International Association of Assistance Dog Partners
PARTNERS FORUM
Volume Twelve, Number Three & Four First & Second Quarter 2006
Date of Issue May 2006
New Benefit: Heartworm Preventative!
By Joan Froling
We are thrilled to announce that Novartis Animal Health, Inc., in its support of the assistance dog movement, has established a unique program to provide Sentinel Flavor Tabs® for members of the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) working with assistance dogs. Sentinel Flavor Tabs® provides protection for dogs against canine heartworm disease, as well as controlling fleas and several important intestinal parasites.
Dr. Robin Downing, DVM, CVA, DAAPM, a member of the IAADP Animal Health Care Advisory Board and the Director of the Windsor Veterinary Clinic, will be coordinating the distribution of this product to our members. The way the program works is that the veterinarian treating each assistance dog, must
fax a completed Form to Dr. Downing. This is a prescription product and there must be evidence of a doctor / client relationship. There must also be documentation of a current, negative heartworm antigen test, which the Form will convey.
After receiving the Form, the Membership ID Number will be checked to see if that individual holds a current membership or not. Partner members in good standing in the USA can receive a one year supply of Sentinel Flavor Tabs®. It will be sent to your home by mail from Robin’s clinic.
Partners should utilize the special Form we provide for that purpose in this newsletter. Every question must be answered. Incomplete forms will not be processed.
As is customary, those in the unusual position of having more than one canine assistant may only receive the benefit for one dog.
mailto:database@iaadp.org
If you think you may want this extremely valuable benefit in the future at no charge, don’t forget to make Xerox Copies of the IAADP Sentinel Request Form BEFORE you fill it out. Put your xerox copies in a safe place. We suggest you ask the vet to keep one in your dog’s file, otherwise you will have to
send a self addressed stamped envelope to IAADP to obtain one next year. The Form in the back of this issue is designed as a tear-out sheet. There is a perforated edge.
Members will receive a 12 Month Supply of Sentinnel as per the recommendation for year round protection from specialists on heartworm disease in the USA.
Editor’s Note: We have a column in this issue listing all the benefits for Partner Members in the USA and Canada for those who want to become more familiar with our efforts to reduce the financial burden of partnership on disabled persons. In addition, you can read about some other new benefits we are very pleased to announce in this issue.
Victory In California re: Prescription Pets
by Joan Froling
At the last minute we discovered a highly objectionable piece of legislation well on its way to becoming law in the state of California. It was Friday, April 21, 2006 when I talked to Ed Eames about AB 2278. Could we possibly mobilize enough people over the weekend to protest this bill and influence the politicians on the Human Services Committee before the scheduled hearing on Tuesday? The bill already had two readings and it been amended three times. If the Committee members approved the latest version, it could soon be on the floor for a vote. Unfortunately we only had three days, not three weeks or three months in which to take action.
IAADP sent out an Emergency Action Call to all IAADP members who had furnished us with their email address. In addition, I alerted Guide Dog Users, Inc., and Assistance Dogs International and the Council of U.S. Dog Guide Schools to this shocking proposal which had been initiated by proponents of what we call “the prescription pet movement.” Viewing themselves as noble crusaders, there are advocates who are determined to secure public access rights, not just housing access rights, for pet owners who can get a note from their doctor or therapist or a social worker that says the patient has a problem that disables them in some way and would benefit from a companion animal.
This is not the first state in which legislation to do an end run around ADA’s task training requirement has been introduced, but the bill in California takes the cake for sheer audacity.
When I read an earlier version of AB 2278 on the legislative website, I discovered the word “seniors” had been crossed out and the word “disabled” was substituted in numerous locations. It enabled me to better understand how this bill snuck in under the radar of the disabled community. This bill to amend the existing service animal statute had been proposed under the Older Americans Act rather than the Civil Rights section of the state law code. It appears the original intent of this bill was to make public access with companion animals easier for aging Californians. The preamble to the bill discusses the health and emotional benefits of having a companion animal and fails to educate legislators that training, in particular task training, is necessary for an animal to be viewed as a service animal.
AB 2278 would have the state appoint a non profit agency and its affiliates to set up a program to issue Service Animal Identification Cards to citizens who submit a letter from their doctor. The preamble tried to convince legislators that this state authorized Service Animal ID Card was urgently needed right a wrong. Those behind this bill contended businesses were refusing to admit disabled Californians with a service animal because they don’t look disabled or out of ignorance of the law. Without the official state authorized ID Card, this discrimination would continue to blight the lives of citizens with disabilities.
While the bill did not specify PAWS LA ( a chapter of Pets Are Wonderful Support) would be the designated agency, this non profit was instrumental in the bill’s drafting. PAWS LA serves AIDS patients and low income disabled individuals and seniors who apply for their assistance to feed and care for a pet. I’m sure everyone would agree that this part of the PAWS LA mission is admirable. However, this bill they were backing would negatively impact the assistance dog movement and we had no choice but to protest its passage.
IAADP President, Ed Eames, composed the following widely circulated letter to the chair of the Human Services Committee.
Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, Chair of the Human Services Committee
State Capitol, P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249
Dear Madam Chairperson: April 23, 2006
The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners respectfully requests you consider our concerns about AB 2278. IAADP represents and advocates for more than 2000 disabled members who work with guide, hearing and service dogs. As IAADP’s President, I want to voice our organization's strong opposition to AB 2278 which would establish a new program which issues identification cards.
Establishing a program to sell identification cards to us so we can obtain access to stores, restaurants, hotels, entertainment centers, and other places of public accommodation would be a step backward in the struggle to guarantee the civil rights of people with disabilities who have decided to increase their independence, safety, mobility and improve the quality of their lives through partnering with assistance dogs.
AB 2278 also duplicates an existing California non-fee based program issuing assistance dog identification tags part of the Food and Agriculture Code, Part 3.5, Section 30850.
IAADP members have found that a thorough educational approach is far more effective in assuring gatekeepers and managers of public accommodations about the behavior and legitimacy of our assistance dogs.
In the preamble to the legislation proposed, constant reference is made to companion dogs. There is no disputing the evidence that animals can have a beneficial impact on the lives of their
guardians in terms of emotional support and health. However, please try to understand the important difference that exists between a pet which provides companionship and a service animal. The latter has the legally required training entitling a disabled handler to access rights. Service animals, generally assistance dogs, must be specially trained to perform tasks to mitigate the impact of their handler’s disability. Those of us working with service animals already have the guarantees provided by state and federal law to be accompanied by guide, hearing and service dogs in all places open to the public.
AB 2278 would extend these federal and state guaranteed rights, through the proposed assistive animal identification program, to individuals living with pets (e.g. companion animals) if they obtain a prescription from a medical professional citing the fact they have a disability. We don’t dispute
the fact that a companion animal can be a comfort. Ownership of a companion animal [ pet ] may result in additional therapeutic benefits like the owner getting more exercise to decrease stress and improve his or her physical and mental health. However, most persons who own a pet have no knowledge of the special temperament testing assistance dogs go through for reasons of public safety, nor of the socialization and training an assistance dog is supposed to receive. IAADP therefore strongly objects to giving public access rights to pet owners whose animals frequently lack any training.
The assistance dog movement has worked for more than 70 years in the USA to win societal tolerance for the precious laws that give disabled persons with highly trained assistance dogs the right to enter stores and other places where pets are not allowed. IAADP does not want poorly behaved
animals eroding the tolerance of society for the presence of disabled persons with properly trained assistance dogs.
We ask you to recognize there is a categorical difference between a companion animal and an assistance dog. Assistance dogs have been trained to perform disability mitigating tasks such as guiding the blind, alerting the deaf to specific sounds, pulling a wheelchair, assisting with balance support, retrieving dropped objects or alerting to and providing assistance during a medical crisis. Pets do not receive that special task training and therefore, don’t legally qualify as a service animal under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
The sponsoring organization, PAWS LA, according to its website, has no experience in the training and placement of guide, hearing or service dogs. The dogs they have placed are referred to as pets or companion dogs. This organization would be in no position to evaluate service animals, and,
therefore, their issuance of identification cards to become the mechanism for legitimizing service animals for hotel managers, store owners, restaurant staff, etc., is entirely suspect.
Some other points underlying IAADP's opposition to AB 2278 are:
1.) Under Title Three of the ADA, no identification is required by guide, hearing and service dog partners to bring their task trained dogs into places open to the public. Establishing a state wide identification card system is in direct violation of the federal law. Please review the U.S. Department
of Justice’s position on this matter. See the “Business Brief”on Service Animals at www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/svcanimb.htm
http://www.iaadp.org
2.) California attracts tourists from other states and countries, who will not be able to present a California ID card.
3.) As Californians, our right to be accompanied by our assistance dogs is guaranteed in the civil code and does not belong in an older Americans act.
4.) What existing nonprofit organization has the knowledge, staff and resources to administer the program, develop an application and issue the cards, collect fees, maintain a list of participants and establish affiliates? PAWS LA, based on our knowledge of the organization, is in no position to carry
out these functions.
5.) The bill gives medical practitioners the responsibility for writing a letter indicating that their patients need the assistance of a dog. Medical personnel are in no position to know if an assistance dog is needed and in most cases have little knowledge of the extensive training necessary for the
work performed by guide, hearing and service dogs. Furthermore, medicalizing disability, clearly a civil rights issue, is a step backward in a state where the independent living movement began! People with disabilities have fought hard and long to have the right to make their own decisions about whether
or not to work with an assistance dog.
I strongly suggest that AB 2278 be dropped from consideration by the Human services Committee.
Sincerely,
Ed Eames, Ph.D., President
Joan continues: Board member, Tanya Eversole, provided us with the contact information for all the members of the Human Services Committee. Along with our appeal for help, a copy of IAADP’s letter, the preamble and the bill, this valuable contact information went out to IAADP members online, a number of Email Lists and to fellow CADO members [GDUI, ADI, CUSDGS] by Saturday morning.
I subsequently emailed IAADP’s letter to each politician on Sunday. First thing Monday morning, Tanya faxed IAADP’s letter to all the committee members. Board members Lynn Houston, Carol King and Devon Wilkins sent off letters of their own. Ed Eames and board member, Jill Exposito, telephoned
the legislators to urge the bill be withdrawn from consideration. This was just the tip of the iceberg, though.
Thanks to the overwhelming support from those we networked with, the California State Assembly’s Human Services Committee capitulated by 1 p.m. I received the wonderful news from three sources that afternoon: IAADP Treasurer, Toni Eames, and Sheila Styron, President of Guide Dog Users Inc. and
Corey Hudson, Executive Director of Canine Companions for Independence. Each had been contacted by the staff of a different assembly member, who reported their offices had been flooded with emails, faxes and phone calls. Because this bill was obviously so objectionable to so many persons in the disabled community, they wanted us to know that Tuesday’s hearing had been canceled and the bill was deader than a doornail. A little later, we learned the bill’s sponsor had officially withdrawn the bill from consideration.
This victory was exhilarating and it still has me amazed. I never thought we could gather enough support in just in three days time. All who participated should take a well deserved bow. Guide Dog Users Inc of California and ADI programs like Pawsitive Teams, Canine Companions for Independence,
Guide Dogs for the Blind and Loving Paws Assistance Dogs were among those who contacted the committee. Members of a number of Email Lists in the partner community online rallied fast and went into action. IAADP members who were kind enough to copy us on their letters or faxes to the legislature let us know that quite a few of our readers are activists too, willing to defend our civil liberties. It was heartwarming to read the passionate letters they had written to the Committee.
At the same time, it is ominous that we only heard of this proposed state law so late in the game. Could this get passed in another state? I’m afraid the answer may be “yes.” PAWS LA has affiliates in quite a few states and supporters throughout North America and Europe. Other groups seeking
public access for emotional support animals may have bills in the planning stages.
Please stay vigilant. Check your state legislature website for new bills with the key words “service animal,” “companion animal,” and “emotional support animals” and let us know about it when you do. For us the issue is Training. Without training, an animal is a pet under the ADA and it should
not be taken out in public under the guise of being a service animal!
IAADP Responds To the DOT’s Latest Comments
The U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Responds To Consumer Concerns
About Air Travel With Service Animals!
EDITOR’S NOTE: the following position paper issued by IAADP’s Board of Directors was published on IAADP’s website in March 2006. It will update you on what has taken place with respect to IAADP’s efforts to persuade the U.S. Department of Transportation to reconsider some of the language in their Notice of Proposed Rule Making pertaining to the Air Carrier Access Act. For new readers, IAADP is deeply concerned about the potential impact of the language in Appendix A of the N.P.R.M. which addresses seating for disabled people who travel by air with large service animals. We believe this language, if not amended, could result in a substantial curtailment of access rights under the Air Carriers Access Act for disabled individuals who are matched with large canine assistants due to their physical size and/or disability related needs. We began this advocacy campaign in November 2004. The Department of Transportation recently responded to consumer concerns with widely circulated statements on the internet that claim it was all a misunderstanding and no such proposal is on the table. We replied by circulating this position paper to “set the record straight.”
The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP), a consumer advocacy organization representing over 2000 disabled persons working with guide, hearing and service dogs, believes it has finally seen a "light at the end of the tunnel!"
In November 2004, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published its Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), which specifically invited comments on whether there should be any modifications to Part 382, Appendix A, concerning the transport of service animals by air.
IAADP submitted a letter of Public Comment that points out the proposed language in Appendix A could have a devastating impact on individuals whose disability requires the use of an assistance dog large enough to perform tasks like guiding blind people, wheelchair pulling and providing balance support.
IAADP took particular note of three sections in Appendix A of the NPRM. Two of them proclaim it would be an undue burden for the airlines to ask a passenger to share foot space with a service animal [e.g. the space on the floor in front of the non disabled passenger's seat]. The third, in response to the Question: "What if the service animal is too large to fit under the seat in front of the customer?", declared "If no single seat in the cabin will accommodate the animal and passenger without causing an obstruction, you may offer the option of purchasing a second seat, traveling on a later flight
or having the service animal travel in the cargo hold."
IAADP's President, Ed Eames, Ph.D., stated, "if accepted and implemented, these rules would threaten the right of disabled people with large assistance dogs to travel by air. In response to the first two statements, IAADP members have always found neighboring passengers willing to share leg room with our guide dogs, or have someone else volunteer to shift seats. Most distressing, however, is the third item in which the DOT authorizes the airlines to give disabled passengers the choice of three unconscionable options if their assistance dog cannot fit in the space in front of a single seat. Having to pay for an extra ticket would make air travel prohibitively expensive for all but the wealthiest disabled passenger with a large assistance dog. The idea that we would be willing to ship our canine assistants in cargo disregards the bond between us and undercuts the concept that our dogs provide greater independence, mobility and safety. Finally, the last option, making us take a later flight demonstrates a view toward disabled people indicating we do not have to get to places on time to meet work and social commitments."
IAADP subsequently shared the news about its efforts to have the language in Appendix A modified with others. During the NPRM public comment period, DOT received more than 1100 letters supporting IAADP's request for changes. Other organizations, including Assistance Dogs International, Guide Dog Users Inc. and the National Association of Guide Dog Users got involved. GDUI and NAGDU passed resolutions condemning this language at their 2005 conventions.
Many guide, hearing and service dog training programs also went on record seeking a modification of the language to preserve the access rights of their graduates, most of whom are partnered with large retriever size assistance dogs. Following the public comment period, many assistance dog partners contacted their federal elected representatives for support.
In opposition, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, a subsidiary of Delta Airlines, submitted a public comment stating "ASA supports the department's position that, if no single seat in the cabin will accommodate the service animal and passenger without causing an obstruction, the carrier may offer the option
of purchasing a second seat, traveling on a later flight or having the service animal travel in the cargo hold. Bulkhead space on regional aircraft is limited and providing additional seating at no charge would result in a significant revenue loss."
The other U.S. airlines did not choose to issue a statement publicly on this particular matter during the public comment period.
In January 2006, Mary Harris, a producer for Channel 4, KNBC in Los Angeles heard about the issue and came to the IAADP conference in San Diego where she interviewed several assistance dog partners. The story, aired on February 22, was also shown by a number of NBC affiliates across the country. The public outcry generated by this story, in addition to the previous advocacy efforts, resulted in a response from the DOT.
In a widely disseminated message from Robert Ashby, the Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement at the U.S. Department of Transportation, we learned the DOT will rewrite the language about the seating of disabled passengers with large service animals in the airplane cabin
to address the concerns that have been raised by our community.
Mr. Ashby stated in his letter of March 4, 2006, to Ginger Bennett of the Seeing Eye, Inc.:
"We got 1100 or so comments protesting the paragraphs of the service animal guidance concerning options for handling situations in which a large animal impinges on a space that must remain open. In my view, these comments (and subsequent letters and statements to the media along the same line) were largely based on a misunderstanding of the nature of the guidance and the wording of the language itself. We were not proposing a rule change to impose new restrictions, costs, or burdens on service animal users, and the language does not, in my view, have that effect. That said, I think there are probably some clarifications of the language of the guidance that we can make to avoid the kinds of misunderstandings that have arisen, and as we work toward a final rule, I will be suggesting some wordsmithing changes to this effect."
IAADP welcomes Mr. Ashby's clarification that this language which air carriers like Atlantic Southeast, a number of journalists and just about everyone in the assistance dog community took at face value has been misunderstood with regard to the intent of the DOT in putting it in Part 382, Appendix A. We
hope Mr. Ashby's remarks can be taken as a promise to the assistance dog movement and the American public that disabled passengers will not face a second seat charge, be bumped to a later flight or have to put their dogs in cargo if their assistance dog's body occupies part of the floor space of an adjacent seat. IAADP does understand the DOT's position that a service animal should not obstruct a main aisle for reasons of safety and we would not have a problem with those three options if applied only to that very rare situation.
In closing, we would once again like to urge the DOT to adopt the substitute language recommended by IAADP's President, Ed Eames, Ph.D., as official advice to in flight crews and counter agents. This language was endorsed through letters to the DOT and to members of Congress by hundreds of individuals, a number of disability related organizations, assistance dog training programs and the Resolutions passed by GDUI and NAGDU in July, 2005:
"You may offer the passenger sitting in a seat adjacent to the disabled passenger traveling with a large service animal a seat in the same class of service in another part of the cabin. If no seats are available in that class of service, you may ask for a volunteer willing to occupy the seat next to the disabled
passenger requiring sharing of leg room. If no volunteer is forthcoming and seats are available in another class of service in another part of the cabin, you may ask the adjacent passenger or the disabled passenger to occupy a seat in that other class of service."
Using this approach would not be a financial burden for the airlines or an inconvenience to other passengers. It would simply formalize current air carrier policies and be a reasonable accommodation. We believe it would clarify the issue in a way that is very much needed.
IAADP's Board of Directors
March 8, 2006 EDITOR’S NOTE: It appears the language in the N.P.R.M. will be amended to protect assistance dog teams from being charged for a second seat or being forced to take a later flight if an assistance dog’s body intrudes into the floor space of another passenger’s seat. We won’t be sipping champagne and celebrating this as a victory, though, until we can study Mr. Ashby’s wordsmithing in the Final Rule.
Exciting New Benefit in USA
Friend & Provider Members Eligible Too!
Ruff Wear, designer and manufacturer of high quality performance dog and human gear, has established a generous relationship with ALL of our IAADP members in the United States providing up to a 50% discount on all catalogue items. Partner members, Friend members and Provider members will be eligible to register for this. Shipping costs are additional.
Ruff Wear features a product line of sporting gear for hiking, swimming and other outdoor activities. Among their exceptional and outstanding products are leashes, collars, harnesses, packs, dog beds, toys, grooming and training equipment, treats, first aid kits and a variety of gear for the human end
of the leash.
IAADP salutes Bill Mintiens for initiating this relationship and extending its benefits to all IAADP members and supporters. The discount is typically 50% off their retail price.
To view items, request a catalogue or place an order, go to www.ruffwear.com or phone customer service at 1-888-783-3932 or e-mail luckydog@ruffwear.com.
In order to obtain the discount, you must fill out an application and mention that you are a member of IAADP. Please refer to the instructions below for using the on-line application form. If you want to enroll by phone, call Jennifer at 1-888-783-3932.
Go to the Ruff Wear website at www.ruffwear.com click on the Customer Service link at the top of the website. Then scroll down and click on the Pro Purchase Program link. Click on the Pro Purchase on-line Form link and fill out the on-line form.
Under the Classification Field, choose "Service or Assistance Dog Organizations". Under group business name and address, enter "IAADP and your name. Submit your on-line form and wait for an e-mail approval from Ruff Wear.
Benefit News To Write Down
KV Vet Supply NEW SOURCE CODE For Getting Your 15% Discount on Merchandise for Partner Members. Contact IAADP for new source code and 15% will automatically be deducted from the prices shown in their catalog and on their website for all non pharmaceutical products.
Partner Member Benefits
Free benefits unless otherwise noted
All Members Worldwide
“Partners Forum” Newsletter
Emergency Recovery Kit - Bayer funded
International Help-line [ call or write ]
Available in United States
* Sentinel from Novartis (heartworm preventative)
* Advantage or Advantix from Bayer
* Cosequin from Nutramax Laboratories
* Welactin from Nutramax Laboratories
* Denosyl from Nutramax Laboratories
* Avid Microchip - Avid ID System Inc.
* Registration in Pet Trac and/or the
AKC Companion Animal Recovery
* Veterinary Care Partnership Grant
( Eligibility Guidelines on website)
* KV Vet Supplies offers 15% off all
non pharmaceutical products
* Veterinary Care Centers - 10% discount
* Ruff Wear toys, products - up to a 50% discount
* Ft. Dodge - Vaccine Rebate up to $20
* Access & Education Brochure
Schools Collaborate to Help Guide Dog User
RE: Service Dogs for America and Guiding Eyes for the Blind team up to train a Guide Dog / Service Dog for North Carolina man.
The story begins in the fall of 2005 when Kathy Zubricki of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Inc. contacted Great Plains Executive Director Micheal Goehring. The New York based guide dog school had placed a working guide with Jeffrey [Jes] Smith in 2002. After graduating high school Jes was off to college
like so many other young people of his age. His trusty guide dog [Harley] by his side.
During his freshman year Jes began having seizures. After further medical examination Jes was diagnosed with epilepsy. The doctors recommended that he put his college career on hold.
Jes was heartbroken and frightened. He had been blind since age 5 and had done well in learning the skills needed to make his way in a sighted world. But now he had the new challenge of the seizure activity and his life was put on hold. This situation combined with side effects from medications
sent Jes into a depression. He moved back home with his mother and remained close to home.
Jes and his mother [Pam] had heard about dogs trained to intervene with seizures. The two of them began investigating and contacted Guiding Eyes for the Blind; where they had gone to get Jes’ fantastic guide Harley. In the early fall of 2005 Kathy Zubricki [Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Inc.] remembered
attending an Assistance Dogs International program where Goehring had presented. Zubricki phoned Goehring and posed the question… could this 5 year oldLabrador guide dog be cross trained to intervene with seizures?
GEB invited Goehring to evaluate the team and assess whether or not Harley would be a candidate for cross-training. Zubricki and Goehring spent 2 days evaluating the team. It was apparent that the guide skills needed some work due to Jes’ inactivity. However, at five years of age Harley demonstrated a good aptitude for Emergency Response training.
After some thought Zubricki and Goehring decided to have GEB trainers bring Harley to the Great Plains facility in Jud. The mission was two-fold. Teach GEB trainers how to add the Emergency Medical Response training to Harley’s functions. Also, to get Harley started on the training itself. Both
agencies wanted to conduct this as quickly as possible as Jes would be left without his guide and companion of three years.
Kathy Rooney and Graham Buck each attended training [with Harley] at the Great Plains facility in early November of 2005. This was a wonderful experience for all involved. The GEB trainers represented more than 25 years of combined guide dog training experience. The GEB trainers were impressed
with the innovation and open-minded approach that Great Plains implements at its facility.
Mr. Buck accepted responsibility for continuing the training and finishing Harley as an emergency medical response dog. Goehring would play the roll of coach and teacher. Buck and Goehring emailed one another [almost daily] to insure that any problems would be caught early on. With Buck’s aptitude
and Goehring’s experience things progressed quickly.
On February 5th of 2006 Goehring flew to New York to evaluate Harley’s progress. Harley checked out just fine. Goehring also presented to the executive staff, board members and trainers of GEB to bring them up to speed on the endeavor.
In the early morning hours of the 7th of February Goehring and Buck flew to North Carolina to transition Harley back to Jes. The re-placement went beautifully as Buck and Goehring worked together and within their field of expertise. Perhaps the most dramatic moment came when Jes’ mother Pam was overcome by tears in reaction to Harley activating the Alert-Dog® system. It became apparent to both Goehring and Buck that through Harley it was really hope that they were delivering.
About My Guide Dog “Indy”
By Leonard A. McHugh
I am frequently asked questions about Indy, my Freedom Guide Dog. People want to know where he was trained and if I had any difficulty learning to work with him. I had always used a cane to get around and never saw the need for a dog guide in the first place. After all, my cane was extremely low
maintenance. It never needed to be fed, or cleaned up or taken to a vet.
I always liked dogs, but I was a little skeptical about trusting one with my life. It wasn't until after being discharged from physical therapy following my surgery which resulted in paralysis, that I even entertained the idea of acquiring a dog guide. Because of all the complications during my surgery and
after it, I lost a great deal of strength and coordination in my arms and hands. Even after intense physical therapy, I only regained about forty percent use of my left arm. The cane that I had relied on for so long was now totally useless for me. If I were to regain any amount of independence and self-reliance I had two choices: either wait for others to assist me or break down and look into a dog guide. I chose the latter. It turned out not to be as easily accomplished as I had imagined.
Because of my physical limitations, all of the well-known schools for training dog guides that I had contacted turned me down. It wasn't until I came in contact with Eric Loori, the trainer for Freedom Guide Dogs, that my hope of independent travel was restored. He assured me that he could find
a dog that could be trained to work with my limitations.
In April 1998, Eric came to my house with Indy to begin the two-week home training program. It didn't take long for Indy to work his way into myheart and life. Six months later, we were a g 5reat working team, and I now regret that I didn't look into dog guides thirty years ago. Now I can't imagine
what my life would be like without Indy.
Before I had Indy, I needed someone to drive me to the barbershop and after getting my hair cut, I would sometimes walk the mile or so trip back home using my cane. The walk home would take me about an hour. Now, Indy and I can make the trip in fifteen minutes. Since I no longer need to have someone drive me to the shop, we make it a round trip excursion. We even made it there and back during a snowstorm. With several inches on the ground and more falling, it would have been an impossible task using only my cane. Indy and I made the trip in forty minutes.
I have my lighthearted moments with Indy too. As part of his training, Indy follows commands such as "find outside" where he will look for a door with a handle, or "find a seat" leading me to an available chair. Unfortunately, he is indiscriminate in his selections of either. At a restaurant located
in a mall, the "find outside" command led me to a freezer with a handle and "find a seat" found me in an empty chair at a table of strangers having dinner. Even buying a lottery ticket caused a few chuckles when Indy, not knowing the concept of waiting your turn, given the command to "find the counter" did
just that. The people waiting in line just laughed about it and told me to go ahead of them when they realized what had happened.
Indy also possesses a keen sense of awareness. A friend's mother had passed away and my friend was having a difficult time dealing with the loss. At the funeral, Indy kept watching her from across the room because she was crying and so upset. When it came time to pay final respects, Indy took me
straight to her instead of following the line up to the casket. It was like he wanted to let her know that we both came to express our sympathy and support.
When I walk down the street I often can hear people saying, "Here comes Indy." -- somewhere along the line I lost my identity. People open doors for Indy; something they seldom did when it was just my cane and me. With Indy, I don't need as much outside help and I'm getting it in abundance. When
I did need the help, I didn't get enough of it.
In talking about Indy and other dog guides, either to individuals or to groups, I stress how important it is not to approach a dog guide while he is "working." People are constantly coming up to Indy trying to give him a treat or pet him while he is in harness. In fact I joke about changing his name to "Babe Magnet" because of all the females he attracts. They all want to pet him or talk to him. There are even some who try to hug and kiss him when he is supposed to be working. A dog guide has an awesome responsibility to the blind person he is with. Their lives literally depend on that dog's judgment and concentration. Being distracted in any way could result in horrific consequences. Most of the general public is not consciously aware of this and need to be educated in this regard.
I believe that Indy is truly part of God's plan. He was born about two weeks prior to my surgery and was in training about the time I decided that I truly wanted a dog guide. Also it was a strange circumstance that I found Freedom Guide Dogs and their wonderful timing to expand into Pennsylvania.
I don't believe that the timing of these events are just a coincidence but part of a master plan.
Your Assistance Dog Needs To Be Microchipped!
Dan Knox
Avid Identification System, Inc.
“Why should I identify my assistance dog with a microchip? He will never run off, she will never be stolen, I will never be involved in an accident or we will never be faced with a natural disaster".... These statements were probably made by many disabled people in the last year and, unfortunately, for some, circumstances made a mockery of these statements!
Don't let loss or separation happen to you or your beloved assistance dog. Collars and tags can come off, tattoos can fade. Most animal shelters do not look for tattoos or know where to call if faced with a lost assistance dog. The microchip implant is safe, fast, involves little pain and is the most permanent identification marker. Most animal shelters have microchip readers, so identification is immediate. Under current guidelines, microchip identified animals involved in a disaster receive immediate veterinary care.
Although it is hard to imagine, guide, hearing and service dogs DO get separated from their disabled partners and are sometimes stolen. Without permanent identification, your dog may never be reunited with you. Your dog is uniquely valuable. Without your dog you feel bereft and incomplete! Without identification separation may mean permanent loss!
Every microchip implanted by an Assistance dog training program is immediately traced back to the group. AVID Identification/*Systems, Inc. donates microchips at no cost and lifetime registrations in PETtrac to every dog certified as a member of the Assistance Dog family. Dogs can be traced in PETtrac 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
As a result of recent events, Avid has discovered it is important to have alternate contact information for someone from another city, state or a different area on the microchip. Don't make the only contact in the microchip information a neighbor who may be involved or displaced in a common disaster.
It is ok to have multiple numbers and especially use cell phone numbers as back up.
A great New Year's resolution and lifesaving gift for your special friend is a microchip and a commitment to keep registration data current. DO IT NOW !
If you or your veterinarian have questions, please call our corporate office @ 1-800-336-2843 x 3. AVID's service and support office is @ 1-314-487-5842. The website is www.AVIDID.com
IAADP Conference in San Diego
by Joan Froling
IAADP’s Conference attendees enjoyed a cool but sunny day on Jan. 19th in San Diego, California. Over two hundred guests filled the elegant ballroom to capacity. It was our largest turnout to date, with so many walk ins, we had to send for extra chairs! We had pre-registered representatives from 41
ADI member programs. There were 75 disabled handlers with assistance dogs of every description. Among the handsome Labs, Goldens and Shepherds, I spotted an Otter Hound, a Collie, a Great Dane, several Standard Poodles, a Doberman, a Greyhound, a Sheltie, a Whippet, an Australian Shepherd, a Yorkie and some interesting looking mix breeds large and small.
Wendy Morrell, an advocate from the U.K. with a wry sense of humor gave the keynote address. She received a standing ovation for her speech about how the partnership with her Golden Retriever, Caesar, trained by Dogs for the Disabled, empowered her to achieve considerable measure of independence.
Maria Younker, Director of Customer Services at the San Diego airport, was the second speaker we drafted to fill in for Tom Sullivan, the advertised keynote speaker. The guide dog user had canceled at the last minute due to the opportunity for some television work.. Maria was also a delight. She brought a video tape featuring an amusing TV news personality who introduced the public to the new doggy relief area at San Diego’s airport. She spoke about other ways in which the airport tries to make passengers with disabilities feel welcome.
From Puppyhood to Placement was the unofficial “theme” behind the next few workshops.
Speakers shared details about the exciting work they were involved in, which taken altogether, provided partners and programs in our audience with insights into the different stages in the life cycle of an assistance dog candidate.
Puppyhood was covered by two excellent speakers from Paws With A Cause.
The first speaker, Renee Schulte, who is in charge of the school’s breeding program talked to the audience on the subject: “Evaluating Puppies for an Assistance Dog Career.” Her video began by showing us eight week old Golden and Lab puppies interacting with the evaluator in a room with few distractions. It was amazing the differences in personality this revealed. Renee confided their program prefers to see a pup who is socially needy, inclined to look to their human for reassurance rather than a very bold pup who acts self sufficient and goes off exploring his surroundings with no interest in what the human is doing.
She took questions from the audience as she discussed various the temperament tests she administered in the film. She advised anyone picking out a pup to raise for this career to look for one who is socially attracted to humans, one who wants to follow the evaluator and be petted by her. Another important trait to look for is the willingness to forgive. After an unpleasant experience like the toe pinch test to determine body sensitivity, it is the puppy who immediately forgives the tester for the discomfort and hangs out with her or comes back into her lap to seek petting that should be chosen
over the puppies who leave the area.
Renee also detailed what kind of structure to look for, especially if assessing a dog for mobility assistance work or the ability to work for many years. The video she made used both puppy and adult models. Front legs should be fairly straight, for example, if you are facing the dog head on. A
dog whose front paws are definitely turned out to the right and left or which turn inward has a poor conformation for a job like wheelchair pulling assistance. If looking at the dog from the rear, you want to see the lower part of the hind legs nice and straight, instead of the hocks turning inward, almost touching, a deformity termed “cow hocks.” Dogs with a good structure can work long hours with no problem. Dogs who have poor conformation may suffer undue fatigue or pain from tasks requiring strength or stamina. One adult dog in the film was labeled “a disaster” in terms of structure. She used him to educate the audience about a number of conformation flaws, observing he could still be trained as a service dog but the kind of tasks he could perform should be limited to ones that would not impose any strain on his body.
Aimee Brumleve, was the presenter of the workshop on ideas for “Enhancing the Upbringing of Puppy Candidates.” Like Renee, Aimee prepared a nice handout that could be shared with others on her topic. She introduced herself as a staff trainer involved in curriculum planning for the volunteer families who become puppy raisers for PWAC. She briefly described how PWAC offers obedience classes and organizes outings to malls, fairs and other interesting places every month for socialization and training purposes.
Space limitations here only permit me to highlight some of the ideas she shared.
She reported that she urges anyone raising a pup to tether the pup to their ankle on a six to twenty foot leash while doing housework and cooking. Reward him with a food treat every time he makes eye contact, to encourage him to make frequent eye contact, something that will enhance the bonding process during the first few weeks.
Aimee advocates exposing a pup from 8 -16 weeks old to everything possible including elevators, before he goes through “fear periods,” rather than doing it gradually over the next year. They really inundate the 8 week old pup. Then when he encounters an elevator or some other things as a 4 - 6 month old adolescent, it is “old hat” to him. He won’t be spooked and develop a problem that could require many outings to overcome.
Since most states do not give access to puppy raisers, Aimee told us that puppy raisers are instructed to ask first, before taking a puppy into an establishment for socialization.
She said PWAC considers stairs to be a top priority. They want to ensure the pup will learn over the course of a year to confidently handle all kinds of staircases, indoors, outdoors, enclosed or open stairs. The dog should be exposed to stairs with different surfaces like carpet, linoleum, metal, wood and concrete. They scatter food and toys on the stairs so the pup will stop to investigate and become more comfortable with the footing.
Teaching a pup to toilet on different surfaces like a blacktop, snow, wood chips etc. is another high priority. Puppy raisers are instructed to insist the youngster get right down to business and not be fussy as a client in a wheelchair won’t be able to indulge the dog’s desire to roam a large area in search of the most perfect blades of grass on the lawn to eliminate on.
Something else all raisers are told to do is to teach their puppy to relax and accept being rolled onto his back for a belly rub, every night if possible. They also should clip the nails and examine the dog’s teeth while he is in that position. In the PWAC class, the handlers trade pups and sit down, spread their legs apart, have the pup lie flat on his back with his head in their lap, paws in the air, giving him a belly rub for up to ten minutes while the staff talks to the group. This is an important trust building and leadership building exercise.
With regard to training, her department instituted a “back to basics” approach two years ago, concentrating on basic obedience rather than introducing task skills. They proof older pups against distractions like tennis balls, cats, remote control operated cars, children with squeaky toys and trainers scattering food on the floor in their puppy raiser obedience classes. Their goal is to deliver well socialized, obedient candidates to headquarters when the pups reach fourteen months of age.
Aimee concluded with the observation that PWAC is always open to new ideas for enhancing those formative months of a young dog’s life. There is no hard and fast rule on how it must be done. The ideas she shared were things that their program had found to be of value in preparing a young dog for
a future career as someone’s assistance dog.
The next stage in the life of an assistance dog candidate is a formal assessment period to determine whether or not the dog in question has “the right stuff” for this career. IAADP invited Dr. James Serpell, Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania to give a talk about the exciting project he initiated
to develop a new temperament testing protocol. Already renowned for his work with guide dog schools, he’s now deeply involved in research that could benefit the whole assistance dog field.
Dr. Serpell noted that while a health screening with x-rays and lab tests yield results that are pretty straightforward, the tests utilized by most programs for temperament and aptitude assessment may not be yielding reliable data. In his workshop titled “Investigating Temperament & Behavioral
Tests for Assistance Dog Candidates,” the distinguished scientist described his collaboration with four guide dog schools and Canine Companions for Independence, which breeds hearing and service dog candidates. He acquainted us with his prior work in the field, the inadequacies of puppy tests, the serious challenges to be overcome in developing valid tests for the traits or problems we want to identify, plus the long range goals of this project.
Dr. Serpell took questions at the end and referred some to Michele Pouliot. The most controversial revelation was a recent decision to experiment with using a stuffed dog to test a dog’s reactions to another dog. Michele explained how difficult it has been for organizations in five different parts
of the USA to get valid results utilizing a live dog when testing 25 dogs or more in one day. They all use a different dog, so the breed and size may differ which could skew the results. Another problem is the live dog’s behavior. At first the live dog jumps up, tail wagging, happy to see an assistance
dog candidate on leash come around the corner. After the tenth time or twelfth time, however, the live dog is likely to become bored and his demeanor changes and soon he won’t even bother to get to his feet. Scoring a candidate on how he responds to a sleeping dog in the distance compared to another
candidate’s reaction to an excited dog in the distance fails to yield reliable data for internal use. It makes it impossible to create a tutoring tape to demonstrate to other programs how to accurately score this part of the IFT.
One member of the audience suggested using a tape recording of a dog barking along with the sight of the canine figure [ a huge stuffed dog] in the distance, to get a more realistic idea of the candidate’s response to other dogs. Another individual suggested having Honda build a stuffed robot dog that could move, imitating canine behavior, rather than using a motionless artificial dog. Michele said she’d take these suggestions under advisement.
Dr. Serpell reported he’d like to see two of the IFT tests which could evoke a fear or aggressive reaction repeated the next day. One test utilizes a black garbage bag full of newspaper falling off a wall at the precise instant the dog is passing by. Would the dog’s startle reaction be less the next
day, showing the dog can habituate to this kind of incident after a first encounter? Or would the dog anticipate and try to fearfully avoid that area where a falling object scared him the day before while he is guiding a blind person?
Dr. Serpell also thinks it would be valuable to repeat the test where the dog is approached by “a threatening figure.” ( currently they are utilizing a gender neutral human dressed up in a Halloween mask, wrapped in cloak, who shakes a stick and yells at the dog, rather than using someone a dog can identify as a man. They wanted to eliminate the problem of a dog’s gender bias skewing the test result. Also this decision reflects the reality that many programs primarily rely on female trainers, so requiring all programs to use a man educated to exhibit the same behavior with every dog, year after year, would be problematic. As an alternative to the figure Michele came up with, the collaborating programs are also considering the ghost figure in the Danish police dog temperament testing protocol that CCI adapted for their use a few years ago, something many in the audience recalled from the presentation by Paul Mundell of CCI at our conference in San Antonio.) Dr. Serpell would like to see programs find out what would happen the next day. Would the candidate take the sight of the threatening figure in stride, knowing it won’t harm him, demonstrating he can adjust to such phenomena? Or on the contrary, would a dog show increased fear or hostility? Repeating the test within twenty four hours could be a scheduling hardship for programs, so its importance will
have to be weighed against the costs involved in collecting this additional information about the dog’s temperament.
In addition to the initial temperament test, program trainers will be asked to fill out a questionnaire halfway through training, stemming in part from the List the schools helped him compile on the 28 most common reasons for a dog to be dropped from training. He has already spent years developing
a test assistance dog programs can utilize now with their puppy raisers to develop a profile on the dog at six months and twelve months. Taken altogether, the use of such tests may yield valuable information that could empower programs to make better informed decisions on whether
to keep or drop a dog at the outset of training. It may lead to a better curriculum for puppy raisers and the ability to intervene at an earlier stage in the dog’s development if certain problems come to light. It could ultimately assist schools with their breeding decisions, for while much progress has been made in eliminating problems like hip dysplasia from the gene pool, much remains to be done in the area of temperament and aptitude.
IAADP would like to thank Guide Dogs for the Blind for their assistance in setting up this workshop. We appreciate Dr. Serpell’s willingness to share the details of his pioneering work on this important subject at IAADP’s conference. We salute Leader Dogs for the Blind, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Guide Dogs for the Blind, the Seeing Eye and Canine Companions for Independence for collaborating on this important research project.
Innovations in Guide Dog Training was the title of a workshop about some of the intriguing changes that have taken place at Guide Dogs for the Blind, one of the largest guide dog schools in the USA. Terry Barret, Director of Operations at their campus in San Rafael, California and Michele Pouliot, Director of Training Research and Development, from the Oregon campus, started off by discussing the school’s efforts to become more responsive to the changing needs of their consumers. In the early days, most students were young men blinded in World War II. Today, the majority of students lose their sight in middle to old age and often have secondary health problems. They prefer a dog who is willing to walk at a much more sedate pace, one who can be content with a much more sedentary lifestyle. The challenge of providing such dogs is largely addressed through the breeding program, then by a careful personality assessment of each dog prior to placement. Another consumer driven change is the school’s new focus on finding ways to accommodate students with additional
handicaps, such as weakness on one side of their body or the need to use a wheelchair.
Perhaps the most controversial change to date has been the introduction of food treats while the dogs are prepared for placement. The school finds the use of treats with praise has made training a much happier experience from the dog’s point of view. They discovered the click and treat method
could enable trainers to do things like teach a guide dog to find an empty chair in five minutes, as opposed to days of work to try to communicate to the dog what the blind partner wants in that situation. It can speed up teaching a guide dog trainee to avoid overhead obstacles, one of the most difficult tasks to master. A third example is that it improves their ability to teach a guide dog to more precisely line up a blind person’s wheelchair with the foot of a ramp. At the same time, preventing problems for their students arising from the use of food treats merited extensive analysis and the development of techniques to enable the team to function as well as it did without food treats. In addition, we learned that much more emphasis is being placed on food avoidance training by the staff than the subject received in the old days.
Video footage gave the audience the chance to observe some interesting changes to the kennel environment. The staff wants the young dogs turned in by puppy raisers to view their new indoor kennel as “home” rather than viewing it as a prison. Each dog is given a bed and toys. These toys have to be collected every morning for sterilization and redistribution. It requires more staff time to keep things sanitary, but it is an investment GDB thinks is worthwhile. Volunteers called “cuddlers” frequently sit with the dog inside his kennel and play with him there and pet him so he will associate his kennel with pleasurable human contact. The overarching goal is to cut down on the loss of good dogs due to kennel stress.
Agility equipment has been experimentally added to the exercise yard. It not only provides mental stimulation and increases the dog’s fun, it also can aid dogs in becoming more comfortable with different kinds of surface footing. We learned it is essential to handler safety for a guide dog to be
willing to work on different surfaces including walking across metal grates or sewer plates in a sidewalk. Something else GDB began doing is putting out bones to chew on in some exercise yards, though our audience was warned this must be introduced cautiously and the group of dogs must be well supervised to avoid quarrels.
The video raised some eyebrows when it showed how the new recruits receive their introduction to guiding in harness. Instead of a trainer trying to lure or force the dog to lead out, the school now puts the dog on a treadmill for three sessions. This teaches proper guiding position and how to lead
out on command and to halt on command, all of which readies the dog for advanced work much more quickly, most of the trainers agreed when surveyed.
Another clever idea is a new way for a trainer to teach the dog to Back Up. We were told it is a behavior dogs don’t do naturally. However, it is a vitally important skill the dog must master in order to keep the blind person safe when crossing roads. At GDB, the trainee is placed into a skinny
chute built out of cyclone fencing. A bowl of food sits at the end of this unusual kennel run. The dog is permitted to run forward and eat the food.
After the bowl is empty, the trainer calls to the dog, urging him to return. The only way for the dog to leave the chute is to back up, since the gap between the fences is too narrow to permit the dog to turn around. The dog figures out how to back up of his own accord, instead of being forced to back
up through the use of a choke chain and a trainer’s brute strength. This exercise only needs to be done a couple times, then the guide dog trainer can put the newly learned behavior to good use, teaching the dog intelligent disobedience.
This workshop expanded our knowledge of challenges that guide dog users face. Among other things, we learned a blind person will quickly lose their orientation to their surroundings if the guide dog fails to remain in proper guiding position. Trainers can’t let the dog dance around when giving him
a food treat. The dog must learn he can only receive a treat when he maintains the proper position on his handler’s left side. If another dog, cat or squirrel distracts the guide dog or he abruptly turns around because someone tosses a ball in the team’s vicinity, it can result in a blind person losing
his bearings.
GDB is committed to an ongoing search for ways to improve a guide dog’s schooling and his or her quality of life prior to placement. Change has not come easily, though. Both Terry and Michele discussed the process GDB went through to persuade old dog trainers to give new methods a try. Suggesting there may be a better way of doing things takes both trainers and handlers out of their comfort zone. It is not unusual for a person to initially be skeptical, resistant, even obstructive. The use of humorous photos in this presentation enabled the audience to laugh at this aspect of human nature and recognize these traits in ourselves.
For many partners and programs, it was our first behind the scenes look at what goes into the care and training of a guide dog candidate prior to placement. The audience was very appreciative.
This year IAADP was privileged to have two of our sponsors attend this conference.
Barbara Eaves, our contact at Nutramax Laboratories is a veterinarian. She gave a short talk on her company’s relationship with IAADP. She let us know how much the staff enjoyed the letters that several IAADP members took time to write, thanking them for making Welactin available, as it made
their dogs’ coats shine. She wanted us to know this salmon oil product which provides essential fatty acids does much more than make the coat gleam, for that is the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Welactin’s name stems from “Well Acting,” its unofficial name during its development. This expensive dietary supplement is a gift for our assistance dogs you can access through your own veterinarian with IAADP’s membership card. Barbara also let our partner members know they could start their assistance dogs on Cosequin at an early age. This renowned glucosamine product is widely prescribed by vets to prevent or slow down the development of arthritic changes in the joints of young and middle aged dogs. It also is utilized to alleviate stiffness and discomfort in elderly working dogs, especially those with hip problems. A third product available in the USA to IAADP members if prescribed is Denosyl, which supports the liver and immune system.
We are grateful that Nutramax Laboratories took on the responsibility of making decisions on grant applications to IAADP’s Veterinary Care Partnership program when Bayer discontinued its staff support. Barbara Eves also let the audience know that Nutramax is proud to be one of the substantial contributors to our VCP fund to “save a partnership.”
A lively discussion took place when Al Peters, Hearing & Service Dogs of Minnesota, expressed his concern about one painful lesson of Hurricane Katrina. An emergency caregiver’s phone number on a wallet card or in a microchip database is no good if it is a local number and the whole region suffers a catastrophe. We definitely need to change our info in the database(s). Al said he would be proposing ADI set up a 24 hour dedicated phone line to help in a crisis. Ed Eames reminded partners we would have a free microchip clinic the next day, thanks to Avid’s generosity, so those who fill out the emergency caregiver info card there should consider making one contact someone who lives in another part of the USA. Schools might want to think of this lesson of Katrina too, if they do the michrochipping themselves.