[NAGDU] Refused at medical office

Fri Dec 21 01:26:27 UTC 2018

Sandra,

Last I checked, a doctors exam room is not a sterile environment like an operating room is. Of course however, anything is possible but, I highly doubt that these exam rooms were sterile.

Also, just as an FYI, the presence of a guide dog harness does not mean that the dog is a legitimate guide dog. As you say, fake certification and other service dog equipment can be purchased online. If you type in guide dog harness into the search field  on Amazon, you will find that you can purchase the K9 Juious Guide dog harness. It is not the service dogs visible equipment or the presence of any ID that make it a legitimate service dog. After all, even if we were required to show an ID proving our dogs are in fact legitimate service dogs, an ID does not guarantee good behavior. Secondly, it is so easy to fake an ID; Yes, even government IDs. Do you know how easy it is for folks under 21 to get fake IDs to enter bars and to buy liquor? And, not to be controversial or anything but, I’m sure that many of us know a guide dog user or two who’s dogs are poorly behaved. An ID in those situations again,  would not guarantee good behavior. 

I  once was standing in line in a Starbucks behind another blind gentleman with a guide dog. As he was standing at the counter ordering, his dog had its head deep into the open cooler next to the counter sniffing all of the food. I know that sometimes we can get distracted and are not always aware of what our dogs are doing. After all, no one is perfect. :-) so, I politely told the gentleman what his guide dog was doing in the event that he did not know. The gentleman’s response to me was “I know, its OK. At that point, I told him that I was also a guide dog user and that what his dog was doing was certainly not OK and that it was inappropriate for his dogs head to be deep in the open cooler sniffing all of the food. When he left, I spoke to the manager and told her that she had every right to ask him to leave. Her response to me was that she could not do anything because his dog was a real service dog. Um, so, yeah, how would an ID proving that the dog was a legitimate service dog help in that situation? If anything, IDs would just encourage businesses and airlines to take and even more hands off approach. Things are not going to get better until businesses and airlines start taking their responsibilities seriously by exercising their legal rights and insisting that poorly behaved dogs be removed from the premises.

Milissa  “ 

Milissa  

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 20, 2018, at 7:19 PM, Sandra Johnson via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Peter:
> 
> It is not uncommon to have medical facilities say a dog cannot accompany a patient into a sterile area.  This is not discrimination but patient safety. I recently had this situation.  My doctor and staff are all aware that I am blind and that Eva is a guide dog.  However, the medical proceedure was being done in a sterile area therefore Eva could not accompany me.  I was asked if anyone was with me that could watch my dog.  When I informed them I was alone several staff members eagerly offered to watch her while I was in the sterile area.  Second, the dog is your guide dog, not your wife's. Therefore right of access with a service dog laws would not cover her wanting your dog with her.  Finally you did not say your dog was in a standard guide dog harness.  If she is not in harness, how is anyone supposed to know she is a trained guide dog.  Anyone can buy service dog gear online so the general public and any medical professionals cannot tell the difference.  This is why I and many others feel a government issued ID card for professionally trained guide and service dogs is what should be done.  I am tired of all the fake service dogs making my life difficult.  I know in your case the dog is necessary but it is important for you to be sure she can be identified as a guide dog not a pet.
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Retina via NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2018 6:32 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: Retina
> Subject: [NAGDU] Refused at medical office
> 
> Hi folks,
> 
> Will the legally informed of you please advise me…
> 
> My wife and I just went into an MD Aesthetician’s office to inquire about a procedure.  I had Metukah, and she had here service dog Kira.  On entering, the receptionist, instead of “hello,” said to us at the door, “Sorry, the dog will have to go outside”.  Andrea said, “She’s a service dog; by federal law she can he can be with me.”
> 
> The receptionist called over another who took over.  She asked a few operative questions about whether she had advance paperwork for the procedure.  As she did the room temperature dropped.  She followed that that Kira could not accompany her into an exam room, “because they are sterile.” This was curious, because we had recently visited a physician in a clinic up in Portland, where were inquiring as well in case the procedure might be done up there.  They had no issue in the lobby, or in the exam room.
> 
> In this case, when Andrea said in response that there should not be an issue and that by law she could accompany her in an exam room, (even if not specifically inside a surgical suite which might be understandable), frost formed on this receptionist and on the walls.
> 
> My wife said to me that she was uncomfortable, picked up the paperwork, and we left.  Too bad, because this physician was a wonderful man and a great doctor who once saved her life with emergency surgery.  We knew that since his career change to skin, he’d probably be one of the best locally.
> 
> We would like to do him the courtesy of writing an informational letter so that he learns what happened and has a chance to get his staff educated.  My wife said that she is considering filing a complaint with DOJ.  But before that, we should simply get clear information as it applies to this specific circumstance.  Can one of you who is clear on ADA with this specific type situation inform us?
> 
> Thanks,
> Peter
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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