[nagdu] Matilda Ziegler article on PA service dog protection law

[Passle Helminski]

>The ceremonial
signing of the bill went well last week.

Passle not Passel.


>Feature Writer Ann Chiappetta - State Law Passed to Protect Guide and
>Service Dog Teams
>
>The rise in dogs attacking guide and service dog teams appears to be
>escalating, or at least it seems that way to those who are keeping watch.
>Just this week alone, an Australian man's guide dog was attacked and
>subsequently died during the assault, and a Scottish man's 2 year-old black
>Labrador guide dog was retired prematurely due to the trauma from continued
>harassment by unsupervised dogs. The push for officials to pass laws
>penalizing offending dog owners is gaining interest in the global community,
>
>and most notably, right here in the United States, thanks to a long-time
>guide dog handler and a Pennsylvania lawmaker.
>
>The latest push to protect guide and service dogs comes from a woman named
>Passel Helminski, who lives in Pennsylvania, and who has been lobbying for
>stricter laws for over 15 years. Thanks to her and Pennsylvania State
>Representative John Evans, House Bill 165 has passed and is now in the state
>
>law books. The law makes it a third degree misdemeanor for offending owners
>of a dog who attacks a service dog.  A service dog is defined as a dog that
>serves to mitigate a physical disability, a hearing dog, or a guide dog. If
>convicted, the offender could pay a five thousand dollar fine. If evidence
>shows a dog owner could have restrained their dog and prevented the attack,
>they may also be forced to pay veterinary bills, and pay the cost of
>retraining or replacing the service dog.  The training of a guide dog is
>estimated at costing roughly $45,000 and the cost of training a dog for the
>deaf or a person with physical disabilities runs between $5,000 and $30,000,
>
>respectively.
>
>Aside from the economic strain resulting from an attack, the trauma is akin
>to being the victim of a robbery or assault due to the physical and
>psychological effects upon both dog and handler. A study performed by a
>popular guide dog school revealed that close to one third of dogs are
>prematurely retired after being attacked. As for Passel, all three of her
>guide dogs were attacked by aggressive dogs.
>
>Passel and her service dog are heading to Harrisburg for a ceremonial
>signing of the bill later this week.
>
>
>
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