[NAGDU] FW: [External] FW: [Njagdu] Disappointed in Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Response

Sat Jan 27 02:36:53 UTC 2018

Dear All,

                After receiving my comments which I forwarded to the list,
Thomas Panek, the CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, telephoned me to
discuss my comments. I offered to share with our NAGDU lists any response he
would like to make to my comments. Below is Mr. Panek's response.

Fraternally yours,

Marion Gwizdala 

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.

Dear Mr. Gwizdala :

Thank you for your comments regarding Guiding Eyes for the Blind's
announcement to graduates about our access hotline.

We too are deeply concerned about Delta's proposed policy and the
requirement to present a health record as a precondition to travel,
recognizing that any policy by any organization places an undue burden for
individuals who use service dogs.

Our goal in launching a access hotline is to provide Guiding Eyes for the
Blind guide dog users a resource when accessibility issues are encountered
when travelling with a guide ddog.   

I think it is important to also clarify that we support efforts by NAGDU and
guide dog users to advocate to ensure their rights of equal access under the
law.      I have included our announcement below.

Sincerely,

Thomas A. Panek

Presidetn & CEO

Guiding Eyes for the Blind

Dear Graduates,

Guiding Eyes is pleased to announce the launch of the Access Hotline for our
graduates. The hotline is available 24/7 and provides real-time assistance
in resolving situations in which access is being denied by establishments,
transportation, or other services. The hotline is also available for
questions about access laws or situations. Graduates with active guides may
call 1-800-974-4925 <tel:(800)%20974-4925>  or email access at guidingeyes.org,
any time, day or night, seven days a week. 

Guiding Eyes for the Blind has been monitoring and participating in the
national conversation about service dog fraud. When individuals break the
law by representing a pet as a service animal, it can cause serious safety
and access issues for our graduates. 

On January 19, 2018, Delta Airlines announced the requirement of a health
certificate for service animals on all domestic flights. Guiding Eyes is
communicating with Delta to understand how to help our graduates navigate
these new procedures.

Guiding Eyes currently provides health certificates to all graduates that
are valid up to one year (depending on date of vaccinations.) After the
initial certificate expires, we can provide an updated health certificate to
graduates who bring their guides to the Guiding Eyes Training Center in
Yorktown Heights, NY, for a check-up by a staff veterinarian.

We continue to issue I.D. cards and letters to all graduates certifying that
each Guiding Eyes guide dog has been formally trained as a service dog and
has been taught to be well behaved in public. While not required by law,
these can be helpful in resolving access challenges. 

The entire Guiding Eyes community works hard to make sure our dogs are bred,
socialized and trained to be well behaved in public. Guiding Eyes remains
committed to assisting our graduates and are pleased to add this enhancement
to our comprehensive follow up services. If you have any questions about
this announcement please contact me directly. 

Sincerely,

Ben Cawley

Director of Admissions

Guiding Eyes for the Blind

bcawley at guidingeyes.org

From: NJAGDU [mailto:njagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of NAGDU President
via NJAGDU
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2018 11:59 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users;
coagdu at nfbnet.org; txagdu at nfbtx.org; nyagdu at nfbnet.org; New Jersey
Association of Guide Dog Users; oagdu at nfbnet.org; vagdu at nfbnet.org; Michigan
Guide Dog Users Committee List; flagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: NAGDU President
Subject: [Njagdu] Disappointed in Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Response

Dear NAGDU Members & Supporters,

I am writing to share with you my comments to Guiding Eyes for the Blind
regarding their comments on Delta's proposed service animal policy. 

Fraternally yours,

Marion Gwizdala their statement 

January 24, 2018 

Dear Mr. Cawley,

Via Email: bcawley at guidingeyes.orgc

                I want to express my extreme disappointment with the
response by Guiding eyes for the Blind to the issue we are facing with delta
Airlines. The National Association of Guide Dog Users, a strong and proud
division of the National Federation of the Blind,  is committed to
advocating for all guide dog users, whether they receive their guide dogs
from a formal training program or choose to owner-train their dogs. We are
also aware that, when we advocate for policies that affect us as guide dog
users, we have a more global responsibility to the entire service dog
industry. We take this responsibility seriously and reject any attempt to
weaken our civil rights. This being said, we oppose any measures that have
the effect of discriminating against disabled individuals who use service
dogs, including the imposition of an unequal benefit, something Guiding Eyes
for the Blind seems to condone in their recent statement. 

Though it is true that consumers of Guiding Eyes for the Blind and other
guide dog training programs are issued identification cards, these cards are
not and should not be required as a precondition for access under the Air
Carrier Access Act or a covered entity under the Americans with Disabilities
Act. Though it is equally true that all responsible animal owners, including
guide and service dog users, must accept the responsibility of maintaining
the health of their dogs, it is paternalistic to require us to demonstrate
that we are doing so just because we are blind or otherwise disabled and use
a service dog! The requirement to present a health record as a precondition
to travel is discriminatory and imposes an undue burden for those of us who
use service dogs. Likewise, the inability to book on-demand travel and
check-in online, curbside, or by means of a kiosk is a discriminatory
unequal benefit. 

By issuing their statement, Guiding Eyes for the Blind has done a disservice
to their consumers and the entire service dog using public. Such an
ill-informed position compromises the progress made by the National
Federation of the Blind and the National Association of Guide Dog Users to
ensure that service dog users have the right to full participation in
society on terms of full equality and to travel freely without harassment or
the imposition of unnecessary, burdensome requirements.

                The National Association of Guide Dog Users strongly urges
Guiding Eyes for the Blind to rescind their statement and take a stand with
us to demand that those of us who choose to use service dogs have the
ability to travel freely and on equal terms with our nondisabled peers. We
further urge 

all guide and service dog training programs to stand with the National
Federation of the blind and its National Association of Guide Dog Users to
ensure that their consumers are well-informed about their civil rights under
the law and take an active role in advocating for those rights.

                For more information about the National Association of Guide
Dog Users, please visit our website

http://nagdu.org

Follow us on Twitter - @nagdu

Join the discussion on our Facebook page by searching for NAGDU.

Live the life you want; nobody can stop you!

Respectfully yours,

Marion Gwizdala 

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.

Attention: This email was sent from someone outside of Guiding Eyes. Always
use caution when opening attachments or clicking links from unknown senders
or when receiving unexpected emails.