[NAGDU] Guide dogs aroundthe world, current developments

[Bianka Brankovic]

Hello gabriel,

well, one thing is the same as in the U. S., some schools, especially the bigger ones, sometimes come across as if they could tell the handlers where to go and what to do. I have had discussions about letting my dog guide in unfamiliar areas shortly after the training ended with my instructor. I told him I was aware I had a young dog and I did not expect her to be perfect but for me one advantage of a guide dog was the better orientation in unfamiliar areas and that was that. As for taking a dog from the UK to Ireland, the simplified regulations for travelling from and to the Uk are fairly new. A few years back, it was more difficult and even earlier the quarantaine laws were still in place. I don’t say the schools know it better all the way but usually you would have to listen to both sides of the story to find out the truth.

A personal example: I wrote a status about the retirement of my last guide dog on fb, just informing. A few weeks later my guide dog instructor, whoom I had known for years asked me why I had not talked to him and critisized the school on Fb. Apparently, he had spoken to a guide dog handler who had heard about my post from another handler. My statement of facts was somehow missinterpreted. This means I am very careful what I let people know. 

Just my two cents. .

Kind regards,

Bianka