[Njagdu] News article on Dusty's Law

[Ginger Kutsch]

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20121023/NJNEWS/310230039/Chatham-teacher
-Seeing-Eye-pushing-for-Dusty-s-Law

 

Chatham teacher, Seeing Eye, pushing for Dusty's Law

 

5:33 PM, Oct 23, 2012

 

Written by

| By Leslie Ruse 

 

Every day Patricia Navarra Lenzo enjoys walking her dog Gino around their
home in Jersey City, many days ending up at Liberty State Park.

 

But during the early evening of Oct. 5, Gino, a 3-year-old facility dog who
works with Special Education teacher Lenzo at the ECLC School in Chatham,
was attacked by an unleashed dog.

"Out of nowhere, this dog made a beeline for Gino and bit his leg. Gino's
not trained to fight back. He just laid there and cried. It was horrible. He
was screaming," said Lenzo, who tried kicking and beating the dog to no
avail.

"When a man came over to help, he pulled the dog off. The dog must have
gotten out of his collar because there was no way to grab onto him. He
chomped right back on Gino's leg and attacked again. Blood was everywhere
and the dog just wouldn't let go. It was horrible."

Incidents like this are the reason The Seeing Eye of Morristown is urging
lawmakers to adopt Bill 2728 or Dusty's Law, which is pending Assembly Law
and Public Safety Committee.

Dusty's Law is named in honor of a Seeing Eye puppy who was viciously
attacked by another dog in 2010 and was retired from The Seeing Eye program.
The law would require dog owners to be held accountable for attacking guide
dogs and their handlers.

"We're trying to get Dusty's Law passed mainly because if the guide dog is
attacked, it may not be able to work," said Ginger Kutsch, volunteer
advocacy specialist at The Seeing Eye in Morristown.

Even though Gino's injuries weren't life-threatening and he didn't need
stitches, he suffered bite wounds on both sides of his left hind leg and a
bite through the muscle.

"This dog isn't just my dog. He's everyone's dog in the whole school," said
Lenzo, adding it took 2 1/2 years for the school to get the yellow Labrador
Retriever from Canine Companions for Independence.

"He's such a comfort for the kids. He does a lot of tasks for the kids, too.
He's really amazing. He's helped so many people at the school," Lenzo said
of ECLC, a special needs school for adults and children.

"We have 250 plus kids and staff and all of them would have lost out on
having Gino because of that woman. The emotional toll for the whole school
would be incredible. These kids would be devastated to lose Gino."

The following day Lenzo filed a report with the Jersey City Police
Department and was told by an officer they would continue to visit the park
and look for the woman and the dog.

"I met someone in the station who told me that lady's dog had already
attacked two other dogs," Lenzo said.

On Oct. 18, Lenzo was notified by the police they had apprehended the woman,
who agreed to pay the veterinarian bills. But the woman was not told to keep
the dog confined.

"I told her she has to control her dog. I talked to her about service dogs
and she said she understood. But I don't think she does," Lenzo said.

Recently Kutsch, who is blind, walked with Pixie, her German Shepherd guide
dog, in Morristown where a dog tied to a bench, charged and snapped at her
dog.

"She pulled away causing me to lose my balance and hit a pole. Her reaction
inadvertently put me in danger. We're constantly worried about interference.
Because my dog was distracted, she wasn't taking care of me safely. A blind
person relies on the dog to get from point A to point B. That's the simple
challenge for our dogs."

"The big part of what we're trying to have passed with Dusty's Law is the
police be required to respond to an attack situation. They don't always
realize it's a criminal situation," Kutsch said. "And restitution so if a
person's dog is attacked, the person has to be responsible for paying the
vet bills. We feel the owner should pay the medical bills."

The cost for a Seeing Eye partnership is $68,000.

"That's the cost of breeding, raising and training the dog; flying students
in for training and their room and board and supplies they need for the dog;
all our support and follow-up services," said Michelle Barlak, senior
associate, public relations of The Seeing Eye.

Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco, a sponsor of Bill 2728, promised to send a
letter to the chairman of the Public Safety Committee to have the bill
posted again for a committee hearing.

"I don't know why the chairman hasn't passed it. It's a great bill. This
isn't a political issue. It's a do-the-right-thing issue," Bucco said.

"I thought Gino would be totally traumatized after it happened. And he can't
be afraid to do his job," Lenzo said. "If his getting attacked brings
awareness, then it was all worth it. At least he's fine. He's doing much
better. I can tell he'll be okay."

 

 

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