[nagdu] Ownership and Guide Dog School Contracts

[Marion Gwizdala]

Sandra,

	The National Association of Guide dog Users has proactively worked on these issues in several ways. One approach is to create a written policy concerning these issues and pass them as a body in the form of the Guide Dog Consumers' bill of Rights. This document has been all but ignored by the training programs, as it seems many of them view NAGDU in the same paternalistic way they view all their consumers. I have attached the Bill of Rights to this message for you and everyone else to read.

	Our next initiative will be to hold a NAGDU Summit at our national headquarters. This will likely occur next Spring. Our plan is to gather together consumers, training programs, and policymakers to create solutions to the issue and work together to implement these solutions. Stay tuned to the NAGDU list for details as they unfold.

Fraternally yours,

Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc.
National Federation of the Blind
(813) 626-2789
(888) 624-3841 (Hotline)
President at nagdu.org
http://www.nagdu.org

High expectations create unlimited potential for the blind!


 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of S L Johnson via nagdu
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2015 7:06 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nagdu] Ownership and Guide Dog School Contracts

Hello:

I just thought of something.  Instead of just complaining about the school contracts we don’t like, why don’t we put our heads together and figure out how to fix the problem.  What can we do to ease the schools fears and get unconditional ownership?  Can we help them come with a plan to use when it is necessary for their intervention?  They definitely cannot depend on local law enforcement and animal control because they are too afraid to take a dog away from a disabled person.  What can we do to change their attitudes?  Any trainer and school is going to be concerned about how their dogs are worked and treated after graduation.  What can we do to reassure them?  Maybe there has to be more discussion with the schools in order to come up with contracts that will please us and satisfy the schools.  Just a thought. 
Forgive me if NAGDU has done this already, I’ve only been an NFB member for a few months. .

Sandra and Eva