[Cagdu] thoughts on guide dog board

[Juliett Cody]

Hi CAGDU ers,
We agree with all of you, and yes, the letters is what we are doing.
Peter, JC, Marly and Aerie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "tina thomas " <tinadt at sbcglobal.net>
To: <cagdu at nfbcal.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 05, 2009 10:04 AM
Subject: Re: [Cagdu] thoughts on guide dog board


>
> Hi Ken- I agree with you on the points you made concerning the CA state
> board. I strongly suggest we not only write individual letters but also we
> as the California Association of Guide Dog Users write letters in 
> opposition
> of this bill.
> Tina
>
> "Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own instead 
> of
> someone else's."
> - Billy Wilder
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cagdu-bounces at nfbcal.org [mailto:cagdu-bounces at nfbcal.org] On Behalf
> Of Ken Volonte
> Sent: Sunday, April 05, 2009 9:45 AM
> To: Cagdu
> Subject: [Cagdu] thoughts on guide dog board
>
> Hi cagduers.  The following thoughts represent my views on the guide dog
> board and its function.
>
>    The society we live in now is a more mobile one.  People travel about
> all the time for jobs, for increased opportunities, for a change in their
> individual needs and preferences.  I happen to live in California, but I
> should be able to go to a guide dog school of my choice safe in the
> knowledge that my chosen school can provide me with follow up services if
> needed.  The position of the guide dog board is at odds with this because
> the board requires all schools to obtain licensure in California.
>
>    Every school has its own specialty which might dictate a desire to go
> there.  For example, Pilot dogs was, for a long time, the only school that
> was comfortable with guide dogs using escalators.  GDB dogs have the edge 
> in
> terms of soundness and consistency.  Fidelco uses German Shepherds, and so
> on.  All of these schools know how to train guide dogs, and the law should
> recognize this and not put encumbrances in the way of any student making 
> any
> choice.
>
>    Now we come to the matter of trainers who will train a pet dog to be a
> guide dog for a small fee of, say $1,000.00 a month.  Suppose I want to
> train my pet Poodle to be a guide and go to one of these unscrupulous
> trainers.  What guarantee do I have that this trainer knows what is 
> expected
> of a guide dog?  What protection do I or the public have under the law? 
> If
> push came to shove, none at all.
>
>    I have no problem with a licensing body or with supporting that body. 
> I
> have two problems with the California State Guide Dog Board.  First, board
> members are appointed by the governor and this appointment can be secured 
> by
> a big contribution.  People on the board don't necessarily have to know
> anything about guide dogs or their function.  Second, the board presumes 
> to
> regulate schools outside of California, and that's the focus of this whole
> business with 475.  Cagdu may have inadvertently caused this problem by
> inviting members of the board to our seminar last year, and it's up to us 
> to
> fix it.
>
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