[nabs-l] [Blindtlk] Zoo Policies on Service Animals

[Chris Nusbaum]

For all guide dog users...  I thought you might be interested in 
this.  This comes from a post to the Blind Talk list serve from 
Marion Gwizdala, president of the National Association of Guide 
Dog Users (NAGDU.)

Chris Nusbaum

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

--- Sent from my Braille-Note

 ---- Original Message ------
From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net
Subject: [Blindtlk] Zoo Policies on Service Animals
Date sent: Sat, 07 May 2011 12:09:35 -0400

Dear All,
    One of the initiatives of the National Association of Guide 
Dog Users is to assist in the creation of more consistent 
policies as it relates to the use of service dogs in zoos.  
according to the Americans with Disabilities Act and guidance 
from the Department of Justice, an individual accompanied by a 
service animal is allowed access to any area other patrons are 
normally allowed unless doing so would cause a direct threat to 
the health or safety of others that cannot be mitigated by a 
reasonable modification of policies, practices, or procedures or 
significantly alters the essential elements of the goods or 
services offered.  Even in hospitals, the centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention cautions that the threat must be real and 
not based upon an assumption of a threat.
    why then do zoos have such an issue with service animals? 
Some zoos contend it is a regulation of the United States 
Department of Agriculture, although I have not been provided any 
objective evidence that the USDA has any such regulations.  I 
will be speaking with an official from the USDA this coming week 
to get further clarification.
    We are also working with the American Zoological Association 
(AZA) to develop some model policies concerning service animals 
in zoos.  we are hoping to have representatives from the USDA, 
AZA, and Animal Kingdom at our seminar on July 5 to discuss this 
issue with us.
    In preparation for this meeting, I surveyed the various 
policies of zoos on their website and have attached the results 
of this survey.  I find it interesting that there is such wide 
variations on the policies, leading me to believe they are more 
arbitrary than founded in any evidence of direct threat.  Your 
comments are greatly appreciated.

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU)
National Federation of the Blind
813-626-2789
President at NAGDU.ORG
HTTP://WWW.NAGDU.ORG
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