[nagdu] Fw: Proposed Act Regarding Service Dogs from the state ofMaine.

[Debby Phillips]

Buddy, how can you say that it's all CCI? That's like blaming the 
IRS because your state tax office was rude to you.  CCI is one 
organization, and only one.  They actually provide very good 
service dogs.  I just don't think they have enough clout to make 
states as far apart as Arizona and Maine, for instance, produce 
such laws.  We can't hide our heads in the sand.  Regulation IS 
coming.  Nothing about us without us.  So we'd better be there at 
the table when those regulations start getting talked about, 
BEFORE they get passed into laws.  I'm a graduate of a school and 
proud to be so, and personally don't have a problem showing my ID 
(though I've not been asked to in years).  So I'm not sure what 
to say or how to help with owner-trained dogs, but if we don't 
give some good input into regulations, they will happen.  And 
they will not be GOOD regulations.  And I will tell you that I DO 
question some owner-trained dogs' ability to work in the public.  
The reason ow say that is because I have seen some owner-trained 
guide and other service dogs that should NOT be in the public.  
They growl at everybody and every dog, they can't handle crowds, 
and the ownersttrainers get defensive.  Now, if my dog 
misbehaves, I'm human and ow might be defensive at first, but if 
there is bad behavior and I'm not able to change it, I can call 
my school, hopefully get follow up and either we will be able to 
continue working as a team, or we won't.  My 4th dog was attacked 
by a dog in my neighborhood.  After that, he became quite 
aggressive around other dogs.  But not always.  I never knew for 
sure when he would or would not.  I tried all the tools in my 
toolbox, and could not stop the behavior.  So an instructor came 
out from Seeing Eye and helped me.  Ultimately the decision was 
made that he had to retire.  So unfortunately I sent him back to 
the school, as I was not able to place him.  So what if I have 
owner trained him? I would have used everything in my toolbox so 
to speak, to try and correct the situation.  But then I would 
have maybe felt like there I am, my back against the wall.  No 
backing, no follow-up, nothing.  I'd be calling my other friends 
who did owner-training, but ultimately I probably would have had 
to make the same decision to retire the dog.  But here's where 
the difference comes.  Okay, so now I'm dogless, and now I have 
to go out and try and purchase a dog with sound temperament, and 
start all over.  At least with a dog from a school, I knew that 
my wait time would be a few months.  So I think maybe some people 
who owner train are perhaps slow to decide that a dog isn't going 
to work.  I was devastated when ow had to retire my Artie, but I 
think I'd be even more so if I knew that I had to totally start 
all over with all the basic training and everything.  Well, I 
hope you understand that I'm looking at this and trying to be 
empathetic and all that, and back to my original point, WE have 
to be involved.    Peace,    Debby and NEENA