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Now that Spring has arrived, and things are beginning to grow, GDUC seems to be taking a leaf from nature's book. Our membership is growing and our members are doing new and interesting things. Abbie Vincent (our secretary) with Mills and Ken Metz with Bay are serving on the Access Services Advisory Committee, Subcommittee on Service Animals in Los Angeles. Abby will tell us a bit about this committee elsewhere in this issue. Sheila Styron with Dorian has been appointed to the public TV channel, KCET, Consumer Advisory Board which serves as the liaison between the community it serves and the people in charge of the programming for the TV station. This could be great for our interest in educating the public. I'm sure she will keep us informed of how things are going. Kudos to all of you for your interest in and participation in the community. This kind of activity is just what we need to improve acceptance, accessibility and the public's knowledge of who we are and what we stand for. We have three "20 Questions" brochures available now. They are going to be published elsewhere in this issue. We are always looking for new material for our brochures. When you have a member of the public make some funny or ridiculous statement to you with regard to you and your dog, send it to us so it can be worked into one of the brochures. It doesn't have to be a statement or question that arose out of misinformation or ignorance either. Once in a while, my heart is warmed by something that someone says. It usually isn't to me, but I do hear it. Something like the father I heard speaking to his small son last weekend, saying "Now look at that pretty doggie, Romero, that dog helps that lady be as independent as she can." When that happens I know that projects like our "20 Questions" project are worth while. In the near future you will all be asked to help with distribution of these brochures. I'm convinced we can educate many if we sprinkle these brochures all over everywhere. Tri-fold brochures can be found beside cash registers almost anywhere. I'm sure that our brochures will be as welcome as other fliers are. All we need do is ask the proprietor to allow us to put them out. Our only purpose is to educate. This is to the benefit of all of us. Since the last issue I have not attended another "Service Animal Task Force" meeting with the California Hotel/Motel Association. Things seem to be temporarily on hold. As soon as there is more to report, I certainly will. Our collar tags and lapel pins continue to sell. It will take a while longer, but we will realize a nice profit from this project when it's complete. Guide Dog Day will be on May 3rd this year. The dinner on the night before will require reservations by calling Pat Urena at (916) 263-8956. She doesn't have the details worked out yet, but when she does, I'll put something on the California Connection. Plans for the Spring convention at the Hilton Arden West, 2200 Harvard St., in Sacramento are under way. Room rates are $78.00 plus tax per night for single and double occupancy. Call the Hilton at (916) 922-4700 for reservations. After our business meeting on Saturday morning, we will invite the guide dog schools to give us an update on the goings on at their schools. We are planning a couple of programs that will be a bit different. The morning program topic will concern equal access to housing for us with our guides. Don Brown, our newest Director is putting this together. He is from the bay area and has found that a program of this nature is very timely. The luncheon program speaker will be Pat Urena. She will be telling us about her experiences as the only staff member of the Guide Dog Board for the past 25 years or so. I suspect she will have some really interesting things to relate. Linda Flores, our Vice President is putting this program together. The whole event will be as interesting and informative as it always is. We have engaged the same clean-up service that we used last year. Waggin' Tails was most satisfactory last year and the board decided to use them again. We are going to have a table in the exhibit room again for the payment of dues, for getting new members and for the selling of our lapel pins and collar tags. We will have it open on Friday only. GDUC has too much going on Saturday for us to try to keep it open that day. I hope to see all of you in Sacramento on the 20th of May. And, as always, if you have ideas, suggestions, complaints or anything else to say, please contact me or any of the other GDUC board members. We're here for you. |
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"The Captain is coming, Hurrah! Hurrah!" That was what I was singing --strictly to myself-- ever since I had received the official letter from Guide Dogs of America. I was to start training with "Captain, number 1830" on November 27, 1995. The letter went on to say that the trainer, Chuck Jordan, had already had over 26 years of experience training dogs. However, he had never worked with a deaf-blind person before so it was suggested that my daughter, Connie be with us for the first few days. Because I had already had classwork when I got my first guide dog, a chocolate lab named Max, I was allowed to have in-home training. Chuck and Captain were due to arrive at 1:15 that Monday. By 1:00, I couldn't stand it any longer so Connie and I went out to the bench beside the big gate to wait. Right on the dot of 1:15 p.m. Conn jumped up and ran over to open the big sliding gate. The big van rumbled passed me and rolled to a parking place in front of my apartment across the parking lot. I didn't realize Chuck was teasing me when he told me we would go into the apartment and talk for a while and then he would come out to get Captain. I pleaded with him to just let me see my new partner and then I would do as he asked. The second I touched Captain, he looked just like I thought he would. He was big, strong, young and beautiful! I think right from the first he and I both knew we belonged to each other. It had been 15 looooong months since I had retired Max and everything there was to do wrong, I did it. Without a guide dog, I literally almost knocked people down, was even later than usual for classes at Braille Institute and very often got twisted around and went in the wrong direction. I went wild without a guide dog. Our training started off really well. Since Conn often travels with me, we went to the airport first. I even had her pull an empty suitcase just like she would do on a real trip. There were many challenges for Captain but he did beautifully, of course. Chuck didn't have much trouble with communication after Connie had to go back to work. Training was wonderful. We went to my favorite mall several times to practice "follow" and elevators, etc. Poor Captain had never been in a glass-sided elevator before so flattened and yelped the first time we used one. Chuck understood why and for the next several minutes, we just went up and down letting Captain get used to it. His head kept twisting and turning as he watched things move. He has never been afraid since. We, of course, went to Braille Institute several times including even using the van or bus. During classes, I did just what I usually did. Chuck sat near in case of emergency, but otherwise, just read and nothing was any different than if I were in class alone with Captain. Chuck taught him to find my locker, find different classes, find the student store and many other things. Now, I often forget to tell Captain where to go but he knows and by the time I remember to give him a command, we are already there. Since my in-home training was during the holidays, there was a special Christmas luncheon at City Walk. Chuck was allowed to go too and we used the opportunity for training the whole time. Dodging big crowds, shopping, eating in the restaurant and definitely working on distractions although Captain had few of those. The thrilling day for me and the big test for us both came on December 15th. I signed the papers that made me the extremely proud owner of Captain. Later that morning, the three of us headed for Braille Institute. It was the day of their Holiday party. There were actually about 600 blind students plus many other people there. We worked the very crowded halls and rooms and other places. The only mistakes that were made that day were mine. After we got back to my apartment, it was time for Chuck to say good by to both of us. Needless to say, I gave Chuck the biggest hug he ever had (don't tell his wife!). One of the main reasons for telling you all this is that I have heard that some who are considering "in-home training" are concerned about it. I, personally, more than recommend it. Class training certainly has it's place and is necessary but as far as I am concerned, in-home can't be beaten. If you get the chance, choose it and really enjoy it! Regarding communication The communication methods were mostly the same with Eileen Jonstone when I got Max, my first dog, and Chuck Jordan with Captain. My personal situation was completely different. With Max, I was in a class so Eileen described the route the night before. Since it was in June, we had long daylight hours so C.A. (my husband at that time) came right straight from work and (after gorging on leftovers from supper since he had not had his and he knew how to tease the cook) he palm printed the evening class. Working with the trainers we used the teletouch but when we were walking, they both palm printed to me. When Chuck was here at the apartment to just generally talk about the work, he used the big machine. If he was not there for some reason, one of the students used the teletouch. I did have my tdd there but we did not use it for that. Eileen did have me wait at curbs before crossing. She would give me a signal that Max couldn't see and I would give him all the commands myself. After we got home, Max and I did walk around the block ourselves but at that time, our home was within walking distance of several restaurants, our church and Fallbrook mall. Max and I would walk in front of C.A. so that Max knew he was doing all the guiding. Max learned when I told him find... and I would use the name of the restaurant or our church. If Max made a miscue, C.A. would catch up with us and we would take care of the problem (it was loads of fun). C.A. did the same as Eileen about street crossing and Max stayed in very good training during that time. After Max and I moved here, this area does not have a complete block. It has a dead-end street on 2 sides plus I was not interested in trying to cross streets at all. Chuck did the same as Eileen too but Captain was not trained as much for streets as Max was if I understand it right. Captain and I do go by ourselves to the little store and beauty shop that is outside the gate and around the corner. Due to heat and earthquake, there is a terrible hump in the walk plus a manhole but Captain has always passed those safely. Once with Max, we went to the store and everything was fine. Coming back, he stopped and would not go forward. I could hear someone talking to me but could not tell what he was saying. Then someone took my arm and pulled me to one side and around and back on the walk. Then I realized they had opened the manhole while Max and I were at the store. The other day after the bad rain, Captain stopped on our way back from the beauty shop. I checked and found there was a very bad mud mess so he kept me from getting in it and slipping and falling. Something else in the way of communication. After Max and I had been together for maybe 3 weeks, Eileen gave me a card. She had written on it that I was deaf-blind and to please assist me across the street. She cut off one corner so I would know which way to turn the card. We tried it but people didn't seem to understand. Eileen had to explain it to people before they would take my arm to help me. I didn't like the method at the time because I didn't really understand the point to it and felt like I was begging. I would do it now if the situation was different. Here, there are many people who don't speak English, let alone read it. I was going to use a tape recorder and have someone put the message on the tape in both English and Spanish but as I said, I'm not really interested in street crossing. There are no shopping centers that close and these walks are gorsh awful too. I know it sounds like I am just making up excuses but that is not the case. It is a completely different situation than it was at home. At home, Max encountered many things even if we didn't cross streets alone. Things like a hose stretched across the walk, a car parked across the walk, low limbs, a broom laying on the walk and of course, bikes etc. I love to take Max and now Cap Christmas shopping because people get out of our way. Toy isles were a mess but Max always got me around the debris and shopping carts. Captain does a terrific job at Braille Institute with getting me around people that stand in the middle of the hall and talk (though they are not supposed to do that.) That is enough for now. Hope you found it interesting. Sincerely |
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Nominations for the 2000 Instructor of the year are closed. Thank you all for your participation in the Instructor of the Year award. Many of you submitted a nomination and that made the selection a fun decision. The GDUC Board deliberated long and hard over who was going to be the lucky recipient.
There were a couple of nominations that came in after the deadline, but they will have to be held for next year. I have no doubt that those individuals will receive nominations again. The lucky winner is... Mr. Peter O'Reilly. We have included his biography in this issue. Thank you all again, for taking part in this award. Peter J. O'Reilly was born and raised in Westchester County, New York. Although he always loved dogs, it wasn't until he was in high school that he got his own dog, a male German Shepherd named "Shannon". Pete got lots of other dog exposure while working high school summers at a veterinary hospital. After high school Pete was drafted and had to give "Shannon" away to a neighboring farm. Pete spent a two year stint in the Navy on a ship that toured through the Mediterranean. The ship was home-based in Naples, Italy for one year, and one year in Newport, Rhode Island. While in the service Pete married his high school sweetheart Susie, and by the time he had completed his duty - they had a 3 month old son (Christopher). Moving to Connecticut, Pete started work with a father-in-law opening H&R Block Tax Consultant franchises throughout Connecticut. Both Susie's sister and Pete's sister lived in Marin County and kept encouraging the O'Reilly's to join them in Marin - so in May of 1970, they sold everything and drove across the states to California. Although he didn't have a job lined up when he moved, he quickly was employed again by H&R Block. During the year he worked for H&R Block he was intrigued by the Guide Dogs for the Blind sign he could see when commuting on 101. He eventually came in, got an application, and was interviewed a few months later. In January of 1972, Pete started work at GDB in the position of Apprentice Instructor - Class #272. In June of 1975, Pete became a Licensed Instructor. In 1982, Pete was again promoted to one of the two Class Supervisor positions. In 1993 another Class Supervisor position was created and Pete moved up to Senior Class Supervisor. In 1995, a position was created that would oversee the creation and training of the Oregon campus training team, this Class Training Manager position was filled by Pete. During Pete's tenure at GDB he has:
Pete has been on too many committees to mention, but a few of his "favorites" were the development and building of the downtown San Rafael student lounge; development and planning of the two week (and subsequent 3 week) retrain classes, and the planning and development of the dormitory retrain wing. Pete has contributed to all the class lectures over the years and has seen the school go from Bertha, the class bus which was an old school bus, and station wagons - to the modern current class buses and staff vans. Even though Pete has enjoyed making a difference in 100's of dog's lives, he has only had two personal dogs over the years. "Shannon" mentioned above, and "Don", a male Doberman Pinscher, who he brought home at 8 weeks old and enjoyed his companionship until his passing at 11. Pete showed him in confirmation classes (and won some shows) but he was mainly the family dog. Currently Pete and his wife are enjoying many family activities with their son's family and the apple of Pete's eye - his granddaughter. Although the original reason Pete was drawn to work at GDB was teaching dogs how to learn and to use initiative, he quickly was captivated by the students, and being a small part of a person accomplishing their goal of working with a guidedog. Pete appreciates and enjoys each new class and their particular challenges: a new group of dogs and students that he can, with his expertise, help contribute to their success. |
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I wonder if you have heard of the new line of dog show Barbies. This came from an e-mail list of very active dog show people. 1. Dog Groomer Barbie - This Barbie is always brushing, trimming, clipping and bathing. Her only draw back is that she is constantly wet and covered with hair. Comes with clippers, grooming table, comb, brushes, grooming smock, lint brush and Band-Aids. This Barbie is so busy, her canine clients often look better than she does. 2. Dog Handler Barbie - She comes with a moveable arm which can be snapped into place for perfect show handling. No way to lose with this Barbie beauty showing your mutt. She will do anything to win. She has been known to sleep with judges. This Barbie includes the book, "How to Suck Up and Win", a long with many pocketed outfits for showing. Motor home not included. 3. Dog Handler Assistant Barbie - She's a handler wannabe who loves abuse. She is covered with hair, chalk and grooming spray. She comes with her pockets stuffed with assorted leashes, collars, combs, squeaker toys, and brushes. She is often seen with a variety of spray bottles hanging from her belt. She always smells of liver and has dark circles under her eyes. She has permanent leash marks on her hands from dogs whose owners insisted they were trained. She comes with all of the above plus a stress management video. 4. Dog Show Judge Barbie - This Barbie is looking for the right dog. After many years of picking "losers" for men, Judge Barbie is content finding "winners" in the dog ring. She comes with clipboard, granny glasses, frumpy dress, the AKC guidelines on the perfect dog, a white glove to detect foreign substances, sensible shoes and a current rabies shot. 5. Dog Show Chairman Barbie - A blunder on our part, this Barbie comes complete with a case of Lady Clairol, a prescription for Prozac and an unlisted phone number. 6. Ring Steward Barbie - This Barbie is shy and reserved. She wears Nike running shoes for those quick trips to the potty due to lack of relief stewards. She comes with a map of the show site, so she can find her way back to the ring, crying towel for those inconsolable losers, rubberbands, armbands and a megaphone for the hard of hearing. She also has a monogrammed folding chair for her use only. 7. Junior Handler Barbie - She is always a winner in her own mind. She comes complete with a short skirt, a ponytail, and a bad attitude. Unfortunately her life span is very short. 8. Pooper-scooper Barbie - This Barbie has no sense of smell (for obvious reasons) and is a glutten for punishment. She comes with a pooper scooper, muck boots, an orange vest, a lighted miner's helmet for those evening pickups, a sack of shavings, bleach, a mop and a bucket. She is often found surrounded by flies and "cleanup" is her middle name. She has a Certified Sanitation Engineer Degree through her local Community College. 9. Dog Show Vendor Barbie - This Barbie is not cheap and neither is her merchandise. She comes complete with a vending tent and sunscreen. She also has a variety of dog related items. If this Barbie doesn't have it, they don't make it. 10. Dog Show Photographer Barbie - This Barbie is truly a sight to behold. Her photographer's vest is loaded with no less than fifty rolls of assorted film and a multitude of squeaker toys to get your dog's attention. She never takes a bad photo and will refuse to shoot ugly dogs. If you mention her name in your ad, she will give you extra 8 x 10's for free! 11. Whelping Barbie - This Barbie completes our line of Dog Show Barbies. She goes anywhere help is needed. She births babies at a moments notice. Comes with van, cell phone, dental floss, scissors, towels, goat's milk, forceps, coffee, and a pillow for those endless nights. |
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Purina is giving away free vet emergency kits - one per household - just call the number below. You will have to answer some recorded questions about number/kind of pets, brands you feed, etc. Call 1-800-455-9600 from a touch tone phone and follow the instructions... TO ANESTHETIZE OR NOT TO ANESTHETIZE THAT IS THE QUESTION Last fall, I decided to do something for my guide dog that I had always wanted to try. No, I did not decide to anesthetize her, but rather to have her teeth cleaned without anesthesia. I chose to brighten up Dorian's labrador grin at U Wash Doggie, a grooming shop near my home in West Hollywood. I was a bit apprehensive as Monique, the specially trained animal hygienist, took Dorian to the back of the shop where I guess they keep the doggie toothbrushes. But hearing no yelps, I settled in for a twenty minute or so wait during which time I was visited by the most incredible cat. Victoria, a gorgeous, green-eyed blue-grey Himalayan, is both regal and fearless, as well as heedless of unfamiliar humans and hounds alike. The original cleaning cost $59.00, and return maintenance visits run me $12.95. I trotted Dorian off to her vet two days after her first anesthesia free teeth cleaning session, and the doctor was highly complimentary of the results. Many grooming shops, pet stores and some veterinary offices provide anesthesia free canine dental hygiene services, and the owners of several such establishments with whom I spoke as well as customers are extremely satisfied with this pet care option. One of the well known and respected providers of traveling, specially trained animal hygienists is Canine Care Inc. They provide their services throughout California and can be reached at 1-800-242-9966 for more information. I plan to continue having Dorian's teeth cleaned in this manner as long as her general oral health remains good. This will of course be determined and monitored by regular checkups with my veterinarian. Under no circumstances should this pet care and maintenance option of anesthesia-free teeth cleaning replace consulting with your veterinarian about the health and hygiene of your guide dog's teeth. However, it seems to be a desirable and successful teeth maintenance option, provided you have consulted with your vet, your animal's mouth is healthy, and you have also researched your options in order to best ensure that the service provider you select is competent. |
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LOS ANGELES ACCESS SERVICES A major concern of guide dog users has been that we are never sure when we will be able to get a taxi. Many of us have been refused rides because of our dogs. The service animal sub-committee of the (Los Angeles) Access Services Incorporated Advisory Committee was formed to look at some of these issues. Ken Metz and Abby Vincent are representing guide dog users on this committee. Access, as it is usually called, provides ADA paratransit service for Los Angeles County. There are just over 100 riders with service animals certified to use the system. Most of them are guide dogs. We hope to provide a way to determine what the problems are and find a way to solve them. We also hope to improve the training program for drivers and related personnel so they can better meet our needs. The committee was formed at the end of last year as part of a settlement of a lawsuit. The suit involved several guide dog users who were denied taxi service and several taxi companies, including Access. The committee will meet approximately four times a year. Public comment is invited. Call Access or one of the committee members for details. When you do have problems, it is very important that Access knows about it. You can file your complaint using the usual procedures. If it happened a long time ago and you didn't file a complaint, you can still provide this information now. Abby and Mellow Yellow Mills |
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From the Calgary Sun In the doghouse For the first time in city history, a cabbie has been fined for refusing to serve a blind person with a guide dog. In what's being called a precedent-setting case, a cabbie who ordered three visually impaired men and a guide dog out of his cab in downtown Calgary last fall was fined $400 in Provincial Traffic Court yesterday. "It may not have been as high a fine as I would have wanted, but it's a good start. It sends a message," said Richard Marion, of Coquitlam, B.C. with guide dog Gina, 7, at his side. "This is an acknowledgement by the court for (taxi) drivers to accept their social responsibility." Court heard in the early morning hours of Oct. 3, Marion, his dog and two visually impaired friends had been refused by two other cabs when Gurpal Singh Dhillon, with the Advance Cab Co. arrived at 9 Ave. and Centre St. S.E. After the men got in his cab, Dhillon said he saw the dog and ordered them out, adding he offered to get them another taxi. "I was thinking it's not a big deal," he told court. Dhillon said he refused to drive the men because he's allergic to pets, but admitted he never told that to the men. "I told him he was breaking the law. He said he didn't have to take a dog in his car, that it's his choice," Marion, 31, testified. Court heard a city bylaw states cabbies can't refuse service to people with guide dogs. After driving the men for two blocks, Dhillon stopped and flagged down two police officers. Police told Dhillon he was breaking the law but after a brief discussion, the three men left the cab and waited up to 30 minutes for another taxi, ordered by the officers. Court Commissioner Catherine Skene rejected Dhillon's doctor's note supporting his allergy story, noting the he was comfortable in close proximity to Marion's Labrador-golden retriever cross in court. She agreed with Crown Prosecutor Pamela McCluskey that it appears Dhillon didn't want the inconvenience of visually impaired customers. "It's inconceivable in the 21st century someone with a visual disability should be subjected to this kind of treatment," said McCluskey. Said Dhillon, 31, after the fine was read: "We have to follow rules, but it's not fair to me." Marion said it's a common occurrence in many cities for cabbies to reject visually impaired customers. |
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Ed. Note: This story came from one of the e-mail list some time ago. The author's name has been lost. If you know who wrote this, please tell the editor so proper credit can be given. One would imagine that living next to a cemetery could be at least a bit scary. We have a child, little Ruthie, who just turned two. Plus, there's Sam our four-year old Jack Russell terrier. So it would seem a cemetery next door could provide plenty of opportunity to create a few phobias in a child or pet. But we don't feel that way about our cemetery, or perhaps I should say THE CEMETERY, because there is no other cemetery quite like Chippiannock. Unless you're familiar with the Quad-Cities, you may never have heard of Chippiannock Cemetery. Located on a rolling hillside in Rock Island, its name honors the local Indian culture of several hundred years ago. Describing Chippiannock has always been a challenge for writers because it is far removed from a traditional cemetery. No subdivision-like layout here, with rows of perfectly spaced plots, with clone-like headstones. Chippiannock is... well... different. A full-size anchor adorns the grave of a ship's captain. Huge metallic balls appear at several gravesites seeming like the discarded marbles of the child of some ancient giant, rather than memorials whose significance I can't even imagine. Stone trees, an eternal baby's casket, these and more grace the thousands of graves on that rolling Illinois hillside. Has Chippiannock ever frightened me? Truthfully no, because it always seemed so unique, almost a living tribute to the departed men, women and children in the merciful Hand of God. Chippiannock does not make me think of the deaths of those buried there but rather of their lives. That's why I love walking its grounds so much and why Sam and I have done so for many years. Then a few months ago. Ruthie became old enough to join us on our excursion's. Of course, Ruthie isn't much of a walker yet, which makes it interesting to watch me coaxing Ruthie, while trying to stop Sam from running after every squirrel in sight. We certainly have our fun, and I know Ruthie and Sam enjoy Chippiannock as much as I do. After several visits, Ruthie developed a favorite stop where we just HAD TO GO each time. This was the grave of the Dimick children, Eddie and Jose, who were taken by illness from their families well over a hundred years ago. But after this tragic loss, Eddie's and Josie's pet dog would go day after day to their gravesite, and just wait attentively for the children he loved so much. The Dimicks were so moved by the dog's devotion that a full-size statue of the dog rests alongside Eddie's and Josie's grave...their eternal friend. There was something about that dog (he appears to have been a collie) that just moves my little Ruthie. Every time we visit Chippiannock she gives the statue of the dog a hug. I frankly didn't think there could be much harm in it until the other day when Ruthie told me about "the doggies who sleep by her bed." "You mean doggie, don't you Ruthie?" I told her, because I knew Sam often slept by the foot of her bed. He was very protective of Ruthie. "No," she said, "There's Sammy, and the other doggie. My new friend I always hug." Well, besides Sammy, there could be only one dog, "she always hugs," but I decided not to say anything more about it. My wife Becky and I would have a talk about this imaginary friend later. I debated whether or not to stop our Chippiannock visits for awhile, but frankly Becky and I felt there were far worse imaginary friends a child could have, so our walks, and Ruthie's hugs, continued. I didn't think much about it for several weeks, until last night. I often peek into Ruthie's room late each night. I am one of those fathers who worry about the slightest thing. Is Ruthie all right? Is she breathing OK? So I turned the doorknob quietly and looked into her room. I don't feel I have to worry as much anymore. Ruthie looked fine, sleeping calmly... peaceful, content. I glanced to the foot of the bed and saw Sam, also sleeping, but a dozen pounds of comfort to me. At first I almost didn't see just beyond Sam, but then I did. Opaque, like a mist, lay the collie, crouched quietly sleeping. His face turned to me and I felt his devoted eyes tell me "Thank you. Let me love your child too." And his gaze returned to Ruthie... faithful, obedient, eternal in his devotion, My child's newest friend... The ghost at the foot of the bed. |
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DOVER, England (AP) - British customs officials didn't just let Frodo Baggins walk right into the country - the 5-year-old black pug had to have a passport. Frodo made history Monday when he arrived on a ferry from France and was allowed into Britain, the first animal to come in under a new program that gives pets passports. The pilot project is aimed at replacing a 100-year-old law requiring pets to be quarantined for six months upon their arrival in Britain. As of Monday, dogs and cats from 22 European countries were eligible for a passport, as were guide dogs from Australia and New Zealand. If successful, the program will be extended to pets from the United States, Canada and the Caribbean in 2001, a spokesman for the agriculture ministry said. Under the program, Frodo was allowed to board the ferry late Sunday in Calais, France, after customs officials confirmed his identity and rabies-free status. Helen de Borchgrave, his owner, carried documents including blood test results and proof that Frodo had been treated for ticks and tapeworms 48 hours before departure. When the project is fully operational, it is expected to aid the transit of some 300,000 pets every year. Animals who fail the test will be required to go into quarantine. |
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Some time ago a project was started that became known as "20 Questions." It started when someone who ought to have known better, really, commented that a guide dog, standing at a down curb with it's handler, was in the wrong position because it (the dog) couldn't see the traffic lights and how was it going to be able to know when it was time to cross the street? A brochure with some statements like that, presented as true or false, was made up and passed around. Obviously there were a lot less than 20 statements in the brochure, but there was a fairly complete discussion of each statement and whether it really was true or false. More brochures have been made up and the time has come to distribute them to the general public as an educational tool. The brochures should be put in every place that will take them - coffee shops, dry cleaners, barber and beauty shops, you name it. Each member will be sent some of the brochures and some easel-type cardboard holders. You, the member, then take them to your favorite store, or not-so-favorite store, it doesn't matter. Talk the owner or manager into putting an easel with brochures by the cash register. It's just like easter seals and red cross and others, except we're not asking for money. We just want them out there and the public to see them and read them. We have tried to make them as informative and interesting as possible without sounding like a lecture. To describe the brochures, first of all, the brochures are all alike on the back panel. It reads: "Guide Dog Users of California is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and improvement of access, understanding and acceptance of guide dogs and those who rely on these magnificent animals. GDUC is affiliated with the American Council of the Blind, the California Council of the Blind and Guide Dog Users, Inc. "For further information, to inquire about subscriptions to our quarterly newsletter "Forward" or to be placed on our mailing list, call
Then there is the GDUC paw-print logo. So far, there are three different brochures. The first in the series reads on the front panel, in bold script, "Now, about guide dogs -" There is a graphic of a girl with a guide dog, and the words: "Some statements - True or False?" Inside the text is arranged as statement and answer or discussion. On the panel on the right when you open the front: Statement: Guide Dogs watch the traffic lights so they know when its safe to cross. Wrong. Guide dogs take their directions from their handler; it is up to the two-legged member of the team to say when to go across the street. However, a guide dog is trained to use its own judgement about safety - if there is traffic coming that the dog feels represents a hazard, the dog will refuse to go and will push the handler out of the path of danger. Statement: Wrong. Both male and female dogs make great guides. For fairly obvious reasons the dogs are neutered. On the first inside panel: No. Guide Dogs are, as a rule, fed only their own dog food. They never eat in a restaurant. Handlers are usually on the watch for well-meaning people who try to slip the dog a tasty morsel. It is not a kindness and could destroy the training. It could make the dog sick, being food the dog doesn't normally eat. No one wants a Guide Dog to get sick in the stomach, especially in a restaurant. Statement: Wrong. Restaurants are not required to provide a Guide Dog anything. A handler will almost always politely refuse any offers of food or water. On the second inside panel: True. Never, ever, even touch the dog's harness or leash. It distracts and confuses the dog and the handler has no idea what is going on or why. If the team needs assistance, talk to the person and help with orientation and/or directions in a calm, straightforward manner. There is another graphic on this page of a dog that looks a lot like the guide dog on the front. Statement: False. Guide Dog teams go in whichever direction is required: forward, left, right, they make u-turns and may even be found running down the street and around the corner to catch a bus that is about to leave without the dog and its handler. Statement: Wrong! Guide Dogs are trained to be good citizens. Your child should not pet the working Guide Dog because the petting is an undesirable distraction. If the child did something that caused the Guide Dog to bite, that dog would be retired, regardless of what the child did to get bitten. The second brochure in the series: The front panel says "GUIDE DOGS FAQs" in the machine-readable font that looks like it came off a computer. Below that title is the girl with guide dog graphic. On the panel on the right as you open the brochure: Right! The guide dog isn't the director. The handler is responsible for determining which way and when to go. The dog's responsibility is to get the team where it is going safely, without running into things. Talk to the person, he/she can understand what you are saying better than the dog. Making eye contact with the dog can be a distraction for the dog that could have disastrous consequences. Besides, these dogs are usually so well trained and experienced, they frequently just ignore someone trying to talk to them, which could leave you feeling kind of foolish. On the first inside panel: No. Many different breeds make good guide dogs. The usual breeds are German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever. Labrador and Golden crosses are being used. Other breeds, including poodles and boxers, make great guides, especially when there is a special characteristic that fits a requirement of the handler. Statement: Wrong. Protection in the sense of guarding is not a desirable trait in a guide dog. If a dog is over-protective it may be disqualified from being a guide. A calm and non-aggressive disposition is a critical requirement for a guide. All the same, there is a strong bond between the dog and the handler; if pushed, the dog's instincts may come out. On the second inside panel: True. A landlord cannot charge a pet deposit or a special cleaning deposit because of a guide dog. The landlord cannot refuse to rent to a person with a guide dog because of the dog. An exception to this is in the case of a person renting out a room in his/her own home. In the lower portion of this panel is the graphic of the prancing dog again. On the third inside panel: Good Question. First, you must let in guide dogs. Just because the dog might misbehave is not a sufficient reason to keep it out. If the dog misbehaves after it comes in, you don't have to let it stay. If the dog has been there before and misbehaved, you can refuse to let it in. And, if it is misbehaving at the door, you don't have to let it in. As for being dirty, that depends on how dirty and the kind of business. If the dog is dirty enough to be disruptive, you don't have to let it in. Statement: Wrong! This isn't the grocer's option, no matter what the health department regulations may say. The guide dog goes in with the handler. The third brochure in the series is more a conversational format: The text on the front starts out in very large type "Hey, there's a gal with a guide dog!" Then in smaller, print, "Cool!" Again in large print "And I got a question!". In smaller print "Go for it!". In large print "See, this gal was holding the dog's handle -" and the small print - "That's the harness - she and the dog communicate through it" The panel on the right when you open the brochure states the basic message of the brochure: A blind person and a guide dog make a team in which each member has a definite part. Together, they travel safely and confidently. The first inside panel carries on with the conversational style: Large print: Small print: Large print: Small print: And on the second inside panel: Small print: At the bottom of the panel is another graphic, this one of a dog leaping in joy and happiness. Finishing on the third inside panel: Small print: A guide dog obeys the person, except when there is danger. A guide dog is trained to intelligently disobey when there is a hazard that the person couldn't see. We hope for great things for this campaign. The aim is to educate and inform. GDUC has received moneys in the past for education purposes and this is a way to get the information to the public as inexpensively as possible. We have to make the dollars go as far as we can. Start planning where you will put your easels and brochures. |
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Last November right at the time of the convention we raffled off a magnificent handmade quilt. This was at a quilt and craft show put on by the Amish Country Traditions in Ventura. The quilt was donated to us and we sold the tickets and collected the cash. It was pretty successful, we made some fourteen hundred dollars. This is something that these people do; they donate a quilt to a group at each show. We replaced someone else who hadn't been too active in Ventura. It is sad to have to tell you that we are going to have to develop a new fundraiser. I received a notice from Amish Country Traditions telling us that the Ventura craft and quilt show has been canceled. I have talked to them and, sure enough, it has been canceled, not just moved. This is really sad. It was not only a really good fundraiser, but it was a lot of fun too. We were told that if another venue opens up in California, we would get first chance at it. There seem to be several shows that could become available in the next several years either because they are new shows or because the group getting the quilt is losing interest. We will be glad to fill in a vacancy, should one occur, won't we? |
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GDUC is always ready for new members. Membership is fifteen dollars a year which gives you membership in GDUC, the California Council of the Blind, Guide Dog Users, Inc., and the American Council of the Blind. All of these organizations have periodic newsletters which come with membership. Please send your check or money order to Marion Fisher, 14920 Touchwood, Bellflower, CA 90706-2854, with your name and address and your preference of tape, braille or large print for your copy of the constitution and bylaws. Please let us know if you have a dog and, if you will, it's name, breed and the school it came from. There has been some confusion about joining GDUC and GDUI. If you wish to join GDUC you must send your check and information to GDUC. If you send it to GDUI you will not become a GDUC member since GDUI will not pass the information back to GDUC. They are funny that way. |
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