[NAGDU] Guiding Eyes dog attacked twice, owner speaking up for all service animals

[Milissa Garside]

I thought this was pretty good minus the fact that it said her guide dog protects her. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 29, 2018, at 4:45 PM, Ginger Kutsch via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Guiding Eyes dog attacked twice, owner speaking up for all service animals
> 
> April 25, 2018
> 
> http://www.localsyr.com/news/local-news/guiding-eyes-dog-attacked-twice-owne
> r-speaking-up-for-all-service-animals/1139855296
> 
> 
> 
> Guiding Eyes dog, "Caffrey," his job is to be part of a team with his owner
> Tonya Corujo. Together, they go to a variety of places, run errands and
> maybe even take a trip.
> 
> 
> 
> In the past few months, Caffrey was attacked by the same dog twice in and
> around Corujo's apartment building. Though puncture wounds to Caffrey's ears
> have since healed -- Corujo says he still gets anxious.
> 
> 
> 
> Inside their home, Corujo says Caffrey is fine, but leaving the apartment to
> work is a challenge since the attacks.
> 
> 
> 
> "When he hears or sees a dog, he gets a bit anxious and he wants to cower
> behind me because he just isn't sure what the dog is going to do," Corujo
> said. "Which is not fair to me because he's been professionally trained and
> he shouldn't be afraid in his own environment."
> 
> Guiding Eyes dogs, takes two years and can cost about $50,000.
> 
> 
> 
> Guiding Eyes prepares each dog to handle everyday situations and adapt
> easily no matter where their travels make take them.
> 
> 
> 
> When Corujo and Caffrey are out, they take initiative when there is a person
> with another dog approaching them. Corujo puts Caffrey in a "sit" position
> and then lets the other person and dog pass by.
> 
> 
> 
> If someone is approaching her with a young child, Corujo says she will use
> it as a teaching opportunity.
> 
> 
> 
> "I start explaining that, you know, he is a guy dog and this is what he does
> for me and this is how he protects me. Once I do that, I might let them pet
> him after that," Corujo said.
> 
> 
> 
> This service dog etiquette is common, according to Ben Cawley, director of
> admissions for Guiding Eyes for the Blind.
> 
> 
> 
> "If you're not sure what to do, you can approach and say, 'hi', but that can
> be distracting to the team," Cawley explained. "Ask the handler if the dog
> can say, "hello," and take a break from work. They have a lot of
> responsibility when they're out. They worked hard and trained to be in
> public spaces interacting with the public."
> 
> 
> 
> Cawley says Guiding Eyes graduates like Caffrey are ambassadors for the
> program, so it's crucial for everyone to understand their role and properly
> approach them when they're working.
> 
> 
> 
> Guiding Eyes is working with Caffrey to help him shake anxiety issues from
> the attacks. 
> 
> 
> 
> "Dog attacks can cause injury but also mental stress," Cawley shared. "We
> will work on getting the dog comfortable with guide work and help the dog
> find work positive again. Sometimes we retire teams because a guide dog is
> stressed out and the handler can be stressed as well."
> 
> 
> 
> Every day, Corujo says she is doing her part to make Caffrey's work life
> positive again.
> 
> 
> 
> As the team continues to work together, Corujo says she hopes her message
> will not only help other service dogs stay safe, but encourage all pet
> owners to be more responsible.
> 
> 
> 
> Since the second attack, the a Syracuse Police Dog Control Officer handling
> the case tells us the dog that attacked Caffrey has been removed from the
> building and the owner could face a fine after being ticketed.
> 
> 
> 
> Welcoming a New Guide Dog Team to Your Community:
> 
> -Don't distract a working dog.
> 
> -Don't give the dog table food.
> 
> -Keep your pet on his leash. 
> 
> -Always ask for permission before interacting with the dog
> 
> -Help spot service dog fraud. If you encounter a service dog team that you
> believe to be fraudulent, alerting the handler, management or law
> enforcement can make a big difference.
> 
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