From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 8 19:34:14 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 19:34:14 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: [seeing-eye] Terre Haute native overcoming obstacles and facing discrimination In-Reply-To: <058301d241e1$59afb4a0$0d0f1de0$@ky2d.com> References: <058301d241e1$59afb4a0$0d0f1de0$@ky2d.com> Message-ID: <153601d251cd$1da69e50$58f3daf0$@gmail.com> Subject: [seeing-eye] Terre Haute native overcoming obstacles and facing discrimination Terre Haute native overcoming obstacles and facing discrimination By Sue Loughlin | Tribune-Star Source: http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_news/seeing-no-limits/article_df23e0ab-f7e0-51ce-9233-f9b6002f36d0.html TERRE HAUTE -- As a blind person, Kristin Fleschner knows what it is like to face discrimination. A Terre Haute native who lives in Washington, D.C., and works for the federal government, Fleschner has been ignored when trying to buy coffee at a well-known chain. She?s been refused Uber service by some drivers because of her guide dog, Zoe. She?s been laughed at when trying to buy make-up at a store by those who question why or how a blind person would wear makeup. Those types of incidents are not unusual for the blind and disabled, she told participants in the Wabash Valley Leadership Institute during a dinner at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College on Thursday. ?We are often completely ignored, as if we aren?t standing there. People don?t speak to us ? it?s as if we?re invisible,? she said. But Fleschner has never let personal obstacles stand in her way. She is an attorney who graduated from Harvard Law School in 2014, and since 2008, she has worked on gender, peace and security issues for the federal government. She recently joined the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, as a foreign affairs officer covering human rights issues. She is an advocate for those with disabilities and also has worked with sexual assault survivors and women?s groups as well as the LGBT community. ?I have been blessed with an incredible education and a lot of incredible experiences and mentors,? she said in an interview. ?I feel a responsibility to help others who haven?t had those experiences.? She knows others don?t have her legal background and may not have the voice to speak out against discrimination. ?I know I have to keep fighting because of that,? she said. While in law school, Fleschner co-directed and starred in a short documentary, ?Blind Ambition,? about her life as a law student with a disability, featuring interviews with fellow students, professors and her family. She uses it as a teaching tool to show people what it is like to be blind and to create greater awareness and understanding. Fleschner started experiencing vision loss in 2008 after an organ transplant. Change in people?s attitudes and behavior toward those with disabilities is possible with proper education, she said, and through ?Blind Ambition,? she shows others that blind individuals can run the Boston Marathon, which she did, and attend law school. ?The goal of the documentary is to leave audiences feeling that blind people lead the exact same lives as sighted people, they just approach tasks a little differently,? said Fleschner, a graduate of Terre Haute North Vigo High School. She said she?s received an amazing response to the documentary and been contacted by people around the world. Those attending the dinner Thursday watched the short documentary. Fleschner has another advocacy tool, her guide dog, Zoe, who gets a warm reception from people, she said. While people initially may feel uncomfortable talking about blindness, they are never uncomfortable asking about Zoe. ?That is an easy transition for me to educate,? she said. And once she realized what she had, ?I had no shame in using Zoe for all she is worth.? Zoe has her own Facebook page [Zoe the Seeing Eye Dog] and Twitter account. Zoe has followers in over 40 countries and receives an average of over 100 questions per week. Last year, Fleschner and Zoe were kicked out of two stores at a mall, which elicited a strong public response. As a result, employees of a store located across the U.S. were watching Blind Ambition to learn how to interact with guide dogs, Fleschner said. In recent weeks, she has encountered increased incidents of Uber drivers refusing to transport her because she travels with a guide dog, which has been investigated by a television station there. According to the television report, the company acknowledged that refusing to transport a service dog is a violation of the law and Uber policy. Fleschner had a special message for the emerging leaders on an important issue the country must respond to. The country is seeing increased acts of hatred, she said. She pointed to an FBI report indicating hate crimes are on the rise, particularly against the Muslim community. As a federal employee, she can?t give a political speech, she said. But the reason for the hate crimes doesn?t matter, she said. ?It?s happening.? On a personal level, she has experienced 11 access denials by taxi drivers in just the past three weeks. ?I was called retarded, crazy, and all sorts of slurs ... by multiple drivers,? she said. ?I think people feel emboldened by the atmosphere that is happening right now.? She urged the latest cohort of the Wabash Valley Leadership Institute to step up and fight discrimination. ?You are leaders and you have a responsibility,? Fleschner said. ?I implore you to fight discrimination against the disabled, against women, against Muslims, against African Americans, against LGBT persons... against anyone that faces discrimination in our community.? She concluded her comments by saying that ?a disability, when faced with real love, is no barrier at all. ... There are no access rights, violations, or bigots to contend with when love and support are freely given.? -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com . To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/058301d241e1%2459afb4a0%240d0f1de0%24%40ky2d.com . For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20161208/0a265e4c/attachment.html From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 8 19:34:56 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 19:34:56 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: [seeing-eye] The dog ate my pot brownie: Legalization fuels increase in stoned pets In-Reply-To: <009801d242a3$057ce7a0$1076b6e0$@ky2d.com> References: <009801d242a3$057ce7a0$1076b6e0$@ky2d.com> Message-ID: <159b01d251cd$36741b10$a35c5130$@gmail.com> The dog ate my pot brownie: Legalization fuels increase in stoned pets The Washington Post By Karin Brulliard October 28 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/10/28/as-marijuana-legalization-spreads-more-pets-are-getting-high/ Star, a petite 6-year-old sheltie who competes in dog agility shows, almost missed a contest this month. She had spent the previous night at the vet, totally stoned on pot. Her drug trip was an accident. Star lives in Oregon, where recreational use of marijuana became legal last year. Her owner?s husband had left some loose-leaf pot on the dining room table, and Star got curious. That was days after her sister, Kicker, gobbled up a pot-infused hard candy she found in the car, leaving her wobbling and incontinent. A veterinarian gave both dogs activated charcoal to absorb the toxin, which contributed to nearly $3,000 in medical bills and caused Star to poop in the ring during her competition. ?It was a bad week,? said the dogs? owner, Susan Fry, of South Lebanon, Ore. But it was probably a fairly routine week for the clinic that treated the dogs. As more jurisdictions legalize marijuana, veterinarians across the country say they are seeing a sharp increase in cases of pets accidentally getting high. Tasty ?edibles? such as muffins and cookies that people consume for a buzz are also appealing to animals, who can?t read warning labels, and, in the case of dogs, rarely stop at just one pot brownie. [Some dogs can?t help inhaling kibble and getting fat ? it?s in their genes] ?Dogs used to kind of chew on the stash growing in the basement. Now they?re finding a big bag of gummy bears,? said Heidi Houchen, a veterinarian at VCA Northwest Veterinary Specialists in a suburb of Portland, which treats a few marijuana cases a week. ?Dogs are Hoovers. Dogs are the rock eaters.? These incidents, which are rarely fatal, have driven a 330 percent increase over the past five years in calls about pets on pot to the Pet Poison Helpline, said Ahna Brutlag, a veterinary toxicologist who is associate director of the Minnesota-based animal poison control center. Two-thirds of the calls involve marijuana edibles, and nearly all involve dogs, she said. Veterinarians also cited examples of chihuahuas lapping up bong water, cats being exposed to vaping, and even rabbits, ferrets and birds getting accidentally stoned. In the year after pot became legal for recreational use in Oregon, DoveLewis, a large emergency veterinary clinic in Portland, saw a 63 percent increase in marijuana toxicity cases despite a client base growth of just 7 percent, said Alaina Buller, a clinic spokeswoman. Those findings echoed the results of a 2012 study that found such cases quadrupled at two Colorado veterinary clinics in the five years after medical marijuana was legalized in that state. Nigel, a teacup pig with a big appetite, got even hungrier after eating peanut butter cookies that contained marijuana. (Family photo) As several YouTube videos illustrate, baked pets look a lot like really high people: Glassy-eyed, teetering, lethargic and pretty pathetic. In the case of Nigel, a 1-year-old pet teacup pig who was vacationing with his family in Nantucket this summer, it led to a serious case of the munchies. One member of the family ? none of whom would agree to be identified in this article ? had recently been in Colorado, where he had acquired pot peanut butter cookies that were in his backpack. Nigel, who was described as having a voracious appetite when sober, rooted them out and left the empty package as evidence. ?Very soon, we had a very stoned pig on our hands,? said one witness, a 54-year-old writer who lives in New York City. ?He?s just wandering around the kitchen desperate for food, doing a lot of whining and oinking. Then eventually, he just passed out.? [Here?s how legal pot changed Colorado and Washington] Animals can sleep off a marijuana high in many cases, according to veterinarians interviewed, all of whom said they immediately suspect the substance when an incontinent pet shows up. Other common toxins, such as caffeine or pesticides, can be far more dangerous. But veterinarians say there?s growing concern about the increased potency of today?s marijuana edibles, many of which are made with butters or oils infused with highly concentrated tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Many also contain chocolate, which can be fatal to dogs. Marijuana ingestion by animals can lead to vomiting, racing or slowed heart rates, tremors or even seizures. Veterinarians said it is usually treated by inducing vomiting or administering intravenous fluids or anti-nausea medications. In some cases, medications to control heart rates or tremors are necessary. "Most of them just need a night of detox,? said veterinarian Shawn Thomas, who owns Tanasbourne Veterinary Emergency near Portland. The worst cases, Thomas said, involve owners who have also partaken. He recalled one standard poodle that was hospitalized for more than two days after devouring THC-infused butter. Its owner, Thomas said, didn?t quickly realize the dog was suffering because ?he was blitzed out of his mind, too.? ?Ten years ago, we would have told you there?s no chance your dog is going to die of this,? he said. ?But now, I tell people, it?s so much stronger, and you have a four-pound Chihuahua and it could die.? Anson Graves and his girlfriend, Tina Pontiff, were amused ? and then afraid ? after Rusty found and ate a pot brownie. (Anson Graves) Anson Graves, whose three-pound Chihuahua mix ate most of a pot brownie in August, said he really started to worry when the dog still could not walk 12 hours later. Rusty had fallen under the influence ? accidentally, according to Graves, a 25-year-old waiter ? amid the revelry of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, which recently decriminalized marijuana possession. Graves and his friends had stopped for beers and cocktails known as Hand Grenades when, he said, he looked down to see Rusty inhaling a packaged brownie lying on the curb. The label indicated it contained 60 milligrams of THC, he said. ?I?ve had my experiences,? said Graves, who lives in Patterson, La. ?That?s quite a bit for a dog.? This dog ate a pot brownie ? ? ?Play Video1:38 Anson Graves filmed this video of his dog, Rusty, after the dog ate a pot brownie it found on a New Orleans street in August. (Anson Graves) Half an hour later, Rusty was so lethargic that Graves headed home. The next morning, he was ?like a slinky,? said Graves, who posted a video of the stoned dog on his Facebook page. He called his vet, who advised rehydrating Rusty by offering him Pedialyte. That helped, but the dog wasn?t fully recovered until the fourth day, Graves said. ?He was trying to run and jump on the bed. But he?d just hit the bed,? said Graves, who added that Rusty?s New Orleans visits are over. ?That was too much hassle.? The upshot to widening legalization and tolerance of marijuana, veterinarians say, is that pet owners now readily admit when they know their animals have consumed it. In some cases, they even acknowledge having given their pets pot for medical purposes, said Lisa Parshley, a veterinary oncologist in Olympia, Wash. Veterinarians are not allowed to prescribe medical marijuana, but Parshley said she had a client who used her own topical cannabis balm on her dog, which had end-stage cancer. ?The dog got a little drunk on the THC,? said Parshley. ?I convinced her to reduce the dose, and darn if the dog didn?t do well for almost another month.? Veterinarians say the biggest lesson from the increase in stoned pet patients is an obvious one: Pot, like any potentially dangerous substance, needs to be kept out of a pet?s reach. Fry said she?s now enforcing that with her husband, John, who she said began using marijuana when he contracted multiple sclerosis 30 years ago ? before it was legal in Oregon. He ?isn?t noted for being a super clean guy,? she said, explaining why he?d left the candy in the car cupholder and the pot on the dining room table. Kicker, the candy-eater, had a particularly strong reaction that left Fry ? who said she tried marijuana once and was not a fan ? in tears and worried she would lose the ?feisty little thing.? But both dogs bounced back ? Star so well that she performed two of her agility events flawlessly just two days after her inadvertent overdose. Next month, both dogs are competing at a national event in Arizona where, luckily for them, there are no drug tests. -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com . To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/009801d242a3%24057ce7a0%241076b6e0%24%40ky2d.com . For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20161208/030004c3/attachment.html From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 8 19:35:52 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 19:35:52 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: [seeing-eye] New standards for quiet cars In-Reply-To: <034101d24020$50985f60$f1c91e20$@ky2d.com> References: <034101d24020$50985f60$f1c91e20$@ky2d.com> Message-ID: <160b01d251cd$584220c0$08c66240$@gmail.com> From: seeing-eye at googlegroups.com [mailto:seeing-eye at googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Ginger Kutsch Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2016 7:44 AM To: seeing-eye at googlegroups.com Subject: [seeing-eye] New standards for quiet cars FYI. Below is some information about new rules that were issued on November 14 requiring manufacturers of hybrid and electric vehicles to equip them so they will emit a sound when traveling at slow speeds and thus be more detectable by pedestrians, particularly those who have visual disabilities. You will find both the text of a press release and a link to the online release below. http://www.nhtsa.gov/About-NHTSA/Press-Releases/nhtsa_quiet_car_final_rule_11142016 NHTSA sets 'Quiet Car' safety standard to protect pedestrians NHTSA 27-16 Monday, November 14, 2016 Contact: Public.Affairs at dot.gov New requirement of audible alert will help prevent 2,400 pedestrian injuries a year WASHINGTON ? The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced that it is adding a sound requirement for all newly manufactured hybrid and electric light-duty vehicles to help protect pedestrians. The new federal safety standard will help pedestrians who are blind, have low vision, and other pedestrians detect the presence, direction and location of these vehicles when they are traveling at low speeds, which will help prevent about 2,400 pedestrian injuries each year once all hybrids in the fleet are properly equipped. "We all depend on our senses to alert us to possible danger," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "With more, quieter hybrid and electrical cars on the road, the ability for all pedestrians to hear as well as see the cars becomes an important factor of reducing the risk of possible crashes and improving safety." Under the new rule, all hybrid and electric light vehicles with four wheels and a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less will be required to make audible noise when traveling in reverse or forward at speeds up to 30 kilometers per hour (about 19 miles per hour). At higher speeds, the sound alert is not required because other factors, such as tire and wind noise, provide adequate audible warning to pedestrians. "This is a common-sense tool to help pedestrians ? especially folks who are blind or have low vision ? make their way safely," said NHTSA Administrator Dr. Mark Rosekind. "With pedestrian fatalities on the rise, it is vitally important we take every action to protect the most vulnerable road users." Manufacturers have until Sept. 1, 2019, to equip all new hybrid and electric vehicles with sounds that meet the new federal safety standard. Half of new hybrid and electric vehicles must be in compliance one year before the final deadline. "We commend NHTSA on bringing this process to completion," said Eric Bridges, executive director of the American council of the Blind. "This new safety standard moving forward will not just make our streets safer for blind and visually impaired Americans, but also serve as an additional safety cue for all pedestrians who share the streets with hybrid or electric vehicles." The new standard, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 141, responds to Congress' mandate in the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act that hybrid and electric vehicles meet minimum sound requirements to provide an audible alert for blind and visually-impaired pedestrians. "Having raised concerns on behalf of blind Americans about the dangers posed by silent hybrid and electric vehicles, the National Federation of the Blind is extremely pleased that technical specifications for a safe level of sound to be emitted by such vehicles have now been issued," said Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. "The full implementation of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 will protect all pedestrians, especially the blind, as well as cyclists. This regulation will ensure that blind Americans can continue to travel safely and independently as we work, learn, shop, and engage in all facets of community life." -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com . To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/034101d24020%2450985f60%24f1c91e20%24%40ky2d.com . For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20161208/c4edbcec/attachment.html From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 8 19:36:28 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 19:36:28 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: [seeing-eye] Uber refuses to take blind passenger in DC In-Reply-To: <022d01d23f6a$c6609f70$5321de50$@ky2d.com> References: <022d01d23f6a$c6609f70$5321de50$@ky2d.com> Message-ID: <163101d251cd$6dc617d0$49524770$@gmail.com> Subject: [seeing-eye] Uber refuses to take blind passenger in DC Uber refuses to take blind passenger in DC WUSA9.com http://www.wusa9.com/mb/news/local/uber-refuses-to-take-blind-passenger-in-dc/351565100 WASHINGTON (WUSA9) - An Uber driver in D.C. refused to transport a blind passenger because she travels with a guide dog. The incident was caught on camera. The Uber driver called Kristin Fleschner offensive names. All because he didn?t want to transport the blind lawyer?s guide dog, named Zoe. In just the last three weeks, Kristin and Zoe have been denied Uber rides in the D.C. area 10 times. "Obviously you have a remarkable feeling of hurt that goes deep into your gut and streams up to your heart," said Kristin. A denied Uber ride is just one of many barriers Kristin and Zoe must overcome every day. WUSA9's No Barriers team followed them as they made their way along busy D.C. streets. "None of the Metro Access cards that you?re required to have as a disabled person work with the entry and exit points," said Kristin. So Kristin and Zoe have to stand and wait outside the kiosk for someone to give them access to the train. "I waited an hour and a half once to get through and ended up going back through and taking a bus to my destination because I couldn?t get through," said Kristin. WUSA9's No Barriers team was stunned by what happened next, on a short escalator just steps from the platform. A young woman tried to shove her way past Zoe, nudging the guide dog with her foot. The woman then cut in front of Kristin and Zoe, racing to board the train. "People have the wrong perception of what a blind person is," said Kristin. "They don?t think we should be out in the world working or look like sighted people." WUSA9's No Barriers team waited on the platform for the next train, but there were no audible announcements. Once they got on board, all four handicapped seats were taken. No one offered to give theirs to Kristin, who was able to sit down after the first stop. "These are the barriers we are trying to overcome and we must overcome" said Kristin. Uber has suspended that driver?s privileges as it investigates Kristin?s complaint against him. The company does acknowledge that refusing to transport a service dog is both a clear violation of the law and of Uber policy. As for the driver?s claim that he?s allergic to dogs, it still does not exempt him from accepting a service dog. en -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com . To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/022d01d23f6a%24c6609f70%245321de50%24%40ky2d.com . For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20161208/b0fde2a9/attachment.html From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 8 19:40:41 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 19:40:41 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: [seeing-eye] Why It's Time To Ban Emotional Support Animals From A Plane In-Reply-To: <024801d24a70$e32ebf90$a98c3eb0$@ky2d.com> References: <024801d24a70$e32ebf90$a98c3eb0$@ky2d.com> Message-ID: <180501d251ce$04334f30$0c99ed90$@gmail.com> Subject: [seeing-eye] Why It's Time To Ban Emotional Support Animals >From A Plane Why It's Time To Ban Emotional Support Animals From A Plane The Huffington Post URL: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/why-its-time-to-ban-emotional-support-animals-from_us_583b06bae4b0c2ab94436a86 Is it time to ground emotional-support animals for good? Many airline passengers say so. Maureen Van Dorn, flying from Tucson to Chicago for a funeral recently, was surprised by a large Dalmatian next to her in seat 3B. ?I was shocked by the size of this dog,? she says. ?When the traveler in seat 3A stood up, the dog was able to put his paws on the man?s shoulders.? The canine, which did not wear a vest or an ID that would have identified it as a service animal, sprawled into Van Dorn?s personal space, its tail whipping against her legs the entire flight. ?This made me very uncomfortable,? she says. Many airlines want to jettison these comfort animals, too. The Department of Transportation will soon decide whether an emotional-support animal is a service animal. Airlines are pushing the government to adopt a more restrictive definition. It?s important to acknowledge the passengers who fly with conditions that require they bring an emotional-support cat, dog or pig that can offer a therapeutic benefit to their owner through companionship. But isn?t it also time to stand up for the needs of passengers with pet allergies, or just those who would prefer the fur not to fly? Talk to airline crew members and other passengers who have flown with a comfort animal, and you?ll probably arrive at that conclusion, too: The animals need to be contained in a carrier or stay home. No one knows exactly how many Americans fly with an emotional-support animal. Federal regulations require airlines to allow dogs and other service animals used by people with a disability to accompany them on a flight. The documentation requirements are minimal ? either a service animal identification card, ?other? written documentation or the presence of harnesses or markings on harnesses, tags or the ?credible verbal assurances.? What?s more, airlines have to allow a service animal to accompany a qualified individual in any seat, unless the animal blocks an aisle or other area that must remain unobstructed, or the animal is not trained to behave properly in a public setting. In 2003, the DOT revised its policy on service animals to include emotional-support animals. That?s when the problems started. ?Lately, a lot of people have been posing their regular family pets as service animals,? pet expert Dana Humphrey says. ?That?s a big no-no.? Air travelers can see both sides of this issue. They know some of their fellow passengers have disorders that require treatment, and comfort animals reduce or eliminate their need for a pharmaceutical solution. That?s really beside the point. The real question is: Who has more rights? The airline passengers and their creatures of comfort or the other passengers? ?I love animals,? says Nicole Landreneau, who works for a Web design company in New Orleans and flies often. ?But I?m very allergic to cats and certain dogs, especially in a closed space. When I fly, I?m concerned that someone near me is going to have a cat that is going to set off my allergies. I try to be proactive with medication, but you can never be 100% certain.? Comfort animals can cause other serious discomforts. It?s no exaggeration to say that in addition to the standard pets used as therapy animals, many unconventional creatures have made an appearance on a plane, including pigs, monkeys and turkeys. Some of the loudest critics of the emotional-support animals are themselves responsible pet owners who pay for their dogs and cats to fly in a kennel. Ray Belmonte, a physician from Chicago, recently shelled out an extra $95 for his dog to fly with him. He frets that travelers taking advantage of the situation are ?doing a grave injustice to those who truly rely on legitimate service animals.? Some say tightening the rules would solve the problem. ?There doesn?t have to be a winner in accommodating pets and people, but there should be more stringent rules in the legitimacy of the service animal,? says Maggie Espinosa, author of The Privileged Pooch: Luxury Travel With Your Pet in Southern California. Crew members say enough is enough. Toni Vitanza, a flight attendant for a major airline who lives in Clemson, S.C., says she?s had too many run-ins with comfort animals ? sometimes literally. On a recent flight, she nearly mowed down an emotional-support lapdog that was running free. Mostly, she sees passengers with these animals treating them like beloved pets, which in the end is probably what they are. ?Those who insist they need an emotional support animal to fly do so ostensibly in order to avoid having to take medication,? she says. ?But the same folks have no problem suggesting that those with allergies pop a pill ? even when that pill makes driving to a business meeting unsafe or performing well at said meeting impossible due to side effects.? Van Dorn, the passenger seated next to the emotional-support Dalmatian, complained to her airline, which sent her a form apology. ?With regard to the issue concerning animals allowed out of their kennels,? it noted, ?regulations require that airlines must allow emotional support animals to travel in the cabin; these animals may ride on the customer?s lap.? The airline credited her with 20,000 bonus miles as a ?goodwill gesture.? That?s a good start. It seems as if on this issue at least, airlines and a majority of passengers have a common cause. The DOT, in its efforts to accommodate passengers with disabilities, created a bigger problem than it solved. Emotional-support animals have a place on the ground but not in the air. What to do if you?re stuck next to an animal? ? Don?t wait. If you?re seated next to a passenger with a pet on a full flight, don?t wait to speak up. You or the passenger with the emotional-support animal can be reaccommodated on the next flight. This is particularly true for allergy sufferers. ? Ask to move. Flight attendants will relocate you if there?s another seat in your class of service. If you discover a cat, dog or snake in the seat next to you, that?s the fastest way out. ? Ask the owner to cage it. If the flight has departed and there are no free seats, you?ll have to negotiate with the pet owner. If you?re at an impasse, ask a flight attendant to referee the argument. You may be able to trade seats with another passenger, with the help of a crew member. -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com . To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/024801d24a70%24e32ebf90%24a98c3eb0%24%40ky2d.com . For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20161208/0f407844/attachment.html From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 8 19:43:59 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 19:43:59 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: [seeing-eye] Seeing Eye grad: Seeing the road less traveled In-Reply-To: <04fa01d23a97$9428cbe0$bc7a63a0$@ky2d.com> References: <04fa01d23a97$9428cbe0$bc7a63a0$@ky2d.com> Message-ID: <1aaa01d251ce$7a8d5040$6fa7f0c0$@gmail.com> Subject: [seeing-eye] Seeing Eye grad: Seeing the road less traveled Seeing the road less traveled Published: Nov. 8, 2016 Photo description: University of Colorado senior psychology major Esha Mehta gets some kisses from her seeing eye dog, Dragon, after rock climbing in Eldorado Canyon near Boulder. Mehta is a blind competitive rock climber. Source: http://www.colorado.edu/today/2016/11/08/seeing-road-less-traveled In the shadow of Bastille cliff, Esha Mehta is getting ready. She?s putting her legs through a harness. She?s tying a knot. She?s clipping into a rope. And she?s talking and listening, getting mentally prepared for a new climbing route. ?I am so excited,? Mehta says. ?I know it?s going to be challenging.? This is Mehta?s first time climbing Eldorado Canyon State Park?s Bastille Crack, one of Colorado?s most popular and classic climbs. The route is rated 5.7, a technical crack climb with good hand holds, yet requires ropes and vertical climbing to ascend safely. What?s unusual about the climb is that Mehta, a psychology major and senior at CU Boulder, won?t be able to see the route. She?s blind. She?s climbing with guides from Paradox Sports, a local adaptive sports organization. The climb is part of the university?s Inclusive Recreation Program, recently developed by the Disability Services office and funded by Disability Services and the Chancellor?s Accessibility Committee. ?Many students come to CU Boulder in part to participate in outdoor activities, and students with disabilities should have the same opportunities as other students,? says Mike McNeil, a disability access coordinator with Disability Services, who is also at the climb. On this warm November day, Adam Fisher is Mehta?s eyes, describing to her what she can expect along the route. When she ascends, Fisher, the sports program director for Paradox, will be hanging on a nearby rope, ready to coach and answer questions. But at this moment they are at the bottom of the 350-foot cliff. ?What?s your favorite part about this rock?? Mehta asks. ?It?s very aesthetic,? Fisher says. ?It looks really cool. The bottom 20 feet or so look super blocky. On top of that ledge, there?s this monstrous flake that?s really big, like bigger than you, that?s kind of thin and sharp, but a really good hold. ?Like a big flake. You will know it when you get there. Kind of sharp, Fisher reiterates. ?Like a sideways cornflake?? Mehta asks. ?Yeah. That?s exactly what it is. Like a sideways cornflake,? Fisher says. ?So you can kind of walk your hands and then at that point you shift left, and that?s where the crack starts.? Fifty feet above, Ryan Pederson, a sports guide with Paradox, is poised with a rope which Mehta is tied into. He?ll be there for her if she slips, and also to belay her back down when she?s ready to descend. Fisher explains the basics of crack climbing. He shows Mehta how to feel inside a crack and to rotate her feet so they?re vertical and lock securely in the crack. Soon she?ll transition from one crack to another using hand and foot jams to ascend. Before she starts her ascent, she puts Dragon, her guide dog, into a sit, and he licks her face enthusiastically. ?He?s always worried about me when I climb,? she says. She calls up, ?Hey Ryan.? ?Climb on!? Pederson yells down. ?Sweet,? she replies. A shift in focus Disability Services previously focused on a medical model, approving accommodations based on a student?s medical documentation. For instance, those with learning disabilities might be allowed more time to complete a test or might be assigned a scribe to take class notes. Those types of accommodations still happen, McNeil says, however, Disability Services is now taking ?a more holistic approach? to help students with disabilities become more involved with campus and Boulder life. The shift has allowed students with disabilities to participate in activities previously outside the scope of Disability Services. But the rock climbing is just the beginning of what the university can do, he said. ?Whether it?s going rock climbing or bringing wheelchair basketball to the recreation center, we?re open, but we want it to be driven by students,? he says. He hopes those interested will attend the Inclusive Recreation Program session of the Diversity & Inclusion Summit on Wednesday, Nov. 9, from 2 to 2:50 p.m., located in room 247 of the UMC. McNeil expects the Inclusive Recreation Program to evolve and grow, depending on interest among the CU Boulder community. Seeing Mehta rock climb helped Disability Services start to define what is possible, he says. ?We learned that doing outdoor trips is a possibility and that opens up many opportunities of other recreation opportunities in the immediate Boulder area,? he says. ?We learned what resources it can take to provide equal access for some intensive outdoor activities. This will allow us to plan events that will include more students in the future.? For Mehta it was especially significant to climb with the university?s support. ?I love being at CU,? she says. ?I love educating people about adaptive sports and what it?s like to be a blind person participating. It?s put two of my worlds together.? The first time As a child, Mehta climbed the shelves in her parent?s home, where occasionally bookshelves would come crashing down. Her first time climbing outdoors happened in 2009 during an independence training for the Colorado Center for the Blind. Mehta, who can only see light and bright colors, was blindfolded during the rock climbing part of the training. After that, she became hooked. ?For me, it?s awesome to use my hands to see what?s around me,? says Mehta, who feels indoor competition climbing is much more restrictive on routes and holds. ?One of the reasons I absolutely love outdoor climbing is anything I touch with my hands or my feet I can climb. There?s a lot of freedom in it.? As she reaches the top of the 75-foot pitch, she raises her fist in celebration and bumps fists with her two climbing guides. Then, she pauses for a selfie on top of her mountain. ?She crushed this,? Fisher says. ?She was faster than your average climber. A lot of people, you give them instruction on this and they are like, ?I can?t do this.? Or ?Uh huh. Uh huh. Uh huh.? And then they don?t do any of the things you just talked about. And Esha was like, ?That?s how you hand jam? OK, I?ll do that. That?s how you foot jam? Alright sure.? ? Mehta says it was her first time crack climbing and using hand and foot jams. ?That was amazing,? she says. ?It was hard at the beginning, but I think I got the hang of it. It was awesome. I am ready now for round two. ?It?s a metaphor for life. You approach a challenge, you struggle. You might fall, get bruised and banged up. But eventually you?ll get to the top.? And then she climbs again, this time with Fisher staying on the ground. As she grips the rock, she knows exactly where she's going. -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com . To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/04fa01d23a97%249428cbe0%24bc7a63a0%24%40ky2d.com . For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20161208/56f120a7/attachment.html From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 8 19:45:01 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 19:45:01 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: [seeing-eye] Legally blind woman says some Uber drivers refuse to give her rides In-Reply-To: <040301d239d0$6ee5a410$4cb0ec30$@ky2d.com> References: <040301d239d0$6ee5a410$4cb0ec30$@ky2d.com> Message-ID: <1b4d01d251ce$9f77ff40$de67fdc0$@gmail.com> Subject: [seeing-eye] Legally blind woman says some Uber drivers refuse to give her rides Legally blind woman says some Uber drivers refuse to give her rides Published:Monday, November 7th 2016, By Coleen Harry, Reporter http://www.wbtv.com/story/33653548/legally-blind-woman-says-some-uber-drivers-refuse-to-give-her-rides CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Victoria Bellamy only has very limited vision in one eye. She and her guide dog, Mr. Radley, have been together for a year. "Yes, he is my eyes because he can find anything for me. If I say to the steps, he?ll stop at the steps to indicate we are at the steps. I won?t go tumbling down. If I tell him to the door he?ll take me to the door," Bellamy said. "Just a couple of weeks ago we went to the Raleigh State Fair and he navigated me through all those crowds. He didn?t bump into anyone and knock anyone done and so basically he increases my independence." To get around Charlotte, Bellamy turns to Uber. But she said some Uber drivers have been turning her down. "That has just been awful. I have been using the service of Uber since March and since that time ? it?s been 9 months now ? I?ve had eight denials," she said. "So it's kind of becoming one denial per month." The refusal has happened so often, Bellamy started recording when drivers arrived. She said when some drivers saw her two year old guide dog - the excuses why they won't give her a ride come pouring out. "Some say they don?t want hair in their car. They say they have allergies. Some people say they just don?t want a dog, there?s no good reason ? they just say no and drive away" Bellamy said. "When someone denies my service animal it?s really a heart breaking experience because this isn?t a regular dog. This is a dog I?m with 24/7 who increases my independence, allows me to do things I didn?t think were possible, allows me to walk with my head held high instead of looking down to the ground to know where I?m going. So he?s really like a part of me in a way a person uses a wheel chair that?s a part of them" she said. WBTV contacted Uber to see if the practice is accepted by the company but no one from Uber responded to our questions. Julia Sain, the Executive Director of Disability Rights & Resources, said it's illegal to refuse service dogs. "The Americans with Disabilities Act says if you are a private company, primarily in the business of transportation and you do demand response transportation ? of course that?s you call them up and they show up like cabs, and Uber ? then you have to make sure you?re accessible to people that includes having service animals in your vehicle." Sain said people around the country began filing lawsuits against Uber. "This past May, there was a settlement of class action lawsuit between Uber and the National Federation for the Blind when Uber finally admitted they had been doing wrong," Sain said. "And they came up with five agreements in order for this to be settled." Sain said Uber agreed to inform all their drivers what the requirements are so they would stop denying passengers who had a service animal. Company executives said they were going to remove any drivers who violated the law. Sain said Uber also agreed to pay the National Federation for the Blind $225,000 penalty over three years, and they were going to revise their written handbook and make sure everybody who was driving received a written copy of the policy to make sure they knew that. The company also said it would keep a database - a national database of all the complaints they had gotten of drivers who had allegedly done this and how they had handled that driver. Sain said she recommends anyone who is still experiencing service refusal to contact the National Federation for the Blind. Victoria Bellamy just wishes drivers would comply with the law. "I can just really feel the discrimination and it hurts me deeply since it keeps happening and some occasions the denial has brought me to tears" she said. -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com . To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/040301d239d0%246ee5a410%244cb0ec30%24%40ky2d.com . For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20161208/77ad0ee4/attachment.html From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 8 19:46:32 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 19:46:32 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: [seeing-eye] People with wheelchairs, guide dogs denied Uber, Lyft rides In-Reply-To: <004901d23452$5d4a03a0$17de0ae0$@ky2d.com> References: <004901d23452$5d4a03a0$17de0ae0$@ky2d.com> Message-ID: <1c2001d251ce$d5cb9ed0$8162dc70$@gmail.com> Subject: [seeing-eye] People with wheelchairs, guide dogs denied Uber, Lyft rides People with wheelchairs, guide dogs denied Uber, Lyft rides Maria Polletta , The Republic | azcentral.com 8:32 p.m. MST October 31, 2016 http://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/consumers/2016/10/31/people-wheelchairs-guide-dogs-denied-uber-lyft-rides/91682886/ Despite strict anti-discrimination policies at ride-hailing services, some customers with wheelchairs and guide dogs report problems using the services. Wochit 'These issues are very common, both here and nationally,' a disability-rights advocate said. The first time it happened hurt the worst, Patricio Espinoza said. He was standing with his service dog, a 70-pound German shepherd named Frida, waiting for a car from Lyft during a visit to Los Angeles. "The driver showed up, rolled down the window, said 'Nope,' and drove away," Espinoza said. "For someone to take one look at us and turn around, to not even take the time to talk to me ? That was upsetting." Five more drivers from the ride-sharing service have declined to transport Frida in the Phoenix area since August, according to Espinoza, a Phoenix resident and graduate student. While those refusals were less insulting than the first, he said, they were inconvenient. They also were likely illegal. The federal Americans With Disabilities Act requires businesses and transportation providers to "allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas ... where the public is normally allowed to go." It also states private transportation providers must offer "readily accessible" vehicles to riders who use wheelchairs or other devices. Policies at Uber and Lyft generally reflect those requirements, promising stiff consequences for drivers who discriminate against riders with disabilities. Experiences like Espinoza's should be rare, the companies say. But they're not. "Through my organization, I've spoken with many people locally who have told me about not being able to get an Uber, or get into an Uber," said Larry Wanger, executive director of the Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council. "These issues are very common, both here and nationally." The Phoenix-area claims come on the heels of a national study that concluded Uber users with "African-American sounding names" experience longer waits and higher cancellation rates than those with white-sounding names. The drivers in that study canceled rides electronically, however, rather than rejecting users once they saw them. 'It's not right' Bryan Duarte, a blind Queen Creek resident, said Uber and Lyft drivers have passed him "several times" once they saw him standing with his guide dog. "I'll order an Uber and wait in a visible area for the driver to locate me, since I will not be able to locate them," he said. "The application will tell me the driver has arrived, and right after that, the application will tell me, 'Sorry, the driver had to cancel the ride. Please retry.' "Must be a coincidence that the driver got all the way to my exact location before he realized he was late for dinner, right?" Duarte said. "It's not right." Espinoza, who said he has arrived late to class at least twice after requesting and waiting for multiple drivers, said he now calls every driver to say he has a service dog with him. "I know I don't have to call, because they're supposed to take us, no questions asked," he said. "But I don't want to waste my time anymore." Jennifer Longdon, a Phoenix disability-issues advocate who uses a wheelchair, hasn't had trouble with specific drivers. Since downloading the Uber app on Oct. 22, she said, she's struggled to get a ride at all. "I normally have a wheelchair-accessible van with a specialized lift, but I'm waiting for it to be repaired," Longdon said. "I thought, 'OK, great. I'll just Uber.' We have UberWAV (an option that allows users to request a vehicle with a ramp or lift) in Phoenix. But no matter what I did, for two days straight, it told me there were no vehicles available." On Oct. 24, Longdon tried to request an UberWAV to get home from work and was prompted to call a dispatch number. The dispatcher had a van available, Longdon said, but gave her a one-hour arrival window with no way to track the driver's progress. Standard Uber users can follow a driver's route in real time on the app. "I'm sitting outside waiting for my Uber, and what shows up after 51 minutes is essentially an ambulette (a mini ambulance)," she said. "The driver was a wonderful, friendly young man, but he gets out and says, 'Which one of you is the patient?' I'm not a patient. I'm a person." On Wednesday night, Longdon again requested an UberWAV but was told the service was "in an overflow situation and not taking anymore bookings tonight." "After trying to figure out an alternative, I ended up wheeling myself the two or so miles home," she said. Clear-cut rules Policies at Uber and Lyft explicitly forbid drivers to deny service dogs or otherwise discriminate against riders with disabilities. But drivers say not everyone is aware of ? or willing to follow ? the details of those policies. Alley Lightfoot, a Phoenix-area driver for both Uber and Lyft, said she would never refuse a service dog but has seen others raise questions and concerns about them in online forums. "We have a Facebook group for Lyft drivers, and someone posted a couple months ago saying they wouldn't let a service dog in their car," Lightfoot said. "The responses were about 50-50, with some people saying 'I would never. That's disgusting. I'm allergic,' and others saying, 'You don't have a choice. It's the law.'" Lyft allows certain exceptions to the service-animal rule if drivers have a "medically documented condition" but says the driver "must contact our Critical Response Line ... to inform us so that other arrangements can be made." Uber does not make any exceptions. According to the ADA, "allergies and fear of dogs are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people using service animals." Both companies say they will investigate, suspend or dismiss drivers found to have violated their anti-discrimination policies, though neither service could immediately share how many Phoenix-area drivers had experienced such consequences. In most cases, the companies only know about violations if riders report them. "We have a team that is specially dedicated to handling these issues and ... every complaint is reviewed internally," Uber spokeswoman Chelsea Kohler said. Lyft did not respond to requests for comment. While the companies' anti-discrimination policies are consistent nationwide, their accessible-vehicle options vary widely by location. Uber rolled out UberACCESS in Phoenix last year to offer "safe and reliable rides ... (for) riders with specific needs." Under that tab in the app, users who want a driver trained to help riders into and out of vehicles or a vehicle that can accommodate folding wheelchairs, walkers and scooters can request an UberASSIST. They can also request an UberWAV, but Uber could not provide the average number of such vehicles in service in Phoenix. Lyft similarly has created an "Access Mode" option that will dispatch wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Access Mode is available at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, according to Lyft's website; it's not clear where, if anywhere, else it might be offered in the Valley. It's also unclear how much training the companies offer to drivers, aside from those involved with UberASSIST. Some drivers have worried they could be held liable if anything happened while they were helping a user with a disability enter or exit a vehicle. Legal action pending Wanger, the Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council executive director, said ride-sharing accessibility issues aren't limited to Phoenix. Users from California to Illinois to Tennessee have reported problems trying to get rides that would accommodate guide dogs or wheelchairs. "The crux of this is that ? these drivers are transportation providers under Title III of the Americans With Disabilities Act," Wanger said. "(These companies), as their facilitators, have a responsibility to make sure that they offer accessible options. "That would include ensuring you have some vehicles available to provide the same level of service to people who use wheelchairs as regular users. And waiting for hours, or not being able to get a ride at all, is not a similar level of service," he said. At this point, Wanger said, riders with disabilities will likely "need the courts to decide how this is going to go." A 2014 claim filed against Uber by the National Federation of the Blind resulted in a nearly $300,000 settlement requiring the service-dog policy the company maintains today, according to the Los Angeles Times. A pending lawsuit filed in October by Chicago-based Access Living alleges Uber is "unusable" by people with motorized wheelchairs and aims to force more accessible options. For users like Espinoza, it's less about punishing the companies and more about making sure drivers are simply "aware of what the rules are." "Ninety percent of the time, the drivers are great and understanding, and for the ones who aren't, it's not like I want them to lose their way of making a living," Espinoza said. "What I really want is for them to improve." -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com . To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/004901d23452%245d4a03a0%2417de0ae0%24%40ky2d.com . For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20161208/ed974aef/attachment.html From peacefulwoman89 at cox.net Thu Dec 8 21:27:25 2016 From: peacefulwoman89 at cox.net (Lisa Irving) Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2016 21:27:25 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: [seeing-eye] Uber refuses to take blind passenger in DC In-Reply-To: References: <022d01d23f6a$c6609f70$5321de50$@ky2d.com> Message-ID: Hello Tina, I have what I hope is a bit of helpful information for Blind Uber passengers who travel with their guy dog. Blind Uber passengers can call the following emergency phone number and then ask to speak to a manager from the Chicago-based accessibility team 1-800-285-9481 Last month, after a very bad experience with an Uber driver I programmed the Uber emergency response phone number into my iPhone. This number has proven to be extremely helpful A month ago, within a 3 1/2 hour. I was denied rides by three different drivers. On prior occasions I ended up emailing back-and-forth half a dozen times each time I was denied a ride on the other hand when I have called the emergency response number, for the most part, I have not had a problem getting a message to or getting through to the Chicago-based Uber accessibility team specifically a manager named Jessica.g this was true as of a few days ago. On Tuesday, December 6 I was attempting to go from a community-based worksite back to my office. I contacted the driver and inform the driver I do not see very well. I told him what I was wearing and where I was standing and ask him to roll down his window and call out to me when he arrived; he agreed. When the driver arrived he called me and proceeded to ask me, is that your dog sitting next to you? Then he informed me that he suffered from allergies. I went through the typical conversation of how sympathetic I am to individuals with allergies however that is not a lawful reason... after requesting a second ride I called the emergency phone number and spoke to someone named Madeline. Because conversations are recorded I made sure to provide details about the service denial. I was a shored that Jessica would call me; she did. There after that driver was suspended uber sent the standard geewhiz were really sorry letter. I responded to the letter. I put into writing everything that I stated during the phone conversation this is purely for documentation purposes on my end. On a somewhat different note I'm curious about what happened on December 1 during what I thought was supposed to be a settlement hearing between the National Federation Of The Blind and uber technologies. Do you have any information about what transpired? Please feel free to liberally post the above phone number and related information. From, Lisa Irving and guy dog, Bernie Sent from my iPhone > On Dec 8, 2016, at 7:36 PM, Tina Thomas wrote: > > Subject: [seeing-eye] Uber refuses to take blind passenger in DC > > Uber refuses to take blind passenger in DC > WUSA9.com > http://www.wusa9.com/mb/news/local/uber-refuses-to-take-blind-passenger-in-dc/351565100 > > WASHINGTON (WUSA9) - An Uber driver in D.C. refused to transport a blind passenger because she travels with a guide dog. The incident was caught on camera. > > The Uber driver called Kristin Fleschner offensive names. All because he didn?t want to transport the blind lawyer?s guide dog, > named Zoe. > > In just the last three weeks, Kristin and Zoe have been denied Uber rides in the D.C. area 10 times. > > "Obviously you have a remarkable feeling of hurt that goes deep into your gut and streams up to your heart," said Kristin. > > A denied Uber ride is just one of many barriers Kristin and Zoe must overcome every day. > > WUSA9's No Barriers team followed them as they made their way along busy D.C. streets. > > "None of the Metro Access cards that you?re required to have as a disabled person work with the entry and exit points," said Kristin. > > So Kristin and Zoe have to stand and wait outside the kiosk for someone to give them access to the train. > > "I waited an hour and a half once to get through and ended up going back through and taking a bus to my destination because I couldn?t get through," said Kristin. > > WUSA9's No Barriers team was stunned by what happened next, on a short escalator just steps from the platform. > > A young woman tried to shove her way past Zoe, nudging the guide dog with her foot. > > The woman then cut in front of Kristin and Zoe, racing to board the train. > > "People have the wrong perception of what a blind person is," said Kristin. "They don?t think we should be out in the world working or look like sighted people." > > WUSA9's No Barriers team waited on the platform for the next train, but there were no audible announcements. Once they got on board, all four handicapped seats were taken. No one offered to give theirs to Kristin, who was able to sit down after the first stop. > > "These are the barriers we are trying to overcome and we must overcome" said Kristin. > > Uber has suspended that driver?s privileges as it investigates Kristin?s complaint against him. The company does acknowledge that refusing to transport a service dog is both a clear violation of the law and of Uber policy. As for the driver?s claim that he?s allergic to dogs, it still does not exempt him from accepting a service dog. > en > -- > The Seeing Eye > Independence with Dignity since 1929 > > > If you need to contact one of the list owners for > > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com. > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/022d01d23f6a%24c6609f70%245321de50%24%40ky2d.com. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > _______________________________________________ > Cagdu mailing list > Cagdu at nfbcal.org > https://www.nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/cagdu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20161208/2fbb28a8/attachment.html From judotina48kg at gmail.com Sun Dec 11 10:46:51 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2016 10:46:51 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: [seeing-eye] Career change Seeing Eye dog - Ready to take a bite out of crime In-Reply-To: <03a901d253cf$56d7bac0$04873040$@ky2d.com> References: <03a901d253cf$56d7bac0$04873040$@ky2d.com> Message-ID: <01b201d253de$f0aadba0$d20092e0$@gmail.com> Subject: [seeing-eye] Career change Seeing Eye dog - Ready to take a bite out of crime Ready to take a bite out of crime Photo by Daniel Freel/New Jersey Herald Gibbs, a new K-9 who will be stationed within the Sussex County Bureau of Corrections, sits by during the K-9 graduation ceremony on Thursday at the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility in Newton. By Lori Comstock New Jersey Herald Posted: Dec. 11, 2016 12:01 am NEWTON -- With a black and tan coat of hair, a lean build and a keen sense for sniffing out narcotics, a new furry officer is joining the team at the Sussex County Bureau of Corrections at the Keogh-Dwyer Correctional Facility -- a first for the department, Weighing in at about 70 pounds, Gibbs, a German shepherd just shy of 2 ears old, has aced the New Jersey Department of Corrections Special Operations Group K-9 Scent Class #13, a 11-week training encompassing 352 hours, to become a certified narcotics detection K-9 dog. Gibbs will now be stationed at the county jail with his new handler, Corrections Officer Roger Skove. On Thursday morning inside the offices of the county's Bureau of Corrections, Sussex County Sheriff Michael Strada presented Gibbs with his very own Sheriff's Department badge to wear on his collar and granted Skove a certificate of recognition. Strada, after thanking all those who were involved in the training, said that with the addition of Gibbs, it will be easier to spot those coming into the jail with narcotics. "We have individuals that are coming into the jail that are ingesting narcotics that we have no way of detecting. We have no way to know whether these people have any sort of narcotics on them at all," Strada said. "It isn't until later that one of the officers may spot it (on someone) just doing their job. It's phenomenal the liability the county could take on by these narcotics getting in the jail." Although dogs aren't able to sniff ingested drugs, they can sniff residue that is located on fingers and clothing. According to Strada, under state law, officers are not allowed to strip search an inmate depending on the level of the crime. According to a Supreme Court ruling, a search on an individual can be done if there is probable cause, i.e., a K-9 dog sniffs it, to believe that an individual has drugs on them. Gibbs, who will have recertifications with Skove every three months, can sniff out marijuana, ecstasy, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamines and heroin. Lt. Frank Martin, state Department of Corrections Special Operations Group K-9 supervisor, said that K-9 dogs are able to detect fentanyl used in the production of heroin. Gibbs' intense training with a certified K-9 trainer, Department of Corrections Senior Corrections Officer Juan Castano, which was done in connection with Skove, involved the use of many facilities across the state. Training also included more than 100 different vehicles, where drugs were distributed throughout for Gibbs to sniff out. Although Gibbs will come to work with Skove and leave with him each day, ultimately becoming a part of his family at home, Skove said that during training it was important Gibbs focuses on work and not play. Skove, a self-proclaimed dog lover, said his connection with Gibbs was immediate and the two have worked well together. "When I wear my jeans, he knows it's his time to relax, and when I put on my uniform, he is ready and waiting for me to go to work," Skove said. In addition, Gibbs knows when he is at work because he starts to walk around sniffing in an inverted V, a term used to describe proper technique for a dog sniffing for drugs by alternating sniffing low and sniffing high, Skove said. Gibbs started out as a Seeing Eye dog through The Seeing Eye of Morristown Inc., where he lived with a foster family for about a year and a half, according to Cathy Faas, adoptions coordinator for The Seeing Eye of Morristown Inc. Although Gibbs didn't make the cut as a dog for the blind, Faas made a phone call to the state Department of Corrections, with which The Seeing Eye has a good working relationship, and said she had a dog that the department might want to consider. "If these dogs have too much energy, that is good for us since that means they will have a good drive," Martin said. According to Strada, the county Bureau of Corrections had been considering getting a dog for the jail, and upon hearing that, Skove wrote a letter of interest to his superior inquiring about getting his own K-9. "I was approved, and from there, was paired up with Gibbs to complete our training together," Skove said. "(Skove and Gibbs) had met all the standards set forth by the attorney general and they will be a tremendous asset to the Sussex County jail," said Sgt. James Erven, state Department of Corrections director of the K-9 Training Unit. Gibbs has come to the bureau at no cost to the Sussex County Sheriff's Office since the Seeing Eye of Morristown Inc. offers the dogs free of charge and the Department of Corrections completes the training free of charge as well. Gibbs is the first narcotics dog at the county's Bureau of Corrections, but two K-9 dogs work in the county's Law Enforcement Bureau. Eggo, a German shepherd, who is trained in explosives, and Kilo, a German shepherd, who is trained in narcotics, are both stationed with patrol officers for tracking and apprehension purposes, according to Sussex County Undersheriff Keith Armstrong. Although not all K-9 dogs are German shepherds, the dogs are ideal, Martin said, because they not only are great working dogs but "nine times out of 10, if they have a scent problem, we can correct it." A working K-9 dog's life on the job depends on the specific dog, but on average, according to Susan Aber, canine development at The Seeing Eye of Morristown Inc., a working dog will retire after seven years and live out the rest of its life, hopefully, with the handler's family. Lori Comstock can also be reached on Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH or by phone: 973-383-1194. Source: http://www.njherald.com/20161211/ready-to-take-a-bite-out-of-crime -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com . To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/03a901d253cf%2456d7bac0%2404873040%24%40ky2d.com . For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20161211/3beaa65a/attachment.html From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 29 19:04:02 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2016 19:04:02 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: Dog cookie recipe Message-ID: <0d1b01d26249$613cb9b0$23b62d10$@gmail.com> Subject: [seeing-eye] Dog cookie recipe Dog cookie recipe Ingredients: 2 cups whole wheat flower 1 cup peanut butter 1 Tsp baking powder 1 cup skim milk Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. Greece cookie sheets. Combine: flower and baking powder in a bowl In another bowl combine: peanut butter and milk Combine slowly the flower into the milk peanut butter, it will thicken . When ready, flour cutting board and knead mixture together. Cut into quarter inch thick shapes, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake twenty minutes until golden brown, smile. Send us some, love Jake Becky Frankeberger Butterfly Knitting - Ponchos - Afghans - Shawls - Custom Knitting 360-426-8389 becky at butterflyKnitting.com www.butterflyknitting.com -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/003901d25169%24e53b9970%24afb2cc50%24%40comcast.net. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 29 19:06:41 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2016 19:06:41 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: Giving Those Who Are Blind A Seeing Eye Message-ID: <0df801d26249$c00f5290$402df7b0$@gmail.com> Subject: [seeing-eye] Giving Those Who Are Blind A Seeing Eye Giving Those Who Are Blind A Seeing Eye December 2, 2016 By Robert Golomb NewsLI.com URL: https://www.newsli.com/2016/12/02/dr-james-a-kutsch-jr-giving-those-who-are-blind-a-seeing-eye/ NEW JERSEY ? ?If you run into an obstacle, don?t allow yourself to be stopped by it, but rather figure a way to go around it, under it, or above it. And never let it prevent you from living your life to the maximum,? Dr. James A. Kutsch Jr., the President of Seeing Eye, Inc., ( www.SeeingEye.org ) a privately funded guide dog school founded in 1929 and now the oldest of its kind in the world, told me in a recent interview held in his Morristown, New Jersey office. For Kutsch, 66, ? who just before completing his junior year in a Wheeling, West Virginia military high school was involved in a self- described, ?backyard chemistry experiment that went wrong,? causing him to become totally blind and to lose most of his right hand ? that mantra became the words that helped him overcome his misfortune. ?It is a philosophy,? Kutsch explained, that, ?on the long days and nights following the accident enabled me to refuse to allow myself to wallow in self-pity, and instead commit myself to live a full, happy and complete life.? The journey to fulfill that personal commitment started just months later, as he began his senior year in high school in the fall of 1967. An ? A? student in math and science prior to the accident, Kutsch, with the assistance of his teachers who read tests aloud to him, continued to excel in his studies. ?I could not have succeeded without the help of these dedicated teachers, and of course, the support I received from my wonderful parents will remain in my heart and mind forever. But as my senior year began to come to an end, I realized teachers could not read to me forever. I knew I had to become independent,? he recalled. To gain that independence, Kutsch traveled to a rehabilitation center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he learned Braille and other skills necessary to function as a blind person. It proved to be a life changing experience. ?Having the ability to read without the assistance of others reopened the doors of independent learning. That for me was the greatest gift I could receive,? he stated. The next year he enrolled at West Virginia University (WVU). It was then at the end of his freshmen year at WVU that Kutsch had his second life changing experience. Kutsch, who told me his favorite show as a child was about a seeing eye German Shepherd, traveled to Seeing Eye, Inc.- the same organization he now heads- to be matched up with his first seeing eye dog, ?Sheba.? It was my memories of watching the show ? Atta Girl Kelly? that I believe primed me for having a guide dog?. Just as learning Braille had given me the ability to read independently, Sheba provided me with the freedom to travel and move about more easily,? he explained. Dr. James A. Kutsch Jr., the President of Seeing Eye, Inc., speaking at The Seeing Eye. With Sheba at his side (over the past 47 years he has had eight replacement dogs) Kutsch continued his studies at WVU, earning a BA in psychology in 1972 and an MS in computer science one year later. From WVU, Kutsch moved on to the University of Illinois (UVI); there, in 1975, as part of his doctoral work in computer science, he designed the first talking computer for blind computer users. While that invention at the time was viewed throughout the technological industry as being revolutionary, Kutsch downplayed his role in inventing it. He explained that he had designed and subsequently published an article in a professional journal about the talking computer for solely academic purposes; he also noted that after the article was published, several private technology companies which during the same time frame had been working on similar templates of their own, manufactured and internationally marketed talking computers. ?It was these companies, and not me which were responsible for making this then cutting edge technology widely available {to people who are blind},? he told me. Kutsch, however, could not downplay another achievement, this of a personal nature, which occurred while he was studying for his doctorate. He met and married a woman he had met at WVU. Together, they were to raise their four children- 2 boys and 2 girls. Moving the interview momentarily from the past to the present, Kutsch described the current status of his family, noting, ?All my children, now grown, have diverse and successful careers of their own, and there are six grandchildren {that I have}.? The early needs of that family were to influence the career path of Kutsch, who in 1976, shortly after earning his doctorate, was hired as an assistant professor of computer science at WVU. However, after teaching there for three years, with a family growing in size and number, he moved on to work in the more financially lucrative private industry, serving in vice president level positions first at ATT and later at Convergys Labs. That not one of these positions had any direct connection to the needs of people who are blind was not purely a case of happenstance for Kutsch. ?People with a disability, on both personal and professional levels, do not want to be defined or limited by their given physical restrictions,? he said. ?For me, that meant building a career, not confined to only serving others who are blind, but rather one in which I could best put to practical use my knowledge of science, technology, problem solving, and administration. I did believe, however, that one day I would change my career direction and devote my life?s work to help improve the quality of life for people who are blind.? The chance to improve the life of such people came in 1996 when Kutsch was appointed to serve on the board of directors of Seeing Eye- a volunteer, non-salaried position that enabled him to continue to serve in his then position as vice president of Strategic Technology at Convergys Labs. That volunteer service, however, changed into a full time position in 2006, when he accepted the board?s offer to become president of Seeing Eye. Dr. James A. Kutsch Jr., the President of Seeing Eye, Inc., speaking at an event for a high school organization called DECA. Kutsch, surprisingly, the first blind person to serve in that role, described his feelings about assuming the presidency of an organization which had played such a major role in his life, telling me he continued to replay in his mind his first visit to Seeing Eye in 1970. ?I remembered,? he stated, ?entering the grounds of Seeing Eye and remembered the sounds of the voices of the people who matched me with my first dog, ?Sheba.? ?I also clearly remembered how during the days, months and years that followed she gave me so much independence and self- confidence. I also, most importantly, realized that as president I was now in the position to help provide others with guide dogs who would do the same for them.? He was and remains in a position to accomplish just that. As president of Seeing Eye, Kutsch is annually responsible for overseeing the selection and training of approximately 250 dogs, almost all German Shepherds, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and Labrador/golden crosses. These dogs are then matched with a totally blind or severely visually impaired person, to whom they provide around the clock physical guidance, as well, Kutsch noted, as a great abundance of around the clock love. In addition, Kutsch?s responsibilities include monitoring scientific studies on canine health and development, conducted by researchers at Seeing Eye. ?We believe it is an essential part of our responsibility and a fundamental part of our mission to improve the health and increase the working life of our dogs,? he said. What is also important to Kutsch is that the job of president permits him sufficient time to give lectures defining the mission and describing the work of Seeing Eye and other similar organizations. These lectures are offered at private and public grade schools, colleges, churches, synagogues and a variety of philanthropic institutions throughout America. Kutsch informed me that, in addition to discussing his work with people who are blind in particular, he also uses his presentations as an opportunity to advocate for all people with physical challenges. ?I attempt,? he said, ?to describe to my audiences how modern medicine and advanced scientific technology combined with the love and support of family and friends can work incredible wonders for most people with disabilities, irrespective of the cause or nature of their condition.? For Kutsch, add a dog named Sheba to that list. Pictured Above: Dr. James A. Kutsch Jr., the President of Seeing Eye, Inc., with his current Seeing Eye dog, ?Vegas.? Robert Golomb is a nationally and internationally published columnist. Email him at MrBob347 and follow him on Twitter at RobertGolomb -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com . --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com . To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com . To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/015b01d24d9e%2408b755d0%241a260170%24%40ky2d.com . For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20161229/2962492c/attachment.html From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 29 19:19:06 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2016 19:19:06 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: FW: Service Animal Relief Areas at Atlanta Airport Message-ID: <106001d2624b$7bfd1ae0$73f750a0$@gmail.com> Subject: [seeing-eye] FW: Service Animal Relief Areas at Atlanta Airport FYI -----Original Message----- From: Marj Schneider [mailto:marjschneider at bellsouth.net] Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 12:14 PM To: Ginger Kutsch Subject: Service Animal Relief Areas at Atlanta Airport Hi Ginger, Would you be able to post the following to Seeing Eye's email list or circulate it in any other way you know of through SE? Thanks so much. Marj Schneider Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson International Airport now has service animal relief areas inside the secured zone of the airport. The first one is located at gate B-33 on the right side. It is 20 feet past the gate. The second one is at C-19 on the left side straight across from the Starbucks. They are actual rooms and have braille signs. Each space offers a concrete relief area, as well as AstroTurf. Pickup bags, garbage cans and sinks are provided. By the first of December there will be a relief area in every concourse in the secured zone. To find out when the other five will open go to atlairport.com. Soon there will also be audio directions through way finding apps that will help you locate the areas. --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus -- The Seeing Eye Independence with Dignity since 1929 If you need to contact one of the list owners for > questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/01e701d229b0%2411bdccc0%2435396640%24%40ky2d.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. From peacefulwoman89 at cox.net Fri Dec 30 02:04:59 2016 From: peacefulwoman89 at cox.net (Lisa Irving) Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2016 02:04:59 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: FW: Service Animal Relief Areas at Atlanta Airport In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <79DDDA90-2EF7-4060-ABA5-7DD4F861F834@cox.net> So glad to hear about these changes in Atlanta. When my guy dog and I changed planes in Atlanta a few months back it was a 40 minute ordeal going through the airport walking outside riding a van and then of all places along the side of a road to relieve my dog it was disgusting Sent from my iPhone > On Dec 29, 2016, at 7:19 PM, Tina Thomas wrote: > > Subject: [seeing-eye] FW: Service Animal Relief Areas at Atlanta Airport > > FYI > > -----Original Message----- > From: Marj Schneider [mailto:marjschneider at bellsouth.net] > Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 12:14 PM > To: Ginger Kutsch > Subject: Service Animal Relief Areas at Atlanta Airport > > Hi Ginger, > > Would you be able to post the following to Seeing Eye's email list or circulate it in any other way you know of through SE? > Thanks so much. > Marj Schneider > > > > Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson International Airport now has service animal relief areas inside the secured zone of the airport. > > The first one is located at gate B-33 on the right side. It is 20 feet past the gate. > The second one is at C-19 on the left side straight across from the Starbucks. > They are actual rooms and have braille signs. Each space offers a concrete relief area, as well as AstroTurf. Pickup bags, garbage cans and sinks are provided. > > By the first of December there will be a relief area in every concourse in the secured zone. To find out when the other five will open go to atlairport.com. Soon there will also be audio directions through way finding apps that will help you locate the areas. > > > --- > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > https://www.avast.com/antivirus > > -- > The Seeing Eye > Independence with Dignity since 1929 > > > If you need to contact one of the list owners for >> questions or assistance, please use the following email address: seeing-eye+owner at googlegroups.com. > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seeing Eye Discussions" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to seeing-eye+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to seeing-eye at googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/seeing-eye/01e701d229b0%2411bdccc0%2435396640%24%40ky2d.com. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > _______________________________________________ > Cagdu mailing list > Cagdu at nfbcal.org > https://www.nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/cagdu From judotina48kg at gmail.com Thu Dec 29 16:39:52 2016 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2016 16:39:52 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: Phony comfort pets, owners perplex airlines Message-ID: <041601d26235$3d0656a0$b71303e0$@gmail.com> Subject: [seeing-eye] Phony comfort pets, owners perplex airlines http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/nation-now/2016/12/28/phony-comfort-pets-owners-perplex-airlines/95924674/ Phony comfort pets, owners perplex airlines Jennifer Dixon Updated 3 hours ago DETROIT ? With the holiday travel season now here, many air passengers are boarding planes with service dogs and emotional support animals ? a practice that critics say is open to fraud. How do airlines know whether these pets are true service animals and not impostors wearing an official-looking vest bought online for $39.99? The answer is, they don't. Critics say many travelers claim their pets are service or emotional support animals because they don't want to pay for them to travel. Winnie, a Golden Retriever in her 3rd month of training, looks up at Apprentice Guide Dog Mobility ...more Rachel Woolf, Special to the Free Press While many of these animals are dogs, passengers have also gotten on board with birds -- including a peacock -- cats and other animals. "I see more violations than legitimate use of service dogs in public. A drastic majority of what I've observed in airports is misuse of the service dog law," said Brian Skewis, executive officer of the California State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind, the only state agency in the nation that regulates guide-dog schools and individual instructors. Rod Haneline, chief programs and services officer for Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, says he too believes fraud is a problem. ?The law is so ambiguous the airlines don?t know what side to come down on. Everyone is afraid of the ramifications of not allowing someone equal access,? Haneline said. He said blind people fought hard to get public access for their dogs, and that right is "diluted" by a proliferation of questionable service and support pets. Guide Dog Mobility Instructor Ashley Ayers, of Leader Dogs For the Blind, browses in the Moosejaw ...more Rachel Woolf, Special to the Free Press Deb Davis, community outreach manager for Paws with a Cause of Wayland, outside Grand Rapids, said it's easy to spot the impostor service dogs: those carried in a purse, or those that growl, bark or act aggressively. In other words, the pretenders often lack good public manners, she said. "We know there is fraud because our clients see it very frequently when they travel," said Davis, whose nonprofit annually places about 65 trained dogs with people who have a disability. But it is such a vexing problem that not even a committee of experts appointed by the U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this year could agree to a solution. It voted in November to discontinue discussions because further talks seemed unlikely to reach a consensus. * * LiLou the pig is the newest member of San Francisco International Airport's Wag Brigade. San Francisco International Airport The ACCESS Advisory Committee members included representatives of the airlines, aircraft manufacturers, flight attendants and disability rights groups. At one point, some committee members favored recognizing as service animals only dogs and miniature horses, which are the only animals covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Like dogs, miniature horses can be trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities, according to the ADA. They can be used as guides for blind people or to pull wheelchairs. These animals, which can be house-trained, typically range in height from 24 to 34 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 70 to 100 pounds. Businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and other entities covered by the ADA must modify their policies to permit miniature horses where reasonable. A DOT spokesperson said the department is now considering rewriting the rules for service and emotional support animals on its own, but a timetable has not been set. Guide Dog Mobility Instructor Sue Hackman, of Leader Dogs For the Blind, walks Yuba, a Labrador ...more Rachel Woolf, Special to the Free Press DOT said the rules would "address the concerns that have been raised with the department regarding the definition of a service animal" under federal law, and "instances of passengers falsely representing that their pets are service animals in order to avoid pet fees that airlines may charge for pets to travel in the aircraft cabin." DOT said U.S. carriers are required under the Air Carrier Access Act to transport all service and emotional support animals with a few exceptions, such as snakes, ferrets, rodents and spiders. Airlines must evaluate unusual animals such as the miniature horses, pigs and monkeys on a case-by-case basis. A single passenger can have two or more service animals. Among the service and emotional support animals prohibited by Delta Air Lines, the largest carrier at Detroit Metro Airport, are hedgehogs and farm poultry such as chickens or turkeys. "It's the Wild West," Haneline said. "Animals are much more connected to our daily lives, and the last thing people want to do is put their dog into a pet carrier and put them in the hold of an airplane. This is kind of an easy way to (avoid that) without paying." There are no federal standards that cover the registration, licensing or training of service or emotional support animals and the schools and instructors who train them. There is also no requirement for the animals to wear service animal vests or tags, which can be purchased easily online for varying prices. * * A flight attendant participates in a recurrent water-landing door training at EVA Air's sprawling training... more Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / Special According to DOT guidance to the airlines, harnesses, vests, capes and backpacks may identify an animal as a service animal. But, "the absence of such equipment does not necessarily mean the animal is not a service animal. Similarly, the presence of a harness or vest ... may not be sufficient evidence that the animal is, in fact, a legitimate service animal." In cases of emotional support animals, the airlines can ask passengers to produce a letter from the mental health professional who is treating them attesting to the fact that they have a mental or emotional disability and need the animal for air travel or at their destination. Those letters are also available for purchase online, in some cases for less than $100, from web sites claiming to have mental health professionals on staff. Continue reading below In the case of service dogs, airlines can ask passengers questions such as: What tasks or functions does your animal perform for you? What has it been trained to do for you? Describe how the animal performs this task or function for you. They cannot ask travelers about their disability. In response to questions from the Free Press, Delta issued this statement: "Delta complies with the Air Carrier Access Act by allowing customers traveling with emotional support animals or service animals to travel without charge in the cabin. We reserve the right to review each case and make every effort to accommodate our customers? travel needs while also taking into consideration the health and safety of other passengers." Critics say the use of phony support pets hurts travelers with disabilities and their service dogs. Davis said clients traveling with legitimate service dogs have been bumped from their flights because the airline couldn't accommodate all the animals people wanted to bring on board. "They can miss connections, miss their flights." Apprentice Guide Dog Mobility Instructor Meredith Bryde, of Leader Dogs For the Blind, walks ...more Rachel Woolf, Special to the Free Press And Paws-trained dogs confronted by a growling, aggressive dog posing as a service animal may feel so threatened that they can no longer perform their tasks because "they're looking around each corner, wondering where did that dog go." Haneline, of Leader Dogs for the Blind, which trains as many as 200 dogs a year for people who are blind or visually impaired, said the guide dog industry "fought long and hard to get equal access for our clients to public accommodations all 50 states. When anyone can walk around with a service dog, you dilute that." Skewis said that until the entire disability community can get behind a solution, passengers will continue to find ways to get their phony service or support pets into airline cabins. "Everyone agrees there's a problem, but no one has a clear-cut solution," Skewis said. * * A row of international tails from London, Taipei, Paris, and Frankfurt line the terminal. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Special for USA TODAY * * An Airbus Beluga at Airbus' assembly line facilities in Blagnac, France, on April 28, 2015. Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY IN PICTURES: 30 cool aviation photos * * A Boeing Dreamlifter takes off from Paine Field in Everett, Wash., on Sept. 3, 2014. 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