[NAGDU] Organization Raises Questions about Service Dog Giving Birth at Airport

Tracy Carcione carcione at access.net
Fri Jun 1 13:12:03 UTC 2018


To be fair, it did sound like it was a legit service dog having puppies.
The article said the owner had mobility problems.  To me, sounds like all
she's guilty of is poor judgment, a crime I've committed myself.
Tracy


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sherrill O'Brien
via NAGDU
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2018 3:08 PM
To: Nagdu; flagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: Sherrill O'Brien
Subject: [NAGDU] Organization Raises Questions about Service Dog Giving
Birth at Airport

Hello all,

 

A follow-up article to the story of the Tampa airport puppies!

 

Sherrill

 

Organization raises questions about service dog giving birth at TIA

By:  

Chip Osowski

cosowski at wfla 

 

Updated: May 30, 2018 09:20 AM EDT 

 

PALMETTO, Fla. (WFLA) - When Suzy Wilburn heard about the story of a 

service dog giving birth to a litter of puppies at Tampa International
Airport

on Friday, her first reaction wasn't, "Isn't that cute." The news made her
upset and angry. 

 

"I was a tad bit angry because in the state of Florida it's a second-degree
misdemeanor to represent your pet as a service dog," said Wilburn. "And they

did that twice - with the male dog and the female dog. It's a crime."

 

Wilburn works with Southeastern Guide Dogs in Manatee County, an
organization that has been breeding and training dogs for the sole purpose
of being service

animals for 35 years. It's a passion they don't take lightly.

 

The facility can be described as a campus. There is a hospital where the
puppies are born. They live for a period of time with their mother and then
it's

off to school. They begin at the puppy academy, move on to boarding school
and then it's on to the university. 

 

Once they finish there, they pursue a major. Those curriculums include guide
dog major, service dog major, facility therapy dog major and genetics and

reproduction major.

 

Wilburn says the environment is highly controlled and all dogs are spayed or
neutered before they are given to their new life companions. She says one

of their dogs would never be put in a position to give birth in an
environment such as an airport. 

 

"The fire department was called in. You took emergency services away for
something they should've never had to deal with," said Wilburn. "And yes
puppies

are cute, but had something gone horribly wrong, those puppies lives were in
danger and so was mom's. "

 

Wilburn grew up playing sports and was a very active individual until she
received news from a physician that would change her life: She was losing
her

eyesight. A short time later, she lost her mother, who was her best friend.
She thought her life was over.

 

But things were about to look up. Soon after the loss of her mom, she met
her husband-to-be and then linked up with Southeastern Guide Dogs. 

 

That's where she was finally united with Carson. She's been with him for
seven years now and credits him, at least in part, with getting her back on
track. 

 

"I am just a different person. I love to talk about my vision loss because I
hid it for so long," said Wilburn. "I didn't want anyone to know something

was wrong with me."

 

She, and others at Southeastern Guide Dogs, are concerned with the story at
Tampa International. 

 

On Friday, news broke that Diane Van Atter was at the airport with her
service dog Ellie when the dog went into labor. Ellie delivered healthy
puppies

and, on the surface, it seemed like a shiny happy story. 

 

But Wilburn wonders who would take a service dog that pregnant and board a
flight.

 

News Channel 8 attempted to reach Van Atter for her take on this story, but
have yet to receive a response.

 

For more information on Southeastern Guide Dogs, you can 

visit their website.

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