[nagdu] Here's your dog!

Angie Matney leadinglabbie at mpmail.net
Mon Mar 16 22:02:37 UTC 2009 

Hi,

This is absolutely **not** normal procedure. I am looking for the FAA regulations concerning this right now.

(To add a bit of levity to this discussion, I have had screeners insist on finding a screener of the same gender as my dog to search her...)

Both of my schools taught the same strategy for dealing with security check points.

The first step is to explain the strategy to the TSA screener. I find that if I confidently say, "This is how it's done," I am not questioned. 

I put my dog at sit and walk through the metal detector. I either hold the end of the dog's leash, or I 
tell the dog to rest and then call her to me once I have made it through.

I always let the TSA person know that the dog is going to set off the metal detector, and that I understand that she will have to be searched as a result. I also explain that I understand that if I do not set off the alarm, the screeners may search 
my dog, but not my person. The only people who ever questioned this were at the Richmond airport (which, I have to say, is absolutely, without equal, the worst airport I have ever had the displeasure of using). I was holding the very tip of 
Yani's leash in my hand when I walked through, and the screener saw this. I did not set off the alarm. When Yani followed me, she did set off the alarm, as I had indicated she would. The screener said that since I had been in contact with 
Yani when this happened, I would have to be searched, too. I refused. The screener called out to a supervisor. This person agreed with me that I did not have to be searched, since multiple individuals saw that I didn't set off the alarm.

I'm attaching a Word document that I found on the FAA web site. It provides *some* information for people traveling with service animals, but a cursory glance did not yield the fact that we cannot be required to be separated from our dogs or 
to remove their equipment. This file does contain a disability complaint reporting form, which might be useful.

Angie



On Sun, 15 Mar 2009 10:57:52 -0700, Tamara Smith-Kinney wrote:

>I do not know.  Before I ever fly again, I will find out!  And I will
>certainly have a strategy in place for going through security.  Yikes!

>Tami Smith-Kinney

>-----Original Message-----
>From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>Of Haben Girma
>Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2009 7:03 PM
>To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>Subject: Re: [nagdu] Here's your dog!

>Oh My God. Is that normal procedure for airport security to do cavity 
>checks on guide dogs??

>Tamara Smith-Kinney wrote:
>> Hmm...  It has only happened three or four times, I guess, if that.  I've
>> gotten a lot quicker on the draw when it comes to putting a stop to the
>> actual handle grab before it happens.  It also depends on the person how
>> easy he/she is to dissuade.  Airport security personnel are the worst!  At
>> one airport, they grabbed my dog after she went through the detector, then
>> kept nagging me to come on through, like I was just being obstinate
>standing
>> there holding up the line.  OMG!  Since this was my first air trip without
>> helpful vision, I found the whole scene rather overwhelming.  Then there
>was
>> the security team that wanted to give my dog a cavity search!  No way, no
>> how!  Mitzi and I were in firm agreement on that one.
>>
>> Then there was the escalator at Lloyd Center...  And that time on the
>street
>> corner...  /lol/  Those are the big ones.  So it doesn't happen that
>often,
>> but it's so shocking when it does and can turn into such a hairball that
>> every bit of every time really stands out in memory.  Yikes!  With spring
>> and summer coming, and all the happy, helpful Portlanders sprouting like
>> muschrooms after the rain, I'm sure I have a chance to see if Mitzi and I
>> handle it any better this year.  /smile/
>>
>> Tami Smith-Kinney
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Haben Girma
>> Sent: Friday, March 13, 2009 8:57 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Here's your dog!
>>
>>
>> How often would you say this happens?
>>
>> Tamara Smith-Kinney wrote:
>>   
>>> Haben,
>>>
>>> It's happened to us.  Or someone will try to help by taking my arm too
>>>     
>> guide
>>   
>>> me and grabbing the handle out of my hand at the same time.  "Here!  I've
>>> got your dog."
>>>
>>> Oh, thank you, thank you.  Mitzi doesn't let people take her unless I
>give
>>> them her leash, and for anyone but me, it is hands off for the handle.  I
>>> feel pretty much as she does about the arm grab, so such misguided
>helpers
>>> find themselves doing quite a dance trying to corral us while we avoid
>>> recapture in our attempts to reunite!  Once Mitzi and I are back
>together,
>>>     
>> I
>>   
>>> put her behind me, face the person squarely and do some educating.
>>>     
>> /smile/
>>   
>>> I've pretty much decided that next time this happens, I'm going to grab
>>>     
>> the
>>   
>>> other person's arm to keep him/her from chasing my dog around and just
>let
>>> Mitzi come round to me, since that's what she will do anyway.
>>>
>>> Tami Smith-Kinney
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>Behalf
>>> Of Haben Girma
>>> Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2009 12:20 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: [nagdu] Here's your dog!
>>>
>>>
>>> Sometimes when I'm at the counter at a store or cafe, I"ll deliberately 
>>> drop my cane by my feet so I can fish into my backpack to get my wallet. 
>>> And sometimes, like today, when I've finished my purchase and am putting 
>>> everything away in my backpack, a staff member will come around to pick 
>>> up my cane and hand it to me. Now, I knew exactly where my cane was. In 
>>> fact, I could feel it by my foot! I was going to pick it up right after 
>>> I put my wallet in my backpack. The staff member was either very eager 
>>> to help, or worried that I wouldn't be able to find my cane.
>>>
>>> Now I"m wondering, do any of you have similar experiences with dogs? Do 
>>> people in the public say, "here's his harness!" when you already know 
>>> exactly where your guide dog is located?
>>>
>>> Haben
>>>
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