DisneyKidsDad

Actually it's:

1. Is that a service animal?

2. What does it do to mitigate your disability?

Here's an emotional support animal for ya!

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/ev5y3w/emotional-support-peacock-airplane-vgtrn

The last time we were in St. Maartin we found an accessible taxi van at the taxi stand.

He had a couple of different tours he offered with different lengths and prices. We

went on a very nice tour in a 12 passenger van with a lift. The only thing we found to

hold true on all the Caribbean islands we visited was no t one of the vans had tie-downs.

I know the law states that a Service Dog does NOT have to wear any kind of vest identifying it as a "Service Dog" but, I, personally, believe it's a good idea for the public to see the vest so there are not too many questions or doubts. I always have a vest on Horton when we're entering a cruise ship and when we're leaving. CCI provides us with the vest and gives us a new one every few years.

Roz,

CCI here in the Northeast no longer give out new vests. Now you have to buy a new one for I think it's $35.

When I flew Jet Blue for the first time last December, I called to make sure I had all the paperwork I needed for my daughter's service dog. The first thing they told me was that they do not allow emotional support animals on any of their flights. The paperwork they required was nothing more than any other airline.

I was very happy with Jet Blue.

Did you all see that Delta is going to tighten up the rules a tiny bit? I do mean tiny:

 

CBS reports here and USA Today reports here.

 

They aren't asking for much.

The fact that they are requiring a doctor's note is key. If there is a "emotional support" dog on a flight and it bites someone, alot of airlines are going after the doctor that provided the note. Once doctors start hearing this, they may not be so ready to supply notes for people that only want to get their pet dogs on the plane. Jet Blue does not let "emotional support dogs of any kind on their flights.

Sorry I haven't been around much but I was off between Christmas & New Years. Then went back to work and the whole family came down with colds and a cough. We still alll have it. I know I don't really have to say this but Roz, I hope your not going to let you company get away with breaking ADA law!! Keep us posted.

Dammit. I just sent off an application to the old Bahamian address because that was what the website said. Should I send off another copy to the new address, or hope that there is such a thing as mail forwarding in Nassau?

Send one to the new address. Just to be sure!

My employer tells me that the two employees will be moved to the entire opposite side of the floor. Since we all work in the "campaign" department of the agency we are stuck on the same floor with one women's restroom......although there are bathrooms on all floors from the first to the 12th and they certainly could go up or down to use them, there is one kitchen on each floor and a staff lounge on the 7th floor. In the lounge are candy, coffee machines, pastries, recliners, couches and T.V.'s. Folks go there on their lunch hours or breaks to schmooze and snack.

 

I was asked if I could go into all of the above areas WITHOUT Horton? I stupidly answered, yes, I could. I said, "I feel badly that these folks are being put "out" because of me." The HR Director thanked me and hung up.

 

Apparently, the woman who has the fear and the allergies threatened to file a complaint with the EEOC if the dog was in the same area as her!

Let her file a complaint. You have the ADA on your side. Maybe that is what it will take to get your employer to actually follow the law. What's next, no wheelchair accessible bathrooms?

As most of you know, I work for a HUGE non-profit agency that has been around for over 100 years and has offices all around the world.

 

Our main office is located on Wilshire Blvd, in Los Angeles right on the border of Beverly Hills. A really lovely location. I've been working in one of our smaller offices, about 26 miles from there, because it's closer to where I live. The CEO has decided to close the smaller office and has asked me to come to work in the main office. I accepted and Horton and I are packing up 20 years worth of "Rozzie stuff!" and moving to the big city........Got to pay for traveling with the kids!

 

Well, two people in the main office went to HR because one states that she is deathly afraid and allergic to dogs and the other says she's just very allergic. The HR Rep. called me and asked if I could go to the ladies room, kitchen and employee lounge without Horton. So, without thinking I answered "yes!" Also, they are going to try and move these two people as far away from Horton as possible.

 

I brought this up in a CCI Forum and they said this is a classic case of discrimination [against me and Horton] and I should be the one complaining, after all, they can take a pill for their allergies, I can't for my disability. They also mentioned that if a poll was taken as to how many of the 650 people who work in the building, have pets at home it would probably be close to 90%. Those folks are bringing in more dander and pet hair on their clothes and in their hair than Horton could ever expose them to. And, unless everyone is bald and naked, they should re-think their complaints.

 

I don't like going where I'm NOT welcomed. Geezzz! The folks here are ALL madly in love with my boy.......I'm going to have to walk around, with armor on both of us. Doesn't feel good. And, unless they put a gate on our cubicle or put me behind closed doors Horton will come looking for me if I take too long in the bathroom, or in a meeting where the two "allergies" might be. And, what if I decide I might like to visit the staff lounge.......and, by mistake I take Horton with me? I should be able to take Horton wherever I go, that's why he's called a "Service Dog!" Otherwise, I might as well get a pet to keep under lock and key at my desk!!!!!

My having a Service Dog with me was cleared in 2000 with more paperwork from CCI, my doctors and me than the U.S. Government needs for me to join the Army or the CIA.

 

What's your thoughts?

The two people with allergies are not your problem. That is their disability, not yours. You should not be made to change your life because of them. When my daughter was in college, there was a girl with severe allergies to dogs that was taking the same class as my daughter. She had to change classes not my daughter. Go where you need to go with Horton and let the other people work around your "medical equipment"!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!! It will be a quiet Thanksgiving with my wife and daughter tomorrow. Then on Friday we will be at Barnes & Noble gift wrapping for CCI donations from open (8:00 AM) to close (9:00 or 10:00PM) So stay safe and eat alot!!

I don't have a picture of the lift, but here are pictures from inside the car.

 

The first picture shows the rows of seats. Behind the last row is a large open area where the wheelchairs are strapped down.

 

 

 

Gotta love seeing another CCI dog on that train. We loved that trip three years ago.

Exactly what I was thinking when I wrote about Disney. I miss him too!

Sorry I haven't been around lately. Work has been crazy busy and I'm in the final stages of planning our Disney World trip in December. I'm also in the beginning stages of planning next years October Disney world trip. Everything here is going pretty good. Gretel is working out great. I know one of the Puppy Raiser/Breeder/Caretakers that lost her house and car in the fires in Santa Rosa. It's hard to even see the photos on TV. But Roz, you NEED to take a Disney Cruise. I've been on Carnival, RCCL & Disney. Disney is the best by far.

Thank you for responding. I was just wondering once I board will they let me sit in my scooter or wheelchair or will I have to transfer to a seat?

You can stay in your wheelchair.

Just tell people it's not a subject you feel comfortable discussing. It's not anyone's business anyway.

I know there was talk about this the other day. This is what NCL has done on our cruise with them.

 

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Cindy,

Did you request that or did they do it on their own?

Is Roz on another cruise??

DfD brings the dogs to you. Two trainers brought Trooper from Oregon to my home in Evanston, Ill., and stayed five days training me as well as acclimating the dog to life in my house. The trainers stayed in a nearby hotel at DfD's expense. Trooper has worked out very well. He's not absolutely 100 percent perfect as some service dogs seem to be, but his terrierist idiosyncrasies are not at all problems for me. His small size is definitely a plus, especially while traveling. There's more room for him, and carrying his provender even for two weeks afloat is no problem at all. I was happy to turn back the good faith deposit at the end of the year.

That sounds like a great way to get the training you need with the dog.

Den, just a point of info to add that might be of interest to deaf people - Dogs for the Deaf also provides the dogs for free, other than a $50 application fee. There's a $500 good faith deposit after you are accepted, which is returned at the end of one year as partners.

 

I was surprised when I started considering a dog to learn that a lot of organizations require recipients to raise or pay a bunch of money before they'll be given a dog. Big praise to CCI and DFD for their policies!

 

So glad CCI now has Hearing Dog training in Florida.

That's very good to know. Do you have to stay in a hotel while training with DFD? CCI has a campus where you stay for free and they have volunteers that provide lunch every day. If they have a very large class, they will ask you if you would consider staying in a hotel, at your own expense, so you don't have to wait for the next class.

Here is the best way to show while it's hard to turn in a puppy that you have raised for 16 to 18 months, this is the reward. And it's also why you raise another puppy. This was the graduation ceremony.

Thanks for the update. You must feel so good when you get such a happy ending. And, your "twist" really proves that it is truly a "small world!"

 

Please let us know when you get your next puppy......Far be it for me to bring this up, but have you ever heard of taking a break? ;p

We are taking a break Roz. We can't get another puppy until at least January. Maybe not until may.

That's a long break!!

We had thought of raising a puppy for an organization near us, but did't think we could give it up.

It is wonderful what these dogs can do!

 

 

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Seashoregal,

I see that you are in Delaware. If you decided to puppy raise for CCI, you would come to the campus out on Long island, NY. It would be a bit of a drive but we have puppy raisers that come from as far north as Maine and as far south as Virginia. Sutter was the third puppy we raised. We thought the same thing at first but when you see how the dog changes someone's life, you keep raising. Because my daughter just got her successor service dog in May, we have to wait between 6 months and a year before we can puppy raise again. They want to make sure the new dog is bonded with my daughter. We are hoping for January. Please consider CCI to puppy raise for. It is the only organization I know of that gives the dog to the recipient for free!

I haven't encountered the terminology "skilled companion service dog" before. What does Sutter do for his person? I know all about CCI—I applied to them but decided to go with Dogs for the Deaf because the latter trains small rescue dogs as well as Labs, and I felt a Lab was a bit much for me to handle at my age (and I live in a condo without a yard).

A Skilled Companion Service Dog from CCI is a service dog going to a person under 18 years old or to anyone who

would have trouble controlling the dog. That person would have one or more "facilitators" who would control the dog out in public. The person would not be allowed to take the dog out in public by themselves and the facilitators wouldn't either.

So Sutter has now graduated as a Skilled Companion Service Dog and is living with his twelve year old partner Jack and his wonderful family in Northern Virginia. We got to spend an hour with Sutter last Friday morning. Don't let anyone tell you that dogs forget you after six months. The reunion could not have gone better! Then we got to meet Jack and his mom & dad. There have never been more grateful people on the planet. Seeing the family's reaction to Sutter, and Sutter's reaction to them was priceless. It made the what should have been a 2.5 hour ride out that turned into 4 hours and the 5 hour ride home worth it. And there is a funny twist to the story. Sutter's brother Smith also graduated the same day. His puppy raiser lives around the block from Sutter's new people. They have been friends for years. Now we're just waiting for CCI to tell us when we can raise the next puppy.

I know I've been bad by not showing recent pictures of Gretel. Here ya go.