[nagdu] Should Service dogs in training be allowed in the classroom?

[Danielle Sykora]

I'm a bit late on this, but... Laws for access of raiser/trainers with
there dogs vary from state to state. I'm actually not completely sure
what laws apply to my state. I have read some conflicting information,
but it seems like trainers have the same right to access as service
dog users though I'm not sure if this includes puppy raisers. In the
past month my family has had the puppy in training, there has only
been one establishment which asked the puppy to be removed.
Coincidentally, this was the only public place she has been in that
was out of state. I live approximately 40 minutes away from the Seeing
Eye so most people seem to have seen or heard about puppy raisers
public access training. Of course, pretty much everyone assumes that
the puppy, and my guide for that matter, are from the Seeing Eye. I'm
thinking that regional differences play an important role in how
receptive businesses are to accepting dogs in training. Areas where
pets are allowed most places, where there are multiple puppy raisers,
and around training programs seem more receptive to the idea of
service dogs in training as well as working service dogs. While I
don't have a problem with businesses asking service dogs in training
to be removed when they have the legal right to, I always hope that
people will realize the importance of the dog's training and
understand that a reasonably well-behaved puppy isn't going to have
any negative effect.

I agree that it is important to understand and adapt to each
individual dog's capabilities and limitations. Right now, our puppy
isn't completely house broken so she can handle short shopping trips
but will have an accident if it takes too long. She will lay quietly
under a restaurant table at night when she is tired but could not sit
still for such a long period earlier in the day. She remains calm when
strangers interact with her but will jump up on familiar individuals
when she wants attention.

Danielle, Thai, and Bonnie (GDF puppy in training)

On 7/12/15, Ann Edie via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi, Roanna,
>
> To the best of my knowledge, the Federal law, the ADA, does not say
> anything
> about service-animals-in-training. So whether someone, whether that person
> has a disability or not, can take an animal-in-training into a public place
> that has a "No Pets" policy would depend on the State laws in that state.
> In
> some State laws it specifically includes trainers of
> service-dogs-in-training as having access to places of public accommodation
> with their animals-in-training. In other states, the trainer/handler would
> have to ask permission of the building/facility management to take an
> animal-in-training into the building, just like any other store or place
> that has a No-Pets policy. In my home school district, one of the school
> board members was a puppy raiser for one of the guide dog schools, so there
> was no problem with her taking the puppies in training to any school
> function. But nowadays, with all the allergy, insurance, and litigation
> issues, there might be additional hoops to jump through, like permission
> from the parents of all the children who might come into contact with the
> dog for their children to be exposed to the animal, and the presentation of
> health certificates and vaccination certificates, etc. I do not know the
> wording of the service animal access laws in Florida, but hope someone else
> can help you with the specifics.
>
> I have no problem with school administrators refusing to allow
> raisers/trainers to take animals-in-training into their facilities so long
> as that is consistent with the State's access laws. I would definitely have
> a problem with any school putting any obstacles in the path of any person
> with a disability who sought to enter the facility with their trained
> service dog, whether that person was a parent attending a school function,
> a
> staff member of the school, or a member of the community visiting the
> school. If the state's access laws do not specifically include access for
> trainers with their animals-in-training, and if trainers/raisers feel that
> it is a major obstacle to their training of the animals, then
> raisers/trainers should work with their state's service animal
> organizations
> and individuals who use service animals to get the laws changed so as to
> insist on access for trainers/handlers accompanied by their
> animals-in-training. If the access laws of Florida do already permit
> trainers/raisers to be accompanied by their animals-in-training into places
> of public accommodation, then I think the service animal organizations and
> service animal handlers need to point out to school administrators that
> they
> are in violation of state law, and if that doesn't cause them to change the
> policy, find one or more strong cases to challenge the practices in court.
>
> Ann
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Roanna Bacchus
> via nagdu
> Sent: Sunday, July 12, 2015 2:19 PM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Roanna Bacchus
> Subject: [nagdu] Should Service dogs in training be allowed in the
> classroom?
>
> Dear Nagdu Members,
>
> Yesterday I read an article in the Orlando Sentarel that says that service
> dogs in training have been banned from classroms in public schools in
> Orange
> County here in Central Florida.
> Seminole County has a policy stating that the principal of the school must
> give permission for the individual to bring their service dog in training
> into the classrom.  This brings to my memory an incident where my former
> Tvi
> ;was told she could not bring her dog in training into the classrom at
> Hagerty High School where she was teaching at the time.  How do you feel
> about this issue? Hope to hear from you soon.
>
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