[nagdu] service animals and law enforcement assistance

[Laurel and Stockard]

I would really like someone with legal knowledge as well as NAGDU knowledge to comment here and let us know what we have a right to expect legally, what we don't have the right to expect, and what is being advocated for by NAGDU in this area. I have not heard this legal area discussed much, and agree that it tends to be a gray area. As someone who is about to move out of state and doesn't know anyone, if something were to seriously happen to Stockard, law enforcement may be the only people who I could get to help me, but I'd be scared because I'd be unsure as to what legally I am or am not entitled to. A NAGDU blog post or commentary on this subject would be helpful I believe.


Laurel & guide dog Stockard
Scentsy Independent Consultant
https://laurelwheeler.scentsy.us

On Jul 10, 2014, at 10:31 PM, Nicole Torcolini via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> A couple of things. First, as is with a lot of things, if you are not part
> of the solution, then you are part of the problem. As many have already
> said, why didn't anyone help or at least ask what they could do? Second,
> maybe the police officer did not have a legal obligation to help or might
> have gotten in trouble for helping, but, JMHO, if you are going to talk the
> talk, then walk the walk. Even if it means getting in trouble, if you are
> going to be something like a police officer, you are going to fall under
> more scrutiny, and people are going to look to you as an example. I bet a
> million dollars that, if the police officer had done at least something
> minor, more people would have stepped up to help. And, finally, just because
> it is the law to do or not do something does not mean that it is right.
> People may not have legal obligations, but they do have moral obligations.
> With great power comes great responsibility. Humans are intelligent and have
> more control of making choices rather than following instincts, yet,
> ironically, it seems to sometimes do us more harm than good.
> 
> Nicole
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cindy Ray via
> nagdu
> Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2014 7:26 PM
> To: Jenine Stanley; NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog
> Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] service animals and law enforcement assistance
> 
> Thing is, I had a sense from what it sounded like in the report that the dog
> which began vomiting could behave had bloat. I think it would be decent if
> someone would have offered assistance, but in 45 minutes one could call a
> cab. Of course maybe I wouldn't have thought of it. Once I fell on the
> sidewalk and there was blood gushing out of my face and splashing on my
> dog's head. Someone (a young person) asked if my dog was OK. I said that he
> was but I was not. That person said, "Oh." Then he walked away. Should I
> have had help? Well, maybe yes maybe no. I just walked anyway till I got
> home. I wasn't dying of course, but it was an extenuating circumstance. I
> guess my point is that people simply don't reach out at times like that as
> much as they should even though they are willing to tell us we are now
> outside or on the grass or whatever.
> 
> Cindy
> 
> On Jul 10, 2014, at 6:36 PM, Jenine Stanley via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
> 
>> Did I miss something in these reports? Was the dog struck ill while
> working, such as by heat stroke? Was it injured? Was the woman on her way to
> the vet when this happened? 
>> 
>> I'm assuming florida has a Good Samaritan Law that covers people including
> law enforcement personnel against being sued for transporting a human and
> I'm sure this would extend to a service animal as defined under Florida law
> given that the animal is an extension of the person if the law words it that
> way. That would be the question for the legal minds among us.
>> 
>> I too can't believe no one else offered to take the person and dog the
> mile it took to get to the vet. I don't know what else this woman might have
> tried to do but I'd have called the vet's office as well. Of course we can
> all armchair quarterback this situation to death but what if it was one of
> us whose dog was injured or ill and could not go on to get us where we
> needed to go? 
>> 
>> No, agree that law enforcement and emergency services should not have to
> take us to the vet if our dogs fall ill at home. When out and about though,
> is there that Good SSamaritan obligation? 
>> 
>> Being friends with many of our local police officers, I can't imagine one
> of them not breaking every rule to get someone with a service animal to the
> vet in an emergency like this but then again, who knows. 
>> 
>> The sad part is that this woman's dog is dead and whether it could have
> been prevented by her or by someone simply offering her a ride, she will
> have to live with it for the rest of her life. Not a fun thing.
>> Jenine Stanley
>> jeninems at wowway.com
>> 
>> http://www.twitter.com/jeninems
>> 
>> 
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> 
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