[nobe-l] Religion and Guide Dogs

[taranabella0 at gmail.com]

Hello all,

Right before the beginning of the school year I broke my ankle and as a result I was unable to work my guide dog, Aladdin until this week. I have a student whose family practices Islam, and my student has mentioned that although he likes Aladdin, he is not supposed to have contact with him due to religious beliefs. Most of the time, this shouldn’t be an issue because I keep him tied down behind my desk or in the carpeted area. My concern is that while walking with him or during other times where he is not on tiedown, he may brush against my student or he has been known to give a little sniff or lick in passing. If anyone has had this experience and would be willing to share how you balance your right to travel with your dog and your student’s religious believes, it would be much appreciated.

Thank you,

Tara Abella



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