[nagdu] On Ownership

[Julie J]

No, of course not.  A background check isn't intended to catch possible problems, it only tells you about criminal history.  An application, interview and references aren't going to tell you everything either.  I do think all together they will identify more concerns than any individual process would.

I'm just saying I'd rather a background check up front.  Let the program find out all they want about me, then when that's out of the way, trust me to own their dog.

Julie

Sent from my iPad

> On May 2, 2014, at 2:47 PM, "Star Gazer" <pickrellrebecca at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>    Criminal background checks only "get" people who have found heir way
> into the criminal justice system. Many many people commit crimes and are not
> caught. And, an arrest means absolutely nothing. 
> I wonder if the schools also do finantial background checks as finantial
> stress can make people act in ways they normally wouldn't. Not to say that a
> person under finantial stress would or wouldn't abuse a dog, just that
> criminal background checks aren't the only background checks in town, and
> may not give a full picture. 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
> Sent: Friday, May 2, 2014 1:49 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] On Ownership
> 
> Do any of the programs do criminal background checks?  What about the
> references?  Is a reference letter submitted or are these people called and
> asked questions?
> 
> I feel that the programs should use whatever means necessary to assess the
> suitability of a particular person to have a dog and then let them have the
> dog.  If there is some concern that the person won't properly take care of
> the dog, then that person shouldn't get one.  Once the person has the dog, 
> it's too late to prevent abuse or neglect.   Ownership or no ownership isn't
> 
> going to change the condition of the dog.
> 
> The only way that ownership can influence how people act toward their dog is
> if it's used as a threat.  If you don't do what we say, then we'll repossess
> your dog.  the thing with this approach is that it only works on folks who
> would have taken proper care of the dog regardless of the ownership policy. 
> People who do bad things are going to do bad things regardless of the rules.
> 
> An ownership policy isn't going to prevent abuse, any more than domestic 
> abuse laws stop spouses from hitting each other.    People who don't commit 
> abuse don't do it because of a law, they are non abusers because they feel
> it's the right way to act.
> 
> I'd really like to know what the actual reason is for the various schools
> ownership policies.  I've heard obesity, abuse, better follow up, being able
> to place the dog after retirement, better service and all other manner of
> nonsense.  It doesn't make any sense to me.  How does the ownership policy
> affect the school's ability to provide good service?  It smells like an
> excuse to me.
> 
> It would be interesting to see solid statistics comparing things like
> obesity rates, abuse, time between a follow up request and the provision of
> service and overall success rates between programs that retain ownership and
> those that don't.  My hunch is that there is no correlation between
> ownership and these items.  I think the better indicator is the quality of
> the applicant screening process, and the quality of the training at the
> program
> 
> Julie
> 
> 
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