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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I’m so glad this has worked out for her! I am very proud of all those involved.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sherri<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal'><b>From:</b> NFBF-L <nfbf-l-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Sherrill O'Brien via NFBF-L<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, May 20, 2021 4:58 PM<br><b>To:</b> nfbf-l@nfbnet.org<br><b>Cc:</b> Sherrill O'Brien <sherrill.obrien@verizon.net><br><b>Subject:</b> [NFBF-L] Didi Comes Home<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Hello to all,<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Below my signature, you’ll find some great news!<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Sherrill<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sherrill O’Brien, Secretary<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Florida Association of Guide Dog Users (FLAGDU)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Florida<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Phone 813-935-0474, cell 813-767-1890<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Email <a href="mailto:sherrill.obrien@verizon.net">sherrill.obrien@verizon.net</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>FROM: Advocates for Service animal Partners (ASAP) <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>DATE: May 20, 2021<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>TO: All Media <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>CONTACT: Marion Gwizdala 386-272-7411<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>RE: Stolen Guide Dog Returned<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>SHERIFF’S OFFICE RETRIEVES STOLEN GUIDE DOG<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>On Thursday, May 20, the Columbia County Sheriff’s department notified Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) that Didi, Rev. Susan Blake’s guide dog, had been retrieved and was in their custody. ASAP immediately drove to Columbia County to pick up Didi. Didi had been sent to Columbia County by Southeastern Guide Dogs after the organization forcibly removed the dog without warning, without cause, and without authority. The court order known as a writ of replevin was supported by the same transfer of ownership contract Southeastern claimed gave it the right of unilateral repossession.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>“The contract indicates that Southeastern must obtain an injunction to retake the dog,” explains Marcy I. LaHart, Susan Blake’s attorney. “Once the issue of possession is fully resolved in Columbia County we are considering further action against Southeastern Guide Dogs so the organization does not unilaterally help itself to another disabled person’s service dog based upon some trivial perceived shortcoming.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>The saga began on March 4, 2021, when a representative of Southeastern Guide Dogs, a Palmetto, Fla. nonprofit organization that trains guide dogs for the blind, showed up unannounced at the home of Rev. Susan Blake, a blind Episcopal priest for the Diocese<b> </b>of Orlando, and removed Rev. Blake’s 9-1/2-year-old guide dog because the dog allegedly appeared to be about four pounds overweight. Blake pleaded for her beloved guide dog to be returned and Southeastern refused, citing a contract that they claimed gave them the right to unilaterally make such a radical decision. Southeastern gave Rev. Blake the chance to appeal their decision; however, the appeal was a sham heard by the same group that made the original decision. Rev. Blake was not allowed to speak in her own defense nor rebut the lies Southeastern made concerning the health of Didi.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>Once the outcry from the public began to impact Southeastern, they began changing their story and their web of lies began to crumble. They asserted Rev. Blake had not had her dog to the veterinarian since 2018 while Blake’s records have her visiting the vet exactly one month earlier on February 4. Southeastern claimed the dog had tumors on one of its eyes while Blake’s vet noticed “a small growth on its lower right eyelid”. Southeastern asserted the dog needed dental surgery to address “severe gingivitis”; while Blakes vet stated, “The gums are pink, the teeth a bit worn, and there is some tartar”, all to be expected for a dog of Didi’s age. When confronted with facts that contradicted their statements, Southeastern changed their story again, claiming Blake “let Didi run free”; Blake admits Didi got out twice but she did not ever intentionally let her dog roam. Still unable to justify their immoral, unethical, and illegal behavior, Southeastern changed the narrative once again, asserting Susan Blake voluntarily returned the dog. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>“The return of Didi is only the beginning of a process to hold Southeastern Guide Dogs accountable and put the service animal training industry on notice that they cannot treat their consumers with such blatant disregard,” explains Marion Gwizdala, president of Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP), the Tampa-based advocacy and policy organization that is supporting Rev. Blake. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>Gwizdala asserts these incidents are not uncommon. During his past thirty-three years as a service animal advocate, he has heard this story several times and has published other articles about these abuses. Convincing consumers to take on the multimillion dollar nonprofits with so much community influence and respect is a daunting prospect. Even when the abused are willing to come forward, finding an attorney to take on the case was problematic.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>“For two months we just kept following the path that was unfolding before us,” explained Merry Schoch, a licensed clinical social worker and ASAP’s Vice President. “Susan finally came across Marcy LaHart and here we are!”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>Gwizdala and Schoch were both involved in a similar case in which another Southeastern Guide Dog consumer, Les Demers, had his dog removed without warning and without cause on April 22, 2020. They did not know Marcy at the time but they do now!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>“Their cruel, immoral, unethical, and illegal behavior stops here!” asserts Gwizdala.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>Advocates for Service Animal Partners has created a special advocacy fund to help others like Susan Blake and Les Demers, as well as anyone in need of advocacy support because of their choice to use a service animal. All funds are used specifically for advocacy efforts; none of these funds are used to pay salaries. You can support this fund by making a tax-deductible contribution by visiting the following links:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><a href="http://www.facebook.com/asap411/">http://www.facebook.com/asap411/</a><span class=MsoHyperlink><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><span class=MsoHyperlink><a href="https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=MEPNDCN89FDQ2">https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=MEPNDCN89FDQ2</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=sectionnumber>If you have a concern or need help, contact Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) at 386-272-7411 (386-ASAP411) OR <a href="mailto:Advocacy411@gmail.com">Advocacy411@gmail.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal># # #<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=sectionnumber><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;color:navy'>About Advocates for Service animal Partners (ASAP)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal> Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) is a newly-organized network of service animal advocates across the United States. Our goal is to encourage, educate, and support service animal handlers through printed and electronic publications, informational webinars, recorded educational materials, and direct advocacy support, intervention, and mediation. In support of this mission, we also work to educate employers, governmental entities, private companies, housing accommodations, and the airline industry about the rights, responsibilities, and limitations of access under state and federal law. <span class=sectionnumber><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=sectionnumber><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;color:navy'>About Marcy I. LaHart P.A.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;text-indent:.5in;line-height:18.0pt;background:white'><span style='color:#111111'>Marcy LaHart Esq. is a solo practitioner focusing her practice primarily on animal law and open government law. She represents persons with disabilities in matters relating to emotional support animals and service animals. She also advises pet owners, rescue groups and other animal welfare organizations that have legal issues regarding companion animals, including defending allegedly dangerous dogs, pet custody disputes, and various animal related torts such as veterinary malpractice. Ms. LaHart has also handled many public records law and government in the sunshine cases.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>