unwanted feeling. And I wouldn't go there now for one
> million dollars.
>
>   
>
> "I just couldn't face it. I don't understand. Life goes on I guess. And
> there will always be people like that out there trying to hurt you and take
> advantage of you it seems."
>
>   
>
> MVSH board chair Bruce Beattie said staff members at the lodge would care
> for Mortimer, and Rufus would be able to visit him there.
>
>   
>
> "We can look after the individual. He doesn't need the dog 24 hours a day
> because that's what our staff is there for," said Beattie.
>
>   
>
> "In the past we've had issues with people who have had live-in pets and they
> have created some problems with the lodges."
>
>   
>
> He said the issue is going to be brought to a board meeting to establish a
> policy regarding guide dogs.
>
>   
>
> "We haven't dealt with that because we simply haven't had a request prior to
> this," he said.
>
>   
>
> "But we know there is evidence that there are certainly positive issues for
> seniors, well for anybody for that matter, to have a pet around."
>
>   
>
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-- 
Doug Parisian
4-951 Westminster ave
Winnipeg MB Canada
R3G 1B7
1-204-227-8877
eggmann at mymts.net





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