[NAGDU] TSA Remobving HarnesseswasL Materials for Canes
Debby Phillips
semisweetdebby at gmail.com
Wed Dec 16 02:48:02 UTC 2015
Whoa, everybody! Seeing Eye strongly encourages us NOT to remove
the harness in public, like in the airport. Our dogs certainly
know the difference between having the harness on and not. It's
really a matter of how people have been trained, and their own
choices. I do not view Nova as a working dog when her harness is
off, and am much more lenient about letting people pet her. The
only exception to that is when I remove her harness when we fly
so that she will be more comfortable. TSA cannot require folks
to take the harness off, the leash, or the collar. I refuse to
do that, and I refuse to be separated from my dog. I used to let
the TSA people take my dog, but it made me so uneasy and anxious
that I stopped. Sorry, I don't trust TSA with my dog. Anyway,
I'll get off my soapbox, but just wanted to say that there is
room for people to make their own choices about these things.
Philosophically, yes my dog is a Seeing Eye dog whether she has
her harness on or not, but when she's not in her harness, she's
not working. That tells her that she can have a little more
freedom. I don't wish to give her that kind of freedom going
through security. I want her, and everybody else around, to know
that she's on duty and that she may be a leash length away from
me, but I expect her to obey me when I tell her to rest, and when
I call her to come to me. If people choose to remove their dogs'
harnesses then that's their choice. It's simply a hassle I don't
want. I already have to be concerned about where my shoes,
backpack, purse, etc. are when they are in the bins going
through the x ray machines. I don't want to also have to keep
track of Nova's harness when it can just be on her. And so far
when I have had her sit and rest, and I have had her on long
leash, I have not had to be patted down, because I have not
caused the alarm to beep, even though she has. So we all have to
do what works best for us. Debby
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