[nagdu] Blind woman sues nudist community over guide dog

National Association of Guide Dog Users blind411 at verizon.net
Fri Feb 28 15:45:21 UTC 2014


Sherrill,
	The condo association - or any entity for that matter - must
demonstrate that the dog is out of control or poses a direct threat. This is
what is known as an affirmative defense. The woman does not need to
demonstrate the dog is not out of control.

With warm regards,
Marion




-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sherrill O'Brien
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2014 11:56 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind woman sues nudist community over guide dog

Barb and all,

Haha! Good one. I just saw another article in which the condo association
claims the dog is out of control. We have no way of knowing whether that's
true or whether they looked up the law, saw that wording, and used it as a
loophole. It's sure fun to live in Florida!
Actually this nudist community has been around for many years. It's probably
no more than thirty miles from my house. I don't see any reason why this
woman shouldn't be allowed to have her dog, if it's indeed a service animal
and isn't out of control as they are claiming. Condo associations can really
be tough nuts to crack sometimes. They often think their arbitrary rules are
ironclad. They can make life miserable for anyone not following in total
lockstep with their many rules.
We'll definitely keep tabs on this situation. Since we're talking nudist
colony, I wouldn't be surprised if this story doesn't go viral!

Best
Sherrill




-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org]On Behalf Of
barbandzoe at comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2014 11:23 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind woman sues nudist community over guide dog


When I read the title, the first thing I thought of was Are they going to
make them shave the dog so he is nude too. LOLOL 

----- 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: Thursday, February 27, 2014 8:21:50 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Blind woman sues nudist community over guide dog 

Blind woman sues nudist community over guide dog 

Feb 27, 2014 4:36 AM EST 

By: Aaron Mesmer, FOX 13 News - 

Source: 
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/24835372/2014/02/26/blind-woman-fights-co
ndo-association-to-keep-guide-dog 

 LUTZ (FOX 13) - A blind woman living in a nudist community in Lutz vowed
Wednesday to continue her fight to keep her guide dog and keep living in her
condominium. 

  

Sharon Fowler has had her service dog since 2011, shortly after a medical
condition caused her to lose her vision. 

  

"It is the most difficult thing," she said. "It's not only adjusting to
everything becoming dark and black, it's loss of freedom." 

  

And Fowler said that loss of freedom led her to her dog, Laura. 

  

"Laura is my best friend," Fowler said. 

  

Fowler and her husband, Craig, moved to Paradise Lakes Condominiums in 2012.

They say they had already been settled in when the community association
told them Laura, a black Labrador, is too big and had to go, or they had to
move out. 

  

But the Fowlers said they thought this would be a free-thinking and
accepting community and have been stunned by how management has handled the
guide dog situation. 

  

  

Still, they say they're not going anywhere. 

  

"I am legally blind. Laura is a trained, certified guide dog," Sharon said. 
"You cannot bully us. We will not leave. This is our home. I won't be
embarrassed. I won't be intimidated. We will go all the way with this, and
we've done nothing wrong." 

  

"I have to sit back and behave myself and watch my wife go through some of
the most embarrassing and traumatic times that she's ever had to go
through," Craig said. 

  

The Fowlers filed a lawsuit against the condo association for mental anguish
and asked a judge to force the association to allow them to stay, at least
for now. 

  

The suit was initially thrown out, but an appellate court has since
overturned that ruling. 

  

"I won't be embarrassed. I won't be intimidated. We will go all the way with
this," Sharon said. 

  

FOX 13 left messages for the condo association manager and president of the
board of directors, but our calls were not returned. 

  

  

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