Seeing Dogs For The Blind

How do they see the street lights?

Also, if the blind is blind, how do they feed the dog when they get home and unleash then and all. How do they take care of the dog is they are blind?

People who are color blind can often distinguish color very easily - they see things in shades of grey, rather than in colors. But they can distinguish between the shades - just as you can tell the difference between a pale blue, a greenish blue, an electric blue, a cobalt blue and a midnight blue.
So the dogs can distinguish the difference between red and green traffic lights, even though they can't see them as red or green. They also look at the traffic and will not leave the pavement unless it is safe to do so - regardless of what color the light is.
Most blind people have some vestigial vision, but even those who do not can care for their dogs by feel. There are utensils and implements with braille markings on them (an alphabet system, in raised dots, that can be 'read' with the fingertips) so they can cook for themselves, run appliances in their homes, etc. And in the home of a person with visual impairments, things are always put back in the same place. If you go into your bedroom at night, even without turning on the lights, you can find your way around because you know where things are. It's the same with the blind person - they know where things are. Unleashing a dog doesn't requre sight - just practice, and care of the dog - food, water, exercise, is also not difficult to accomplish once you have gotten used to the routine.

2007-11-12 11:30:06 by Blue Pearl

Visit to Guide Dogs for the Blind, San Rafael, California: a school for training seeing-eye dogs to assist blind people.

The Americans with Disabilities Act specifically excludes churches from its requirements. This is due to the separation of church and state. That means that each church may make its own decision about whether or not to permit Seeing Eye dogs, other guide dogs, hearing dogs or service dogs.

In my personal experience, I have never been denied access to any church because of my service dog, even when visiting churches other than my own for weddings or funeral services.

There is a mosque in the U.K. that has made a special exception to permit a member's guide dog to enter, despite the fact that dogs are considered "unclean" in their faith. They went the extra mile to find a way for a blind member to be able to attend services instead of excluding him because of his guide dog. If a mosque can go the extra mile in this situation, when it is probably the most difficult for those of the Muslim faith, then why can't other churches do the same?

Should Seeing Eye dogs be allowed in churches? IMO, definitely yes. I feel that any church that would discriminate against the disabled isn't one with teachings I agree with and isn't one I'd like to attend or support. I was raised to believe that God welcomes everyone, regardless of disability.

2009-12-30 18:51:29 by J.P.

I am curious where they get them, because obviously you can't go to a pet store or the pound and just ask for one since they are highly trained. Is there a web site, or some organization they have to contact? Or do they have to get a prescription from their doctor?

Seeing Eye dogs only come from the Seeing Eye, in Morristown, NJ. It's a brand name of the oldest guide dog training school in the world. You can visit their site here for details on their program: http://www.seeingeye.org/

There are several guide dog schools in the world. Each one has their own criteria and policies for how dogs are placed.

Lists of Guide Dog Schools:
http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?Documenti d=1266
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/guide_dog_schools .asp
http://www.gdui.org/schools.html
http://www.acb.org/resources/guidedogs.h tml
http://www.ifgdsb.org.uk/worldmap.asp

Individuals needing a guide dog apply at one of these schools. Some schools charge a nominal fee (The Seeing Eye, I believe, charges $150, the same they've charged since 1940). Others place the dogs for free. Not everyone who requests one will be accepted into the program. They need to meet the program's criteria.

Once selected, the person goes to the program's training center for a few weeks of intense training where they are matched with the right dog for their personality and lifestyle. Usually there's a skills test, and then the new team can go home. Usually there's some sort of follow up where a program trainer visits the team in their home to help with any problems and make sure they are still working well together.

2009-02-24 09:03:27 by princesspink

Yes many restaurants don't allow pets, but seeing eye dogs are not pets, and by law you can't turn away, a blind person with a dog.

Because they are jerks.

Maybe their afraid the dog will sniff out the rotten meat they serve to the customers. My former boss actually made a comment to me about this as he was complaining about a seeing-eye dog

2007-07-13 21:55:02 by With love.

In the U.S. it is perfectly legal for a church to ban service animals, including Seeing Eye dogs. The Americans with Disabilities Act has many exceptions which people often overlook. One of those exceptions derives from the separation of church and state. The ADA does not apply to churches involved in church business, unless that church leases or loans its facilities as a public accommodation. For example, a church might rent out space for a local club to meet which would make that part that is rented come under the ADA.

28 C.F.R. 36.102(e) "Exemptions and exclusions. This part does not apply to any private club (except to the extent that the facilities of the private club are made available to customers or patrons of a place of public accommodation), or to any religious entity or public entity."
http://www.ada.gov/reg3a.html#Anchor-361 02

There are a bunch of other exceptions, including federal courts, military bases, and Native American tribal council buildings.

It naturally begs the question: would you want to be a member of a church that would discriminate against a person because they used a Seeing Eye dog. Personally I've never been denied access to a church because of my service dog, but if I was I'd be thankful for finding out what kind of church it really was before I'd wasted much time there.

2010-03-08 19:01:44 by J.P.