ADA Service Dog Community needs your help ...

[Guest guest]

Important Fowarded message.

I thought this would be important. btw: Some parents don't know that they can get a service dog for a child with autism. There's a place that trains dogs specifically for autistic children but I can't find the link for the info page if someone knows of the link can you send it to the group. See below for a petition about Service animals.

Thanks, n

In a message dated 8/21/08 12:23:59 autism_a@... writes:

From: autism_a@... (autism_a)

A friend of mine, Joan, from Sterling Service Dogs, needs your help! Please pass on to other groups, family & friends. You can contact Joan at sterlingcf@...

Thanks, Sandy McMurray - autism arts

Dear friends (from Joan, Sterling Service Dogs):

I need your help on issue of tremendous importance to the assistance dog movement in the USA.

I'd sure appreciate it if you could help me out with this.

Disabled persons who work with assistance dogs receive public access rights from the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Since the first definition of a Service Animal was published, extremists took advantage of the vagueness of the language, so we have newspaper stories of horses stabled in apartment living rooms over the landlord's objections and people taking boa constrictors into restaurants,calling it a "service snake."

The ADA regulations must be reviewed every ten years, so I began lobbying the US Department of Justice (DOJ) for a better definition of a Service Animal in 2001 with my colleagues in the Coalition of Assistance Dog Organizations. We had no idea it would take seven years for the Review.

Finally we are in the homestretch! The DOJ issued the long awaited Notice of Proposed Ruling Making on the ADA, with a new proposed Definition. This summer, it seeks public comments on the matter.

Our friends at the DOJ told us this Public Comment phase is crucial! The assistance dog movement needs public comments from Americans like you supporting "our side."

It is "a Numbers Game." The officials need to show their political bosses through public comments that MORE people are in favor of what we want, versus what someone else may want.

After reading all the comments submitted to date, I realized we urgently need favorable comments on two issues in particular. I'm coming to you for help with this. It is the last week of the public comment period. You can do a lot to help me turn the tide. It will only take five minutes.

If you want to submit a comment with minimal effort, please look at the two Sample Comments in this email below my signature. Each has a sample sentence on the two subjects that urgently need your support. You can copy one of these if you use your own words at the beginning or end of a sentence to personalize it a bit. Feel free to expand upon either subject.

Instructions on how to submit your Public comment follows these Samples. It is very easy to do!

Those who prefer to have a lot more information on the subject before commenting are welcome to go to http://www.iaadp.org to the Emergency Call to Action box and read the introductory letter and CADO's Public Comment, and additional information I prepared for visitors.

If you want to read the new proposed Service Animal definition, I will copy it into this email at the very bottom. If you have a friend or family member who might also be willing to put in a public comment, I hope you will consider asking them. If we lose this battle, it will take another twenty years before any changes could be implemented. I think this will be my last advocacy campaign and I'd sure like to leave the assistance dog field better off than when I entered it, eighteen years ago.

So appreciative,

Joan

Sterling Service Dogs / IAADP

SAMPLE COMMENT ONE

I'm writing to discuss the proposed Service Animal Definition.

Please remove the phrase "DO WORK" from the new Definition to prevent years of confusion.

Continue to educate the public that "task training" is the legal difference between a service animal and a pet.

I also want you to know that I totally support the Department's carefully considered decision that farm animals, wild animals, reptiles, rodents and amphibians are not appropriate for use in public as a service animal.

Thank you for this opportunity to comment.

SAMPLE COMMENT TWO

I'm writing to comment on your proposed ADA Service Animal Definition.

Thank you for clarifying that farm animals, wild animals, reptiles and rodents are unsuitable for working out in public as a service animal. I fully support your stand on this issue!

Please eliminate the ambiguous phrase, "do work" from the definition. It's elimination will prevent many people from confusing their pet with an assistance dog! Continue to require service animals to be Task Trained. I fully support the Coalition of Assistance Dog Organizations on this important issue!

I appreciate the chance to give input to the Department.

TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT WEBSITE ON THE ADA

1. Click on this Link below

2. Fill out the Form with your name and address. Do NOT put anything in the box for "Organization," since my sister will be the official spokesperson for Sterling Service Dogs.

3. Write your comment in the General Comments Box

4. Scroll to the bottom of the webpage and click on the button that says: NEXT

5. This next page lets you review your comment. If you like it, scroll down and click on SUBMIT

Now you are done!

Your support at this critical time for the assistance dog movement would mean the world to me. Your comment on these two issues will be invaluable in off setting the opinions of people who don't want any change to the old definition that has been misinterpreted, accidentally and intentionally, in unbelievable ways over the last 15 years. Thank you for considering this request.

LINK TO PUBLIC COMMENT WEBSITE:

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?

main=SubmitComment & o=090000648062a604

New Proposed Service Animal Defintion

PART 36-NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY BY PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS AND IN COMMERCIAL FACILITIES

Subpart A-General

PROPOSED DEFINITION Service animal means any dog or other common domestic animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, fetching items, assisting an individual during a seizure, retrieving medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and assisting individuals, including those with cognitive disabilities, with navigation. The term service animal includes individually trained animals that do work or perform tasks for the benefit of individuals with disabilities, including psychiatric, cognitive, and mental disabilities. The term service animal does not include wild animals (including nonhuman prima tes born in captivity), reptiles, rabbits, farm animals (including any breed of horse, miniature horse, pony, pig, or goat), ferrets, amphibians, and rodents. Animals whose sole function is to provide emotional support, comfort, therapy, companionship, therapeutic benefits, or to promote emotional well-being are not service animals.

[Guest guest]

It's 4 paws for ability in Xenia ohio that trains them. And you

don't just " get " the dog. The family is required to " raise " the

money for the cost which can be upwards of around $10,000 or more I

believe.

The website is www.4pawsforability.org

>

> Important Fowarded message.

>

> I thought this would be important. btw: Some parents don't know

that they

> can get a service dog for a child with autism. There's a place

that trains dogs

> specifically for autistic children but I can't find the link for

the info

> page if someone knows of the link can you send it to the group.

See below for a

> petition about Service animals.

>

> Thanks, n

>

> In a message dated 8/21/08 12:23:59

> autism_a@... writes:

>

> > From: autism_a@... (autism_a)

> >

> >

> > A friend of mine, Joan, from Sterling Service Dogs, needs your

help!

> > Please pass on to other groups, family & friends. You can

contact

> > Joan at sterlingcf@...

> >

> > Thanks, Sandy McMurray - autism arts

> >

> > Dear friends (from Joan, Sterling Service Dogs):

> >

> > I need your help on issue of tremendous importance to the

> > assistance dog movement in the USA.

> > I'd sure appreciate it if you could help me out with this.

> >

> > Disabled persons who work with assistance dogs receive public

> > access rights from the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

Since

> > the first definition of a Service Animal was published,

extremists

> > took advantage of the vagueness of the language, so we have

newspaper

> > stories of horses stabled in apartment living rooms over the

> > landlord's objections and people taking boa constrictors into

> > restaurants,calling it a " service snake. "

> >

> > The ADA regulations must be reviewed every ten years, so I began

> > lobbying the US Department of Justice (DOJ) for a better

definition

> > of a Service Animal in 2001 with my colleagues in the Coalition

of

> > Assistance Dog Organizations. We had no idea it would take seven

> > years for the Review.

> >

> > Finally we are in the homestretch! The DOJ issued the long

> > awaited Notice of Proposed Ruling Making on the ADA, with a new

> > proposed Definition. This summer, it seeks public comments on

the

> > matter.

> >

> > Our friends at the DOJ told us this Public Comment phase is

> > crucial! The assistance dog movement needs public comments from

> > Americans like you supporting " our side. "

> > It is " a Numbers Game. " The officials need to show their

> > political bosses through public comments that MORE people are in

> > favor of what we want, versus what someone else may want.

> >

> > After reading all the comments submitted to date, I realized

> > we urgently need favorable comments on two issues in particular.

I'm

> > coming to you for help with this. It is the last week of the

public

> > comment period. You can do a lot to help me turn the tide. It

will

> > only take five minutes.

> >

> > If you want to submit a comment with minimal effort, please look

> > at the two Sample Comments in this email below my signature.

Each

> > has a sample sentence on the two subjects that urgently need

your

> > support. You can copy one of these if you use your own words at

the

> > beginning or end of a sentence to personalize it a bit. Feel

free to

> > expand upon either subject.

> > Instructions on how to submit your Public comment follows these

> > Samples. It is very easy to do!

> >

> > Those who prefer to have a lot more information on the subject

> > before commenting are welcome to go to <A

HREF= " http://www.iaadp.org/ " >http://www.iaadp.org</A> to the

> > Emergency Call to Action box and read the introductory letter

and

> > CADO's Public Comment, and additional information I prepared for

> > visitors.

> >

> > If you want to read the new proposed Service Animal definition,

> > I will copy it into this email at the very bottom. If you have a

> > friend or family member who might also be willing to put in a

public

> > comment, I hope you will consider asking them. If we lose this

> > battle, it will take another twenty years before any changes

could be

> > implemented. I think this will be my last advocacy campaign and

I'd

> > sure like to leave the assistance dog field better off than when

I

> > entered it, eighteen years ago.

> >

> > So appreciative,

> > Joan

> > Sterling Service Dogs / IAADP

> >

> >

> > SAMPLE COMMENT ONE

> >

> > I'm writing to discuss the proposed Service Animal Definition.

> >

> > Please remove the phrase " DO WORK " from the new Definition to

prevent

> > years of confusion.

> > Continue to educate the public that " task training " is the legal

> > difference between a service animal and a pet.

> >

> > I also want you to know that I totally support the Department's

> > carefully considered decision that farm animals, wild animals,

> > reptiles, rodents and amphibians are not appropriate for use in

> > public as a service animal.

> >

> > Thank you for this opportunity to comment.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > SAMPLE COMMENT TWO

> >

> >

> > I'm writing to comment on your proposed ADA Service Animal

> > Definition.

> >

> > Thank you for clarifying that farm animals, wild animals,

reptiles

> > and rodents are unsuitable for working out in public as a

service

> > animal. I fully support your stand on this issue!

> >

> >

> > Please eliminate the ambiguous phrase, " do work " from the

> > definition. It's elimination will prevent many people from

confusing

> > their pet with an assistance dog! Continue to require service

> > animals to be Task Trained. I fully support the Coalition of

> > Assistance Dog Organizations on this important issue!

> >

> > I appreciate the chance to give input to the Department.

> >

> >

> >

> > TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT WEBSITE ON THE ADA

> >

> > 1. Click on this Link below

> > 2. Fill out the Form with your name and address. Do NOT put

> > anything in the box for " Organization, " since my sister will be

the

> > official spokesperson for Sterling Service Dogs.

> >

> > 3. Write your comment in the General Comments Box

> > 4. Scroll to the bottom of the webpage and click on the button

> > that says: NEXT

> > 5. This next page lets you review your comment. If you like it,

> > scroll down and click on SUBMIT

> > Now you are done!

> >

> > Your support at this critical time for the assistance dog

movement

> > would mean the world to me. Your comment on these two issues

will be

> > invaluable in off setting the opinions of people who don't want

any

> > change to the old definition that has been misinterpreted,

> > accidentally and intentionally, in unbelievable ways over the

last 15

> > years. Thank you for considering this request.

> >

> > LINK TO PUBLIC COMMENT WEBSITE:

> >

> > <A

HREF= " http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main? " >http://w

ww.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?</A>

> > main=SubmitComment & o=090000648062a604

> >

> >

> > New Proposed Service Animal Defintion

> > PART 36-NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY BY PUBLIC

> > ACCOMMODATIONS

> > AND IN COMMERCIAL FACILITIES

> >

> > Subpart A-General

> >

> > PROPOSED DEFINITION

> > Service animal means any dog or other common domestic animal

> > individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit

of

> > an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to,

> > guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision, alerting

> > individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of

people

> > or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling

a

> > wheelchair, fetching items, assisting an individual during a

seizure,

> > retrieving medicine or the telephone, providing physical support

and

> > assistance with balance and stability to individuals with

mobility

> > disabilities, and assisting individuals, including those with

> > cognitive disabilities, with navigation. The term service animal

> > includes individually trained animals that do work or perform

tasks

> > for the benefit of individuals with disabilities, including

> > psychiatric, cognitive, and mental disabilities. The term

service

> > animal does not include wild animals (including nonhuman prima

tes

> > born in captivity), reptiles, rabbits, farm animals (including

any

> > breed of horse, miniature horse, pony, pig, or goat), ferrets,

> > amphibians, and rodents. Animals whose sole function is to

provide

> > emotional support, comfort, therapy, companionship, therapeutic

> > benefits, or to promote emotional well-being are not service

animals. </HTML>

>