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

[Sherry Gomes]

I was about to say something like that as well. It would put more
restrictions on any person with a disability who has a service animal than
other people with disabilities. Under the ADA, a service dog isn't a dog,
it's a mobility tool. So, should people who use wheelchairs or walkers or a
good old white cane have to have certification of some sort? I know that
probably sounds ludicrous, but it has potential to create an us an them
thing when one group is forced to have some kind of special ID while another
is not. And I would never support that. But then I wouldn't support some
sort of national certification for all people with disabilities. It's a
slippery slope.

Sherry


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael Hingson
via nagdu
Sent: Monday, March 2, 2015 4:51 PM
To: 'Debby Phillips'; 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide
Dog Users'; 'Skewis, Brian at DCA'; pawpower4me at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: Proposed Act Regarding Service Dogs from the
stateof Maine.

Hi Debbie,

Your idea of a National license makes sense at first glance.  However, given
our political world today who would pay for it?  I think the cost wouls not
be something that anyone would cover.  Also, bureaucracy is something we
should strive to keep out of treating us differently than any other class or
group.

In short, I would not support even a National certification program that
ultimately treats blind people differently than others. 


Best,


Michael Hingson

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Debby Phillips
via nagdu
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2015 3:38 PM
To: Skewis, Brian at DCA; pawpower4me at gmail.com; nagdu at nfbnet.org;
semisweetdebby at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: Proposed Act Regarding Service Dogs from the
stateof Maine.

Hi Brian, I'm glad if we are able to help you understand where we are coming
from, and if it helps in any way in you answering some of the questions that
come your way.

My thoughts are not agreed with by most on this list, but I'll tell you what
I think.  I do have an ID card, and I would have no problem showing it.  I'm
proud of the work that Neena and I do together, and I'm very happy with the
school I have received my dogs from, which is The Seeing EYE in New JERSEY.
But there are lots of valid reasons that people don't agree with me.  First
of all, for those who train their own dogs, where would they get such an
identification card? Yes, I know they can be bought on Ebay.  But my point
is this.  People who drive cars (no matter where they learned from) still
have to get a license to drive.  
So make it a national license.  Make it so that even school-trained dog
handlers would take an oral exam, or something about laws regarding service
dogs, and maybe some training questions that the schools would ask.  For
those who owner train have the same sort of oral exam, or written or
whatever.  I still haven't figured everything out in my head about this, but
I'm working on it, and this is my beginning point.  So don't everybody tell
me what a terrible idea it is.  I'm at least trying to come up with
something besides, "We don't need no stinkin card, or whatever.  Because I
do foresee a time when something will be required, and as I said earlier, we
have to be thinking about what will work and won't work.  Of course we
should do more education of the public, etc.  But honestly, I've had dogs
since 1981 and I don't think, in many ways, that it has 
gotten any better.    Peace,    Debby with Neena

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