[NAGDU] International travel with a guidedog

Wed Apr 5 00:44:47 UTC 2017

I am seinding the letter our moderator wrote to me, so you all will know 
that people can't express themselves on this list.

Dan, I expect you planned to hear from me. Be very careful what you say 
on this list. You made it a point to more or less slur the dog handlers 
in Japan. One of them, as you know, is on this list. Would you feel 
welcome if you were on someone else’s list and these things were said. 
You also did go on and on and on about Japan. Not even sure Miranda is 
going to Japan. Try very  hard to just say what you mean and don’t 
belabor it. Just because we have a list here doesn’t mean we can write 
whatever we please, push send, and it isn’t noticed. A little tact is in 
order, so think how it sounds please before you send it.
Thanks, Dan, for your cooperation.
Cindy Lou Ray

On 4/4/2017 8:27 PM, Dan Weiner via NAGDU wrote:
> also Japan has a lot of cultural attitudes about big dogs and dog in 
> houses and so on that are a bit different, I was there  just about two 
> years,, and though I did not live as long there as Sandra, my 
> experience i suspect is still valid--and I was on my own most of the 
> time. Access can be interesting especially in hotels and any places 
> with tatami flooring--lol.
>
>  I seem to remember reading about you, , Sandra, that you were doing 
> church work and were with your husband, you had a golden and a poodle 
> if you're the same person, and I'd be happy to hear about what you   
> did and your experiences. w .
>
> Anyway,
>
> Also, Sandra, tell me if I'm wrong, but haven't the restrictions 
> gotten a bit more involved for entry in terms of needing to produce 
> rabies tytor test, not sure of spelling. Therefore a short trip to 
> Japan would be rather impractical.
>
>  Sorry now I reread your post and you mentioned titor tests, so here' 
> my question, is that valid only for the first time and if you were to, 
> say leave Japan and come back would you have to go through the dsame 
> rigmarole?
>
> When I went it was a question of preparing for the two week in home 
> quarantine in quotes. They wanted a big form filled out one which, 
> must must must, have a seal on it--smile As a matter of fact when I 
> faxed a copy they complained that the seal was not raised.
>
> Then they wanted a picture or diagram of the room or place where the 
> dog would be in quotes quarantined and my itenerary for the first two 
> weeks, I would then fill out a form every day and the quarantine 
> officer would come and check on you after two weeks.
>
> Very pleasant people I dealt with but very demanding in terms of 
> paperwork.
>
>  I should point out that the phrase in home is a symbolic phrase, you 
> can go out and about with your guide dog, but they call it in home and 
> at least theoretically you should keep your dog away from other dogs 
> for the two week period. Since I had a friend with a guide dog I can 
> pretty forthrightly say that I ignored that one--lol..Also don't get 
> me started on Japanese guide dog handlers, that's a different story.so 
> if I say, wanted to visit Japan I'm assuming I would need the titor 
> test nowadays, as I said that was not the requirement then, It was a 
> rabies shot which was given at least thirty days before arrival.
>
> Because of that, my original flight, Sept 11, 2001 was changed to Sept 
> 28th, 2001. Imagine the mess if I'd gone on the eleventh.
>
> I was a student there and then I spent time looking for work and so on 
> and doing research.
>
>
> good luck, and remember I was there from 2001 through 2003 so things 
> might be totally different
>
>
> If nothing else the quarantine and all the rest of it was good 
> practice to improve my Japanese language skills aas since that was my 
> major I was pretty uncompromising about using Japanese.
>
> So in my honest opinion, Miranda, if you are looking to do an exchange 
> in Japan I'm not convinced a guide dog is the best option unless of 
> course you have the dog for some time already and are a seasoned team, 
> the paperwork if nothing else will get you down--lol.
> I'm travelled to three countries with a guide dog, Russia, Japan, and 
> Mexico.. Paperwork varied from place to place, the big problem was 
> access and cultural issues. In Russia, people love big dogs but guide 
> dogs were pretty much unknown even though supposedly they have schools 
> there and access was abysmal.
> Japan, guide dogs schhols and even some legislation (wwell actually 
> Russia had legislation but tit doesn't do any good and there are holes 
> in it which I can explain at some point),
> anyway, Japan, some legislation but cultural attitudes aobu tdogs 
> differ and there were some interesting situations.  The Japanese 
> people aren't necessarily always as polite and deferential as 
> stereotypes make them out to be. Having said  there are ignorant 
> people here in the States, too.
>
> Mexico, actually most people were helpful in terms of directions and 
> so on but there were some strange access situations there too.
> I actually want to start traveling again and especially if i go to 
> anywhere n Europe or Latin America I might indeed be accompanied by my 
> guide dog, after all I love working with my dog and walking with him, 
> but I'll admit access can be quite interesting and I'm perhaps not as 
> patient with people as I used to be.
>
> Therefore, I am interested in all the responses and will take it all 
> in to account.
> Fortunately we have the net which will serve us to find all sorts of 
> useful info.
> Even in 2001 when I went to Japan, the net was not as chalked with 
> info as it is now. You can talk to people, get iin touch with blind 
> people or schools and so on. Remember one thing though which I 
> learned, everything may vary depending on your experience. Blind 
> people from that or whatever country may tell you things like "no you 
> cna't bring a dog here, you'll have problems" and you may havenone, or 
> the other way around.
>
>
> I would say living situations were the most complicated in Japan, the 
> dorm I stayed in for example told me friendly things like "well since 
> you have a dog you won't be able to use the washer and drier becuase 
> the other students won't want dog hair on their clothes, sorry." Said 
> very politely so sorry--lol but the comment itiself was pretty bad, 
> and that's thnot the only one. I told them I understand their point of 
> view but to make it convenient for all you can give me my own washer 
> and drier--lol and hat was the end of their objections.
>
> I was staying at an international dorm in yokohama, no other living 
> situations when I was accepted for the program I was at wnated me and 
> the dog, I mean NO Others, no rooms for rent, no appartment, no shard 
> housing.  To find a place the director of my school the Inter 
> University Center for Japanese Lanugage sStudies, Stanford Pacifico 
> (Yokohama) had to intervene several times.  That did not help when the 
> ten months of dorm stay were up and I wanted to live and work in 
> Japan, that's a whole other question.
>
>
> Anyway, remember these are my opinions, experiences, and comments and 
> are not meant to negate anyone else's experiences, good or bad, or to 
> tell anyyone what they shoudl do or not do, I have my own style and it 
> works for me, I can be pretty assertive.
>
> Also it is not meant to make anyone form any other country feel bad, 
> I' mjust telling what happens to me and I tend to like syaing things 
> as they are or as they seem to me.
>
> Hugs to all and wags from Parker
>
> 4/4/2017 5:21 PM, Sandra Burmester via NAGDU wrote:
>> Hi,
>> When we went to Japan for the first time.  We had to follow all the 
>> rules
>> about a rabies free zone.  My dog had to be mirochiped first then have a
>> rabies shot then 30 days latter another rabies shot then a titer test
>> done.  It had to follow a strict shedule.  Then you have to wait for 180
>> days.  Then submit your paper work.  You can look up all this info on 
>> the
>> internet.  Guide dogs don't have to go through the quarintine time in
>> japan.  At least I didn't.  You could ccontact the Kansai Guide dog 
>> school
>> and they may be able to help you with paperwork.
>> I hope this helps.
>> Sandra
>>
>> On Tue, Apr 4, 2017 at 10:59 AM, Julie Johnson via NAGDU 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I've not traveled internationally, but I have traveled within the 
>>> U.S. and
>>> left one or both dogs at home with my husband or others. I owner 
>>> train and
>>> currently switch between two dogs.  Even previously when I've only 
>>> had one
>>> dog working, I've generally had two or even three dogs  in various 
>>> stages
>>> of being trained or retired or whatever.  My husband really does not 
>>> enjoy
>>> traveling and is content to stay at home with the dogs.    It works for
>>> us.  To each his or her own, I guess.
>>>
>>> Julie
>>>
>>>
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