[blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
Richard Holloway
rholloway at gopbc.org
Wed Jan 20 16:18:19 UTC 2010
Carol,
Having no direct knowledge of the process by which guide dog ownership
and placement is determined, I would assume that your main concerns
would (or should) all be addressed in the process of applying to get a
guide dog for people of ANY age, is it not?
It seems like guide dogs are not the primary choice of most blind
adults and I would suspect they are appropriate for even a smaller
percentage of young people, but I cannot see the harm in additional
study to determine if this is a good and helpful option for some
(however few) kids under 16.
To be sure, your concerns are well received and I agree with them in
general, but again, I am very hesitant to decide something is a bad
idea for everyone when (as far as I know) this has really never been
tried. I guess what I'm driving at the most is I think this would be
best determined by many factors apart from age, per se. One person
might be ready at 12 or 15, Another, not until his or her mid-20's (if
ever).
Richard
On Jan 20, 2010, at 10:53 AM, Carol Castellano wrote:
> Well, I'll chime in with a different view. My experience observing
> young guide dog users leads me to believe that even at 16 or 17, it
> is the RARE young person who has the required all-around ability to
> use a guide dog. I have no statistics for this; my opinion is based
> only on observations...over the past 20 years or so.
>
> Another concern I would have for allowing a 12-year-old to use a dog
> is that in order to be a good traveler with a dog, the blind person
> needs to be a good traveler in general. A person would need a lot
> of experience in all aspects of travel in order to be successful
> with a dog. For example, much information needs to be kept in mind
> when traveling without the direct contact with landmarks, etc., that
> cane travel provides. How many 12-year-olds have such experience?
> Have they traveled much independently at that point?
>
> Last but not least, many people out there--some parents included--
> believe that a guide dog would protect their child and take him/her
> places safely. They see dog use as a panacea for what they perceive
> as the travel difficulties and safety issues facing their blind
> child. This is no basis for getting a guide dog!
>
> So, all in all, my feeling would be against this idea.
>
> Carol
>
> Carol Castellano, President
> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> 973-377-0976
> carol_castellano at verizon.net
> www.nfb.org/nopbc
>
> At 10:09 AM 1/20/2010, you wrote:
>> Here here! Wy set the bar low when in fact a child of 12 years or
>> 13 years
>> has the capacity and maturity to handle the responsibility? Isn't
>> it our
>> responsibility to give all children those tools they need based
>> upon their
>> individual abilities to achieve all things possible in their lives.
>> I do not
>> see the reason for nor the reluctance to allow any teenager an
>> opportunity
>> to exercise their choice for mobility and that it include a guide
>> dog.
>>
>> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>> CEO/Founder
>> My Blind Spot, Inc.
>> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>> New York, New York 10004
>> www.myblindspot.org
>> PH: 917-553-0347
>> Fax: 212-858-5759
>> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one
>> who is
>> doing it."
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-
>> bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Doreen Frappier
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 9:40 AM
>> To: (for parents of blind children)NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
>>
>> I am not opposed to having responsible 12 year olds own and care
>> for a guide
>> dog. I believe that children mature at different rates. For
>> example, 4-H
>> children own and care for animals (on their own) at very young
>> ages. They
>> are responsible for feeding and caring for that animal. One of my
>> children,
>> (sighted) is 13, and has been the sole trainer of a dog since she
>> was 9
>> years old. She has won many awards and competitions with her dog,
>> including
>> adult dog shows. She is responsible for feeding and caring for that
>> dog.
>> When the dog gets her check ups at the vet, she comes to the vets
>> office.
>> It's true, a young person can not take care of the expenses of a
>> guide dog,
>> but I am all for training teaching blind children to be independent
>> as early
>> as possible. I think each situation is different. I am not aware of
>> everything that goes into caring for and owning a guide dog, but I
>> think
>> some children are capable and should not be excluded because of
>> age.
>>
>> Doreen
>>
>> --- On Wed, 1/20/10, Heather <craney07 at rochester.rr.com> wrote:
>>
>> From: Heather <craney07 at rochester.rr.com>
>> Subject: [blindkid] Guide dogs for twelve year olds?
>> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)"
>> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>> Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 7:22 AM
>>
>> I just wanted to get some feedback on this from some parents of blind
>> children and teens. I, personally, was absolutely apalled to hear
>> that a
>> local guide dog school, not mentioning names *coughs* Freedom guide
>> Dogs
>> *Coughs* has preposed a program to place guide dogs with twelve
>> year olds.
>> All of the other schools in the US accept teens no younger than
>> sixteen or
>> eighteen years of age, depending on the school, but twelve? I am
>> happy to
>> note that at present, no O and M instructors, parents or twelve
>> year olds
>> have contacted the school to enquire about this program, but I am
>> dreading
>> the day. This makes a mockery of those exceptional blind teens who
>> are, at
>> sixteen or seventeen, responsible enough, committed enough and have
>> demanding enough schedules to properly care for, utalize and
>> actually need a
>> guide dog. At what age would you consider supporting your teen in
>> researching guide dog schools? At what age would you support them
>> actually
>> submitting applications? How old would you want your teen to be
>> before
>> actually being placed with a guide dog? Do you think that you
>> would have
>> the blunt honesty to deny your support of your child getting a dog
>> guide, if
>> they were not emotionally, mentally, etc capable of utalizing a
>> guide dog,
>> at that time in their life? Do you think that you could restrain
>> yourself
>> from taking care of the dog, interacting with the dog, or doing
>> things that
>> would undermine the ownership of the dog by your blind teen,
>> acknowledging
>> their sole ownership and responsibility for the dog, even if you,
>> as their
>> mother or father still have all other rule-making power in the
>> house-hold?
>> Finally, would you ever, honestly let your twelve year old apply
>> for a guide
>> dog? I just felt this should be brought to the list's attention.
>> Just me
>> personally, I would not encourage my blind teen to start
>> researching guide
>> dog schools until age fourteen or fifteen, and I would not
>> allow them to apply to schools until they were at least fifteen,
>> and that
>> is assuming that they are emotionally ready to deal with the
>> demands of a
>> guide dog, such as handeling an emergency vet situation, mentally
>> able to
>> care for the dog, such as, researching and selecting safe toys,
>> effective
>> medications and appropriate foods, mature enough to deal with the
>> social
>> implications, such as access issues, and that they actually had a
>> need, not
>> just a want for a guide dog, due to a challenging travel area or
>> complex and
>> demanding schedule of activities and classes. Please share your
>> thoughts.
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