[nagdu] Ownership; what about other countries?

[Vivianna]

all this talk of ownership and the policies of different schools has me wondering about other countries.
i know that, in the UK not only do they give you the dog, all its food for life, all the vet bills for life, board if you go out of town, and who knows what else but, they tell you when to retire the dog and come and take it from you when they say it's time to retire the dog.
i know many many folks there have guide dogs simply because it's a free deal.  the ones that i have seen were extremely misbehaved in my opinion.  jumping on people, barking, running around at the end of the leash.
i will venture to say that blind folks here in the states, and even in canada are leaps and bounds ahead of most of the world in the independence department.
sure, it's nifty to have everything pertaining to the dog and it's care given to you for free but, i'd rather pay for everything on my own and make my own decisions on how to feed my dog, what vet to take her to, etc.
i know, i know, yet another contraversial topic.  smiley.

Vivianna