[NAGDU] doggy repo

[Jenine Stanley]

Hi Richard, 

First off, an explanation about the gentleman’s comment re GDF and veterans. 

There are two programs being run using the breeding stock and training facilities of GDF. One program, America’s Vetdogs, trains primarily service dogs but a few guides as well, for US military veterans. These dogs are generally, but not always, separated as early as their breeding, i.e., a breeding pair might produce puppies suitable for service dog work versus guide work. Puppies are usually tested and put into the separate programs early in their development but could be switched later if they show particular traits. In other words, this gentleman was not correct in his assessment of GDF. 

Sadly it did feel that way to many grads and no matter what we said or tried to show them, they persisted. The two types of dogs are very different but even within the guide dog program, veterans didn’t get any special consideration. It was the right dog for the right person regardless of status. 

As for what programs do with older dogs, many adopt them out to people. GDF had, as I can’t speak for the status at the moment, a very thorough adoption process. People also had to make a rather sizable donation to adopt a dog and were followed just as if they were grads of the program. Yes, I had to make a couple calls on adoptive families after abuse/neglect reports and yes, we did repossess a few dogs. 

Over all, I think the procedures used at GDF/AVD are or at least were when I worked there, very fair in terms of this type of issue. Were they always that way? I’m sure they were not. Are they still that way, I expect so as most of the same people are involved and the person who has my job is amazing. 

Do things sometimes go sideways? Yes. As I’m sure people have heard, there are always 3 sides to every story which is why 3rd party independent mediators should be involved when it comes to taking a dog back.  

On Mar 8, 2021, at 10:09 AM, Richard via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> This brings up a few rather interesting questions.  What in the world does a
> school do with a five or six year old dog that they have taken from a
> handler?  Apparently if the dog is under three there is demand and maybe
> money from fire departments and similar organizations.  The one dog that I
> had to send back the school very much insisted that he come back prior to
> three years old and he went into the bomb sniffing business.
> 
> As for gdf please understand I have never contacted the school and have zero
> first hand knowledge about their program.  When attending another program a
> class member was a former gdf graduate.  For the entire time I was there he
> kept saying that veterans get the good dogs and blind people get the left
> overs.  The only thing that gets me curious is that I am sure that VA pays a
> school for whatever dogs they are taking ownership of.  Has anyone else felt
> this to be the case or was this gentlemen just handing out bad information.
> 
> Richard 
> 
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