[nagdu] Will Your Next Employee or Co-Worker Be a Dog?

Sat Jul 12 16:22:44 UTC 2014

Hello Craig,
I think it does get rather cumbersome when determining when to use the term
service dog as opposed to assistance dog.
Really, I think the two are fairly interchangeable and get the same idea
across.

Best

Liz

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Craig Heaps via
nagdu
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2014 6:16 PM
To: Ginger Kutsch; NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog
Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Will Your Next Employee or Co-Worker Be a Dog?

Is it just me, or does this press pitch seem to be less than careful about
using the terms assistance dog and service dog interchangeably?  As I read,
I felt as if the two terms were being conflated.

Craig and Chase, a service dog

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ginger Kutsch via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2014 4:02 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Will Your Next Employee or Co-Worker Be a Dog?

> Will Your Next Employee or Co-Worker Be a Dog?
>
> Santa Fe, New Mexico (PRWEB) July 11, 2014
>
> Source: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2048264
>
>
>
> People with physical disabilities and military veterans with 
> post-traumatic
> stress disorder are just some of the increasing numbers of people 
> partnered
> with assistance dogs. Their dogs help them to lead more independent and
> productive lives.
>
>
>
> But are these service dog teams welcome in the workplace? Or is an
> assistance dog an impediment to employment?
>
>
>
> In honor of International Assistance Dog Week, August 3 - 9, 2014, West
> Virginia University associate professor and researcher, Margaret Glenn, 
> and
> assistance dog expert, Marcie Davis, founder of IADW, author of "Working
> Like Dogs: The Assistance Dog Guidebook," and host of the Working Like 
> Dogs
> radio show, will share information on assistance dogs in the workplace. An
> August 5 webcast is being produced by the Job Accommodation Network, a
> service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of
> Labor.
>
>
>
> Employers often lack information on how to deal with assistance dogs on 
> the
> job. With numerous recent media stories about fake assistance dogs, and an
> expanding number of types of assistance dogs, employers wonder how they 
> will
> know if a service dog is real. They are concerned about other employees'
> reactions, and how to smoothly integrate the assistance dog into the
> workplace.
>
>
>
> Associate Professor Glenn, of West Virginia University, has been studying
> this issue. Her recent year-long research project gathered data on the
> elements of service dog partnerships that have been successful in the
> workplace. When she began looking into this topic a few years ago, Glenn
> discovered that the upswing in the number and variety of assistance dogs 
> was
> helping more people with disabilities find employment. "On the other hand,

> I
> found that some vocational rehabilitation counselors said they hadn't
> encountered any people with assistance dogs applying for jobs," Glenn 
> said.
> She wondered if the dogs created a barrier to employment, although they 
> were
> providing their partners with increased independence.
>
>
>
> Based on her years partnered with a service dog and involvement in 
> spreading
> awareness of assistance dogs through IADW, a book and radio show, Davis is

> a
> firm believer that assistance dogs make employees more productive. "Years
> ago when I got my first service dog, I was able to take on increased job
> responsibilities, and was promoted within a month," Davis said. "I know 
> that
> many people are able to get jobs, start businesses, or have more
> opportunities with their current employers once they have an assistance 
> dog
> supporting them."
>
>
>
> JAN has been fielding more and more calls on the use of service dogs as a
> job accommodation. They are helping people in human resources, employers,
> vocational rehabilitation counselors, and others understand how to welcome
> assistance dogs in the workplace, and communicate with staff about topics
> such as how to appropriately interact with the new service dog team. The
> webinar on August 5 will answer questions about the law, types of 
> assistance
> dogs, and how to create a successful outcome for both the employer and the
> individual with an assistance dog
>
>
>
> As evidence of the timeliness and interest in this topic, 500 sites (many
> locations with multiple employees who will take part) had already signed 
> up
> for the JAN webcast months in advance, completely filling the live event.
> Yet everyone can access the webcast online, starting a few days after the
> event at http://askjan.org/webcast/archive/index.htm.
>
>
>
> This year, International Assistance Dog Week, which is August 3 - 9, has 
> the
> theme: Dogs in the Workplace. This theme recognizes the growing diversity 
> of
> assistance dog types including:
>
>
>
> Guide Dogs -Assist people with vision loss, leading them around physical
> obstacles and with tasks such as crossing streets, and navigating 
> doorways,
> elevators and stairways.
>
>
>
> Service Dogs - Assist people with disabilities with walking, dressing,
> retrieving and carrying items, opening doors and much more.
>
>
>
> Hearing Alert Dogs - Alert people with a hearing loss to the presence of
> specific sounds such as doorbells, telephones, crying babies, and fire
> alarms.
>
>
>
> Seizure and Medical Alert/Seizure Response Dogs - Alert to medical
> conditions, such as diabetes, autism, heart attack, stroke, epilepsy, and
> post-traumatic stress.
>
>
>
> All of these types of assistance dogs are dedicated to their humans, who
> rely on them daily. Please celebrate the selfless love and devotion these
> dogs provide by participating in International Assistance Dog Week. Visit
> http://www.assistancedogweek.org for more information.
>
>
>
> Contacts:
>
> Marcie Davis, mdavis(at)assistancedogweek(dot)org or 505-424-6631
>
> Margaret K. Glenn, Ed.D., CRC, mkglenn(at)mail(dot)wvu(dot)edu or
> 304-293-2276
>
> Job Accommodation Network, jan(at)askjan(dot)org or 800 526-7234 voice
> 877-781-9403 TTY
>
>
>
> Photos: Kathy Taylor and Canine Companions for Independence Hearing Dog
> Janet are a hard-working and effective team. Kathy Taylor works as a 
> System
> Designer-Engineer in field operations for CenturyLink. Kathy's job 
> requires
> extensive travel to business customer sites across the country and Janet
> makes Kathy's job easier.
>
>
>
> International Assistance Dog Week (IADW) http://www.assistancedogweek.org
> was created to recognize all the devoted, hardworking assistance dogs
> helping individuals mitigate their disability-related limitations. During
> International Assistance Dog Week, we raise awareness and educate the 
> public
> about how these specially trained animals are aiding so many people in our
> communities and honor puppy raisers and trainers. IADW was established due
> to the efforts of Marcie Davis, a paraplegic and CEO of Davis Innovations,

> a
> consulting firm based in Santa Fe, NM. Davis is the author of "Working 
> Like
> Dogs: The Service Dog Guidebook," and the host of the "Working Like Dogs,"
> on http://www.petliferadio.com.
>
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