[NAGDU] Southeastern Guide Dogs Ownership Agreement

[Cindy Ray]

Well, of course not just the language needs changed; the whole policy and
the whole mindset needs changed. 
Cindy Lou Ray
cindyray at gmail.com


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Erika Wolf via
NAGDU
Sent: Saturday, January 7, 2017 8:05 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Erika Wolf <wolf.erika102 at att.net>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Southeastern Guide Dogs Ownership Agreement

I share your same concerns  stated regarding this ownership policy agreement
set forth by Southeastern Guide Dogs. What can be done to change  the
language of this ownership agreement?
Owners of guide dogs  absolutely need to be protected upon obtaining their
guide dog without all these preposterous unnecessary restrictions being
placed upon the new handler.
Hence, limiting the time a person can actually work his or her guide dog.
This is extremely troubling to me as I read through all that you've
outlined.
Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 7, 2017, at 5:32 AM, NAGDU President via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
wrote:
> 
> Dear All,
> 
> 
> 
>                FYI, I am sharing with you the ownership agreement of 
> Southeastern Guide Dogs. This agreement was shared with me by a 
> graduate of the program. I would like to call your attention to 
> paragraph 3 of the agreement which states in part
> 
> 
> 
> "3.    RETIREMENT. It is understood and agreed to that the Dog  
> 
> will be retired if, in the sole opinion of any SEGDI staff or 
> representative, the Dog is not healthy enough to continue as a  guide dog.
> It is also understood and agreed to that the Dog  MUST be retired on 
> or before his/her eleventh (11 th) Birthday"
> 
> 
> 
> Personally, I have some serious concerns about this paragraph. My 
> first and obvious concern is that it allows Southeastern to repossess 
> a dog with the sole discretion of any staff member of Southeastern 
> should that person determine the dog is not healthy to continue as a 
> guide dog. It does not require any objective evidence nor that the 
> person making such a decision be competent to do so.
> 
> 
> 
>                This paragraph also requires an owner to retire their 
> dog on or before its 11th birthday. My second guide dog, incidentally 
> from Southeastern Guide Dogs, worked until he was nearly 15 years old. 
> Mike Sergeant used to refer to him as "Superdog"! My third guide dog, 
> also from Southeastern, worked until she was 13 years old. It is my 
> opinion that, if we own our dogs, no one has the right to require we 
> retire the dog and the 11-year-old mark is arbitrary. Many of us have 
> had guide dogs that have worked well past the 11 year mark.
> 
> 
> 
>                Also, please pay attention to paragraph 5 in which 
> Southeastern has the right to repossess the dog for reasons of 
> "suspected abuse or negligence". This is troubling because it does not 
> require any evidence of abuse or neglect, simply a suspicion of abuse or
neglect.
> 
> 
> 
>                Many other training programs have similar conditions 
> which I believe are paternalistic and arbitrary. I encourage each of 
> you to consider what you would do and how you would feel if someone 
> levied an unfounded, anonymous complaint of abuse or neglect against 
> you and, based upon this anonymous, unfounded complaint and, inspite 
> of the assertions of your veterinarian and close family and friends, 
> there was no evidence of abuse, your dog was repossessed. Lest you say 
> this would not happen, let me tell you it has and is currently occurring!
> 
> 
> 
> Fraternally yours,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Marion Gwizdala, President
> 
> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc. (NAGDU)
> 
> National Federation of the Blind
> 
> (813) 626-2789
> 
> President at NAGDU.ORG
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the 
> characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise 
> expectations because low expectations create barriers between blind  
> people and our dreams. You can live the life you want! Blindness is 
> not what holds you back.
> 
> 
> 
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