[nagdu] Goodwill Changes Policy On Service Dogs

Wed Jul 18 22:47:09 UTC 2012

No responses from here--new York--yet.

Margo and Arrow
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steven Johnson" <blinddog3 at charter.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2012 5:57 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Goodwill Changes Policy On Service Dogs

> Out of curiosity, have any of the NAGDU Leadership/Division Presidents,
> requested information from their membership and/or subscribers to see if
> anyone has encountered such barriers in accessing GW outlets?  I have 
> posed
> this, and fortunately no responses...yet.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve Johnson, WAGDU President
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Margo and Arrow
> Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2012 10:32 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Goodwill Changes Policy On Service Dogs
>
> So, I wonder when they'll start paying minimum wage, and, it's just 
> amazing
> they didn't check with the ADA before making their false policies.
> Incredible!
>
> Margoa nd Arrow
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ginger Kutsch" <GingerKutsch at yahoo.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2012 7:11 AM
> Subject: [nagdu] Goodwill Changes Policy On Service Dogs
>
>
>> Goodwill Changes Policy On Service Dogs
>>
>> By Megan Brantley
>>
>> Jun 15 2012
>>
>>
> http://www.wcyb.com/Goodwill-Changes-Policy-On-Service-Dogs/-/14590664/15240
>> 106/-/9ycsahz/-/index.html
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -
>>
>> She claimed to be a victim of discrimination because Goodwill turned her
>> away and wouldn't let her service dog in the store. Earlier this week we
>> told you about a local woman and a controversy over her service dog.
>>
>>
>>
>> Original story: Service Dog Owner Claims Discrimination
>>
>>
>>
>> Rose Hollowka suffers from epilepsy and said her dog, which warns her
>> beforehand that she is about to have a seizure, was not allowed in a
>> Johnson
>> City Goodwill store. The story said that was because she didn't have
>> documentation to prove Honey was a service dog.
>>
>>
>>
>> That story touched a nerve for many folks; it has been viewed over 15,000
>> times here on WCYB.com. It also brought a flood of calls and emails to
>> Goodwill about disability discrimination.
>>
>>
>>
>> "Nationally we heard a lot. A lot of Goodwill [stores] across the country
>> do
>> hear a lot. They want to comment on it. They want to know. They really
>> don't
>> know how the Goodwill organization is set up," said Bob Miller, CEO and
>> President of Goodwill of Tenn/Va.
>>
>>
>>
>> We searched the law and found Tennessee does in fact allow businesses to
>> choose whether or not to ask for documentation when someone has a service
>> animal, but the organization is now making some changes. Miller explained
>> why: ?Even though we were already operating under the Tennessee law, we
>> decided that it would be best for us to go ahead and comply with the ADA
>> law."
>>
>>
>>
>> Miller told us that Goodwill will announce on its website the new policy
>> with service animals. Now it will only ask what service an animal
>> provides,
>> but not ask for documentation. "I am glad that they changed the policy,
>> said
>> Rose Hollowka. ?I am disappointed that it takes someone going to the 
>> media
>> to get this changed and taken care of."
>>
>>
>>
>> That's a change that backs up Goodwill?s mission to serve those with
>> disabilities.
>>
>>
>>
>> Original story: Service Dog Owner Claims Discrimination
>>
>> By Megan Brantley
>>
>> POSTED: Jun 12 2012 05:48:52 AM EDT UPDATED: 5:43 AM Jun 12 2012
>>
>>
> http://www.wcyb.com/Service-Dog-Owner-Claims-Discrimination/-/14590664/15240
>> 206/-/h8wnql/-/index.html
>>
>>
>>
>> JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -
>>
>> A Johnson City woman claims that she was discriminated against for
>> bringing
>> her service dog inside a store.
>>
>>
>>
>> According to the Americans with Disability Act, state and local
>> governments,
>> businesses, and non-profit organizations that serve the public must allow
>> service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the
>> facility where the public is normally allowed to go.
>>
>>
>>
>> One woman she was not allowed to do so when she was shopping at the
>> Goodwill. Rose Holowka is dealing with a disability. "I was in a car 
>> wreck
>> back in 1992 which caused seizures that developed into epilepsy and have
>> partial complex seizures," she explained.
>>
>>
>>
>> Her service dog Honey makes things a little easier, but we learned that
>> the
>> law makes it a little harder. ?About a month ago my husband and I went to
>> the Goodwill, and we were approached by their supervisor. We were told
>> that
>> we had to leave or show certification or documentation for the dog," said
>> Holowka.
>>
>>
>>
>> Unlike being blind, Holowka doesn't have a visible disability and she 
>> says
>> that makes it harder to convince people.
>>
>>
>>
>> Federal law does not require folks to show proof an animal is a service
>> dog.
>> State representative Jon Lundberg says places are not allowed to ask. 
>> ?You
>> can't ask to see that,? says Lundberg, ?This is not like 'let's see you
>> driver's license, let's see your dog credentials.' It doesn't work that
>> way,
>> it wasn't designed to work that way."
>>
>>
>>
>> Although it wasn't designed that way, it's put places like Goodwill in a
>> very tough position. With the animals not being required by law to wear a
>> vest or dog tag, it makes it hard to tell which dog is a service dog and
>> which isn't.
>>
>>
>>
>> We spoke with a representative from Goodwill who said that with the right
>> paperwork they'd be happy to allow them in, but until then, their policy
>> says no pets allowed.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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