[nagdu] Service Dog "Driver's License"?

Tue Nov 10 13:27:44 UTC 2015

I completely agree.
and, you can just make up your own fake license as well.
unfortunately, the business owners are not stepping up to the plate.  i think they are afraid of being sued, insensitive, or whatever.
i’m not sure what has caused the change over the past years but, remember, back in the 80s when blind folks were the only ones who had dogs guiding us around.  i will admit, i long for those days back again in a way.
but, i fear it will be the complete opposite and all dogs will be allowed everywhere, service dog or not.
i just don’t get it though, why would someone even want to drag their pet everywhere with them.  man, if i didn’t need a dog to guide me around and could just jump in my car or hop on my bike, i certainly would not be bringing my dog all over.
but, alas, to each their own, as they say.

Vivianna

> On Nov 10, 2015, at 6:51 AM, Buddy Brannan via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Long-time list members may feel free to skip this message. Nothing new here. At all. 
> 
> OMG. Seriously. I'm so not a fan of this. Here's why. 
> 
> OK, let's first start with the "driver's license" analogy. It's broken right from the get go. Driver's licenses are issued by the state. Your guide dog ID, is not. Your guide dog ID, which has absolutely no legal standing, but more on that shortly, is issued by a private entity, and it basically is just a thing that says you've passed their graduation criteria. It's more like a diploma than a "driver's license", but it isn't quite that either. Closer, though. Anyway, such graduation criteria is not uniform from one school to the next. Start with the length of the program, but each program handles the process slightly differently from every other program. Many programs adhere to a general guideline set up by the IGDF, but even within those parameters there are differences. 
> 
> OK, so let's assume that this all changes, and service dog teams now must have a federally recognized ID that says yep, this is a "real" service dog. Sounds good, right? This will cut the fakers off at the knees, right? Wrong. Well, maybe right, but look at all the other problems you've just created. Here is just a small sample of them. Others may feel free to add to my list.
> 
> 1. OK, so we certify each team. Who does the certifying? The schools? OK, but they're all a little different. So we get them to agree. Oh wait. We can't do that, because you've got guide dogs, hearing alert dogs, service dogs that assist with physical tasks, seizure alert dogs, psychiatric service dogs (add in all the subcategories of those you like), and more besides. And even in all those broad categories, you've got dogs that do different kinds of things, and they may not all need to or even should do the same kinds of tasks. So, what, do we get a different certifying board for each kind? If not, how's that going to work? If so, that starts looking terribly unwieldy. 
> 
> 2. Who keeps the certifying process fair? You may trust the schools to do it, but I sure don't. Who protects the rights of owner trainers, such that whatever certifying criteria that's drawn up isn't unfairly stacked against owner trainers passing it? Don't think that would happen? You're much more trusting than I am. 
> 
> 3. Who pays for it? These certifying boards won't come cheap. Is it paid for with a tax? By each individual team? 
> 
> 4. How often is each team certified? What would constitute a team no longer being certified? Say I pass my certification last year, and this year my guide develops a problem that makes him unsuitable to work anymore. He'd still be certified, even though he just lunged and snarled at a little old lady, then knocked her over, and bit a child. Still certified, and oh goodness, I can't bear to leave him at home alone. Don't think that happens now? Think again. That problem wouldn't be solved. It might be lessened by an annual recertification, but do you know how expensive that would get,, not to mention labor intensive? 
> 
> 5. How would we certify a dog whose purpose is to alert to a condition that can't be brought up on demand, like a diabetic low or high or a seizure? Do those guys not deserve to have their medical alert dogs just as much as we do? 
> 
> Likely there's more, but I'm still waking up. Still, isn't that enough?
> 
> In short, the laws we have are adequate. Where I think we might need them beefed up would be in penalties for impersonating a person with a disability, which is what someone is doing when s/he pretends his/her untrained pet is a service dog. Remember, two parts to the test: task training plus having a disability, and both must be present. Florida's on the right track there. What we really need is enforcement of the laws we have already, wider education about them, and for goodness sake, business owners need to step up and demand their rights be upheld. We've done a good job at educating to our need and our right to be accompanied by a service dog. We could do better (no, our dogs do not have the right to public access, please get this correct), but we've really fallen down in our efforts, or our lack of efforts, to educate business owners to what recourse *they* have when confronted with an out of control, unruly, not housebroken dog, service or otherwise. If these guys would insist upon *their* rights, that would go a long way to fixing the problem. 
> 
> 
> 
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> Phone: 814-860-3194 
> Mobile: 814-431-0962
> Email: buddy at brannan.name
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Nov 10, 2015, at 7:28 AM, Mike Valentino via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> My guide Ollie and I are graduates of Southeastern guide dogs. The school actually issued us credit card style identification cards with a picture of Ollie and I on one side and all the relevant information about our training and what he does on the other. I am a firm believer in a mandatory "drivers license" for service dogs.
>> 
>> Michael Valentino
>> valentinoma19 at gmail.com
>> Cell - 804-513-6261
>> 
>> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.
>> 
>> 
>>> On Nov 10, 2015, at 6:11 AM, Criminal Justice Major Extraordinaire via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi, all,
>>> I'm revisiting the subject of "fake service dogs" once again.
>>> There is a resident in my apart complex who decided to go online, pay $100.00 and a vest so he could have his dog with him.
>>> Two problems with the dog.
>>> He has growled at Odie and I, amongst other dogs.
>>> The growling instantly failed him as a service dog.
>>> The individual acts like he/she (not sure of the owner being male or female, so refer to the person as it), claims his dog named Bolt will help calm down PTSD as I'm don't know if this individual has actually gone through counseling or not.
>>> Here is the embarrassing part which makes me feel even more comfortable and I now focus on the cafeteria in our building.
>>> It decides that while the so-called service dog allows other people feed human food to Bolt.
>>> I have approached my service cordinator on this matter and would like to write a letter to the CEO of VOA to put a stop to this negative behavior.
>>> What would the best approach be to handle this situation?
>>> I want to become an owner-dog trainer as soon as I work on retiring Odie permanently, but have some questions.
>>> If need be, I'm happy to have owner-dog trainers email me off list rather than to clog up the list.
>>> During my time of owner-training, I want to be sure that I am a responsible dog handler and stick with training and consistancy like I learned with Odie and my previous guides.
>>> I do have another question, but wil save it for the owner-dog trainers off list.
>>> Sincerely:
>>> Bibi and MAR son Odie
>>> orleans24 at comcast.net
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>> 
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