[Nyagdu] [Fwd: Re: [NAGDU] The time has come]

Mon Mar 26 16:13:22 UTC 2018

Regarding an issue Heather brought up on the NAGDU list.  Tracy

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] The time has come
From:    "Milissa Garside via NAGDU" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Date:    Sun, March 25, 2018 10:21 pm
To:      "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc:      "Milissa Garside" <mgarside2 at gmail.com>
         "Danielle Ledet" <singingmywayin at gmail.com>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Heather,

I am so sorry that this is happening. I am currently a GDF graduate as I
got my dog from them in October of 2016. I do not have a copy of the
contract but, the issue of ownership with GDF did recently come up in a
guide dog users Facebook group. There was a great deal of confusion and
misinformation in the guide dog Facebook group regarding GDFâ€˜s ownership
policy. So, I took it upon myself to call the school and inquire about the
ownership policy.  The following is my understanding of the contract and
it was verified by three different GDF staff people as well as my trainers
during class.

Upon graduation,  GDF offers custody and full ownership. If a graduate is
offered custody, the dog is GDFâ€˜s property for the first two years of
partnership. After the first two years of partnership, the graduate can
then apply for full ownership.  If the graduate is granted ownership upon
graduation, the dog fully belongs to the graduate. If within the first two
years of partnership the graduate who has received full ownership runs
into an issue with the dog that requires retiring The dog or, the graduate
no longer wishes to work the dog, GDF requests that the graduate return
the dog to the school so that the school can evaluate the dog and
determine whether the dog can be placed with another person. However,
because the graduate has been granted full ownership, GDF can only request
that the dog be returned; the graduate is not obligated or required to
comply with the request. Subsequently, the graduate who is granted full
ownership upon graduating is not breaking any contract for not honoring
the schools request to return the dog within the first two years of
partnership.

It is also my understanding that GDF decides whether to offer custody or
grant full ownership on a case-by-case basis.  The graduate you are trying
to help should have had a discussion with his or her trainer during class
regarding whether they would be given custody or granted full ownership.

The first thing to find out with the graduate you are trying to help is
whether or not he or she received custody or full ownership upon
graduating. If the school is threatening to take the dog away, I imagine
that the graduate has been granted custody. It has been explained to me by
several GDF staff members that in cases of full ownership, the only way 
GDF can remove a dog is to get local animal welfare organizations
involved. With full ownership, the school does not have the authority to
remove the dog.

Hope this helps. Please feel free to ask any further questions.

Milissa

Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 25, 2018, at 9:06 PM, Danielle Ledet via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
wrote:
>
> May you have another long and successful match and may Dock agree.
>
>> On 2/22/18, Heather Bird via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> GDF full ownership? I don't know what their actual contract says, but I am
>> helping advocate for one of my chapter members who has had them
threatening
>> to take away their dog because it was underweight, even though the dog was
>> at a healthy weight. The dog is now fat, the handler, fearful of losing
>> their dog is over feeding and the dog is now grossly overweight and the
>> school said they like the way the dog looks like now. In various
>> communications they have had the attitude of "we gave you this dog and we
>> can take it away." There is 0 neglect or abuse in this case, but much
>> harassment of the grad by the school and I found it disheartening. Does
>> anyone have a current copy of the GDF ownership contract? I'd be very very
>> curious to see how it is worded. For instance, does it have a phrase like
>> "At our discretion" in there, or anything like that? Unfortunately the
grad
>> didn't have a copy of the agreement and attempts to be sent a copy have
not
>> yet been honored.
>>
>> Heather Bird
>> "They came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I
wasn't
>> a Communist.
>> Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
>> Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I
>> wasn't a trade unionist.
>> Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a
>> Protestant.
>> Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up." -
>> Martin NiemÃ¶ller
>> In our diverse society we must never fail to speak up in the face of Human
>> Rights violations lest we be the next targets of such violations.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of NAGDU President
>> via NAGDU
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2018 5:40 AM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> Cc: NAGDU President
>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] The time has come
>>
>> Nancy,
>>
>>    You may want to check out Freedom Guide Dogs and the Guide Dog
>> Foundation. Each of them offer community placement in your area and
provide
>> full and complete ownership upon completion of training with no strings
>> attached or policies incongruent with the principle of ownership.
>>
>> Fraternally yours,
>> Marion
>>
>>
>> Marion Gwizdala, President
>> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc. (NAGDU) National
Federation of
>> the Blind
>> (813) 626-2789
>> President at NAGDU.ORG
>>
>>
>> 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 Nancy
>> VanderBrink
>> via NAGDU
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2018 11:42 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Cc: Nancy VanderBrink
>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] The time has come
>>
>> South Carolina
>>
>> Please forgive the typos as this message was most likely generated using
>> voice dictation Nancy Irwin
>>
>>
>>> On Feb 20, 2018, at 7:29 PM, NAGDU President via NAGDU
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Nancy,
>>>
>>>   Where do you live? There are options for community placement,
>>> depending upon your location. I would be happy to share some of these
>>> with you.
>>>
>>> Fraternally yours,
>>> Marion
>>>
>>>
>>> Marion Gwizdala, President
>>> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc. (NAGDU) National
>>> Federation of the Blind
>>> (813) 626-2789
>>> President at NAGDU.ORG
>>>
>>>
>>> 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 d m gina
>>> via NAGDU
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2018 10:29 AM
>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> Cc: d m gina
>>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] The time has come
>>>
>>> I am sorry the dog needs to retire.
>>> Glad that the instructor agrees with you.
>>> If you can get a dog faster from the school you trained at, that is
>>> what I would do first.
>>> If you have waiting time, keep active it sure helps.
>>> Wishing you the best.
>>> Original message:
>>>> Hello everyone,
>>>> Had a visit from my trainer from SouthEastern yesterday and she
>>>> believes and I would agree that Doc is coming to the end of his
>>>> working
>>> career.
>>>> He still loves to go but he's sleeping more and I'm beginning to
>>>> outpace
>>> him.
>>>> So now the search begins and questions arise about where I will go
>>>> and given the timeframe that I'm under, when I would possibly be able
>>>> to go for guide dog training.
>>>> Just thought I would share the news.
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Nancy Irwin
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>> --
>>> --Dar
>>> skype: dmgina23
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>>> www.twitter.com/dmgina
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>>> every sinner has a future
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>
>
> --
> How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young,
> compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and
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