[NAGDU] Ruffwear Harnesses

NAGDU President blind411 at verizon.net
Wed Mar 13 01:21:07 UTC 2019


Deb,

	I think it is very important for anyone with an oopinion - whether
you agree with me or not - to voice that opinion to Ruffwear. I have spoken
with Greg Freyberg, as have others in our membership, and sent emails
expressing our concerns; however, unless they hear from our grassroots
membership, they may think my advocacy is based upon my own personal
opinions and not on the desires of our membership. You can write to Ruffwear
at

greg at ruffwear.com

Thanks a bunch!
Marion
w

Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc. (NAGDU)
National Federation of the Blind
(813) 626-2789
President at NAGDU.ORG
Visit our website
Follow us on Twitter
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.

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Debra Chandler
via NAGDU
Sent: Friday, March 8, 2019 9:33 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: dchandler001 at carolina.rr.com
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Ruffwear Harnesses

Hi Marion and others interested in this topic.  I'm really interested in the
Unifly harness and am disappointed that it can't be bought by legitimate
guide dog handlers.  I am a Seeing Eye grad and am always interested in
exploring different types of guide dog user equipment.
Deb and Tally
---- Sonja O via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote: 
> Thank you for doing that, Marion.
> I much appreciate it.
> Best, sonja and Chief
> 
> 
> Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
> 
> ________________________________
> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> on behalf of Susan Jones via NAGDU
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, March 7, 2019 1:22 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Cc: Susan Jones
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Ruffwear Harnesses
> 
> Dear Marion,
> 
> Sorry, I don't see Greg's e-mail address here.
> 
> Kind regards,
> Susan Jones
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of NAGDU President
> via NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, March 7, 2019 1:50 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: NAGDU President
> Subject: [NAGDU] Ruffwear Harnesses
> 
> Dear All,
> 
> 
> 
> I have spoken with Greg Freyberg in the past about the issue
> of Ruffwear only selling their harnesses to training programs. I shared
with
> him that I do not believe those wishing to pass their pets off as service
> animals would make the sort of investment in a Ruffwear harness when there
> are much cheaper ways of commiting the fraud. I also shared with him that
> there are those of us wishing to purchase their harness with guide dogs
from
> programs that do not have a relationship with Ruffwear or simply do not
wish
> to have their training programs inserted in our personal decisions. In
light
> of this discussion, I wrote to Greg and addressed this issue once more. My
> message is below. Contained within the header of this message is Greg's
> email address. I urge those interested to write to him expressing your
> opinions on this matter. If you do write to him, please copy me on your
> message so I can keep a log of those contacting him so as to better
advocate
> for you. Please copy me at my NAGDU address
> 
> 
> 
> president at nagdu.org
> 
> 
> 
> Fraternally yours,
> 
> Marion
> 
> From: president at nagdu.org [mailto:president at nagdu.org]
> Sent: Thursday, March 7, 2019 1:39 PM
> To: 'Greg Freyberg'
> Cc: 'Marion Gwizdala'
> Subject: Harnesses
> 
> 
> 
> Greg,
> 
> 
> 
> There is currently a thread on the NAGDU discussion list
> concerning something we have spoken about in the past. NAGDU members,
> especially owner-trainers, are interested in purchasing the Ruffwear
harness
> directly from your company; however, it is the policy of Ruffwear to only
> sell to training programs. As we have discussed in the past, I appreciate
> Ruffwear's commitment to curbing the abuses experienced by counterfeiters
> passing their dogs off as service animals by not selling harnesses to
those
> who would use them for this purpose. As I have shared when we spoke about
> this, I do not think this is as much of an issue as you believe it is. If
a
> counterfeiter intends to pass their dog off as a service animal to gain
> public access where pets are not permitted, there are much cheaper ways of
> commiting the fraud than purchasing a Ruffwear harness. Coats, patches,
and
> other garments are much cheaper and more accessible than the Ruffwear
> harness.
> 
> 
> 
> I would like to urge Ruffwear to reconsider their policy of
> restricting the sale of harnesses to only training programs so that our
> members may purchase them directly. Not only would this benefit
> owner-trainers, it would also allow those who have guide dogs from
programs
> without a relationship with Ruffwear or those who simply do not want their
> programs inserted in such decisions to purchase your harnesses without
> involving the training program. Please let me know at your earliest
> opportunity when such a policy change takes place so we can advise our
> members.
> 
> 
> 
> With kind regards,
> 
> 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
> 
> Visit our website <http://nagdu.org/>
> 
> Follow us on Twitter <http://twitter.com/nagdu>
> 
> 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.
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> NAGDU mailing list
> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
NAGDU:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/sblanjones11%40sbcglobal.
> net
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> NAGDU mailing list
> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
NAGDU:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/sohldag%40hotmail.com
> _______________________________________________
> NAGDU mailing list
> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
NAGDU:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/dchandler001%40carolina.r
r.com


_______________________________________________
NAGDU mailing list
NAGDU at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blind411%40verizon.net





More information about the NAGDU mailing list