[Travelandtourism] One More Detail

[Margo and Arrow]

Oh, I used to frequent Six flags Over Texas but never with a guide dog.  I 
rode the Runaway Mine Train nine times one day and well, didn't feel so good 
but it was fun anyway.

LOL!  Uh, no, pete, think Amos Moses wasn't hunting when I was around there. 
LOL!

Margo and Arrow
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com>
To: "NFB Travel and Tourism Division List" <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 9:40 PM
Subject: [Travelandtourism] One More Detail


> Hello Margo and everyone,
>
>    I think you lived in New Orleans for a while. You didn't happen to run
> in to Amos Moses by any chance did you? He's probably still hunting
> alligators somewhere in the bayou. After all the gators got the Louisiana
> Cheriff  not Amos Moses according to the Jerry Reid song.
>
>    One thing I failed to mention this morning is that on the trip to Six
> Flags in 1998 there were three guide dogs in that building where the 
> animal
> show was held. All of them were well-controlled during the show and while 
> we
> met some of its cast members when the show was over.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Margo and Arrow" <margo.downey at verizon.net>
> To: "NFB Travel and Tourism Division List" <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 12:06 PM
> Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] Guide Dogs and Animal Venues
>
>
> Peter, no, didn't have to wait until conventions.  I lived in new orleans
> for 9 and a half years and I took that tour.  No, what I did was to go out
> with friends into the bayous in flat boats and we were very close to
> alligators.
>
> I had firsthand experience just aobut any time i wanted to.
>
> margo and Arrow
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com>
> To: "NFB Travel and Tourism Division List" <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 11:56 AM
> Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] Guide Dogs and Animal Venues
>
>
>> Hello Margo and everyone,
>>
>>    Super! Let's see. You must have taken the Life of the Cajun Swamp Tour
>> when the national conventions were held in New Orleans. During both the
>> 1991
>> and 1997 conventions we did that tour. Both times we took the boat ride
>> down
>> the bayou and were close to alligators and other swamp critters. In 1997
>> we
>> had the chance to hold a baby alligator. When I held the alligator it nor
>> my
>> then guide dog Tim became alarmed. This is surprising as Tim was very
>> feisty
>> and could be a handful to handle.
>>
>>    I had Ogden in 1991. During that particular swamp tour we visited a
>> gentlemen who I believe was involved in wildlife rescue. He took us to 
>> his
>> back yard and allowed us to touch and handle some of the animals he was
>> rehabbing. I had a nutria fall asleep in my arms while Ogden sat calmly 
>> by
>> my side. We also handled baby raccoons, baby alligators, and some other
>> creatures I can't remember in close proximity with our dogs and without
>> incident.
>>
>> The same was true in1994 when a friend and I visited Greenfield Village
>> during that national convention. We toured the farm and were able to hold
>> baby chicks and pat some sheep along with witnessing a sheepdog
>> demonstration. Again this  was with Ogden by my side and in close
>> proximity.
>>
>>    In 1987 we went to Rawhide a recreation of a western town near 
>> Phoenix.
>> There livestock ran loose in the streets. Ogden decided to make friends
>> with
>> some of the sheep even to kissing one of them. This setting was similar 
>> to
>> what a petting zoo would be like at Animal Kingdom and other zoos and
>> wildlife parks around the country. Again there was no hint of aggression
>> and
>> everyone including Ogden and the sheep enjoyed themselves.
>>
>>    We've also been to several horse and cattle ranches and  never had any
>> problems with my dogs and the ranch animals.
>>
>>        I've been to a number of aquariums including Sea World here in San
>> Antonio and the Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans. Sea World has
>> birds
>> that run loose in their enclosures which are very open particularly
>> Flamingo
>> Cove. The Aquarium of the Americas has a tropical rain forest exhibit
>> which
>> is similar to a bird aviary where guests can enter and be among
>> free-flying
>> birds in addition to various fish species in tanks throughout the rain
>> forest. Ogden was with me and all went without a hitch.
>>
>>    I've visited numerous state and county fairs with my first dog Nash 
>> and
>> my second dog Ogden. I even showed chickens at several of these fairs and
>> at
>> some poultry shows in Texas. Since chickens can get worked up when they
>> feel
>> threatened and since I would be in the show barn for the duration of the
>> event I put Nash in a room where the chickens couldn't see him or chained
>> him up out side near the barn so I could check on him to be sure he was
>> all
>> right.
>>
>>    Another animal encounter took place at Fiesta Texas quite 
>> unexpectedly.
>> I stopped to ask for directions. The next thing I knew I had a maccaw
>> purched on my head. He was joined by an African Grey Parrot that was
>> placed
>> on my left arm. An amazon Parrot was placed on my right arm. The 
>> gentlemen
>> who owned the birds then took a picture of me and gave me a copy. All 
>> that
>> time Ogden sat by my side and did not attempt to go after the birds nor
>> did
>> the birds become aggresssive towards him. It was quite an experience that
>> demmonstrates that when handled well our dogs are not a threat to zoo
>> animals, nor does its presence create a hazard for the animal collection
>> or
>> other park guests.
>>
>> As all ready mentioned I've visited several zoos with my dogs. These
>> ranged
>> from roadsize animal attractions to major zoos like the Audubon Zoo in 
>> New
>> Orleans, The Detroit Zoo, and the North Carolina Zoological Gardens in
>> Ashborough North Carolina. In all three cases we were not restricted from
>> any area of the zoo including the petting zoo. The only thing that
>> happened
>> along that line was during our visit to the zoo in North Carolina they
>> requested that a ranger accompany us during our time in the park. I 
>> gladly
>> said okay and we saw just about every exhibit they had. we didn't make it
>> in
>> to the chimp exhibit but that was our choosing. At no time was there a
>> problem between my dog and the other animals on display.
>>
>>    Eventually the rangers went away and left us to tour the rest of the
>> zoo
>> on our own. One of them told me that they had a previous guest with a
>> guide
>> dog in the zoo that wasn't well controlled. He didn't say if they asked
>> them
>> to leave or what happened. I assured them with both words and my example
>> that most guide dog handlers control their dogs well and should there be
>> problems with a particular handler in the future they have the legal 
>> right
>> to ask them to leave the  part of the zoo where the problem is occuring.
>> If
>> the situation is extreme they can have the dog and/or the team removed
>> from
>> the park.
>>
>>    In 1998 we went to Six Flags over Texas. By now I had Tim who
>> accompanied me on that tour. To escape the heat we went inside a building
>> where a live animal show was performing. After the show we were invited 
>> to
>> touch some of the animal performers. These ranged from mice to a llama. 
>> We
>> were able to handle many of the animals. Here again we were in close
>> proximity and there was no sign of fear or aggression where the animals
>> and
>> Tim were concerned. I've also taken several dogs in to dog and cat shows
>> without incident.
>>
>>    I'll wind this up by sharing with you "The legend of the Eagle." In
>> 2000
>> Mary, myself and another friend of ours traveled to Phoenix for a 
>> business
>> conference similar to the one in St. Lewis that I spoke of previously. 
>> The
>> "Save the Eagle Foundation" had an exhibit there including a live 
>> American
>> Balled Eagle. And it wasn't just any eagle. It was "Challenger."
>> Challenger
>> was found by hunters. Since he was injured he was almost killed. He was
>> rescued by a wildlife sanctuary and was raised domestically. Since his
>> injuries made him unsutable for release bak in to the wild Challenger was
>> trained to perform exhibition fly-overs and was featured as entertainment
>> for many big-name events. He was named Challenger in honor of the space
>> shuttle Challenger and her crew.
>>
>>    During the conference Challenger performed a fly-in while the national
>> anthem was sung on the second night of the event. A lady named Eve Selis
>> sang while challenger performed. I had Tim with me during this event. I
>> doubt Challenger even knew he was there. When Eve finished singing the
>> national anthem Challenger swooped down and landed on her head. I'm not
>> sure
>> if that was planned or if Challenger thought Eve's head was the most
>> convenient purch he could find to take a rest. Hopefully Eve wore a
>> special
>> head piece so Challenger could land without hurting her. Eagles are
>> raptors
>> with long tallans which can pierce through to the bone. Since Eve sang 
>> for
>> our Sunday morning worship service I'm sure no harm was done.
>>
>>    Since the incident generated some negative publicity concerning animal
>> performances at live events this story wasn't widely shared until after
>> Challenger died several years ago. And we were eye witnesses to this
>> event.
>>
>>    Like Margo and hopefully others I've had a wide variety of animal
>> encounters accompanied by my guide dogs. These are the kinds of stories 
>> we
>> need to collect and share with entities who question the presence of 
>> guide
>> and service dogs in their venues. All the best.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Travelandtourism mailing list
>> Travelandtourism at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/travelandtourism_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Travelandtourism:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/travelandtourism_nfbnet.org/margo.downey%40verizon.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Travelandtourism mailing list
> Travelandtourism at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/travelandtourism_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Travelandtourism:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/travelandtourism_nfbnet.org/pdonahue2%40satx.rr.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Travelandtourism mailing list
> Travelandtourism at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/travelandtourism_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> Travelandtourism:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/travelandtourism_nfbnet.org/margo.downey%40verizon.net