[nagdu] Guide Dog Handler Bill of Rights

[The Pawpower Pack]

I know of instances where a person got a dog from a program, brought  
it home for six months and the partnership didn't work out.  The  
handler honestly felt that the dog was not happy as a guide at all,  
was unsafe, and would be better off as a pet.
She owned her dog so could make that judgement.  Some would argue that  
the dog should have gone back so that the "professionals" could  
evaluate him.  However I have seen more than a few "professional" dog  
trainers with some pretty serious kennel blindness.  I think that most  
handlers know the dog and can honestly say whether a dog should be  
retired, go back to the program, or be kept in the home as a pet.  I  
honestly think most handlers have the best interest of the dog at  
heart and that they will do the right thing.

If I went to a program, I would expect a very rigorous application  
process, complete with references both personal and professional,  
medical evaluations and interviews.
I would expect for my behavior both before and after I got the dog to  
be evaluated and observed while I was at the program.
Then I would expect that upon completion of the program I am given  
full and complete ownership of the dog with follow up services only  
initiated upon my request.
If there are allegations of abuse or neglect I would expect them to go  
through proper channels such as the local animal control organization.
I am an adult, I deserve to be treated as such.  In my view,  
withholding ownership makes it clear that the program does not trust  
me, or my handling skills which makes me wonder why the application  
process is so strict if they're still not going to trust me.

I have not found  a program which I can live with.  I'm Deafblind and  
communicate using American Sign Language, so my program choices are  
already limited.  Programs like TSE don't accept deafblind people if  
they don't have cochlear implants and weren't former students before  
the hearing loss.
The only programs that I know of for sure who will instruct deafblind  
people using ASL are Leader Dogs and Guiding Eyes, both of whom have  
unacceptable ownership policies.
So even though I don't have a program dog, I still have a vested  
interested in this issue because eventually, when I'm old, I will not  
want to run around training puppies.
It is my hope that more programs will follow the example of The Seeing  
Eye and offer no strings attached ownership upon completion.  I don't  
even mind paying toward the dog if this could happen.  Hopefully some  
day.

Rox and the Botanical Barkers:
Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
"The only problem with troubleshooting is, sometimes, trouble shoots  
back."
http://www.pawpowercreations.com
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