Dumb access denial excuses for your service dog

a service dog for hearing impaired people? where can I find more info on this? I think one would be great for me. Does the state pay for it or what?
 
Chuck, it depends on the state. So, what state are you in? I'm sure some members know of which states that do offer free hearing dog services.
 
I'm just curious, after reading this thread. Most of my deaf friends don't use hearing dogs (as far as I know, none do, actually). How many deaf people actually have and use hearing dogs?

Another question: What if someone else in, say, a restaurant has a severe allergy to dogs and a deaf person brings one in? Then what?
 
As for above post I have no idea - someone else needs to answer.

Also I have a couple of questions on my own.

Ive noticed my hearing is getting worse and worse and I have 2 Labs - both of which are pets. One is trained to be a Duck dog (working on our Started Hunting Retriever title - should obtain it by spring). At which point would you recommend a person like me to start looking into the possibility of a service dog?

My reasons:
I hope to be living on my own in a couple of years and Im 22 and have a daughter of my own. My parents are protective of me. Sometimes I do not even hear the knock at the door if the TV is on. I think a service dog would help me in the instance where it would alert me to someone at the door, the microwave, smoke alarms going off,sirens, etc, and maybe if someone calls my name - but it would have to learn two names - my real name and Dixie as that is what my name is amongst all my hunting retriever buddies. Plus I think it would be helpful if I were in Wal-Mart and an associate was trying to get my attention (the dog might alert me to someone approaching from behind)

I know it would be extremely hard to train a hunting dog to also perform hearing dog tasks - IE - Marking off the gun at the line or in the blind, vs. alerting me to gunfire at the house or in a store/school setting. So may have to train one dog to do hunting and another to be my service dog.
 
I read this thread with a great deal of interest. Finally, I just had to post. None of you know me, but I suffer from KFS with a start to hearing complications due to it. But hearing or not, this thread would be of interest to most people with service dogs.

So here are my opinions. My SD (yes, I have one for the mobility problems associated with KFS) is allowed to go wherever I go. PERIOD. And I can go anywhere any other member of the general public is allowed to go. PERIOD. I saw a great shirt once that summed it up nicely. "I can go where you can go. My service dog can go where I can go." There are exceptions. But those exceptions deal with locations (parts of the hospital, parts of a zoo, etc) not with the type of disability the handler has. People are asking about a doctor's office or a place where another patron has a severe allergy to animal fur. It is being discussed about a hearing dog. However, if you ever drew that line, guide dogs, mobility assist dogs, seizure dogs, etc would all be next. People want to know why you would use a hearing dog away from home. The same logic applies to my SD. Why do I need her when I am out with my husband? The answer to that one is that she maintains my independence. She is also more reliable and gets less distracted.

Why have a hearing dog in public with you? It has been answered already here, but as someone who does not use a hearing dog, maybe I can word it a little better. One if you are hearing, to get a small glimpse of what being deaf is like, try this for just 24 hours straight...no cheating. Buy some excellent noise blocking ear plugs, place them in your ears and do NOT remove them for any reason for the next 24 hours. Now, try to cope with your daily activities. Lack of hearing impacts significantly one or more of life's major activities. After this, think of ways a service animal could help you. People talked about names being called in a eatery. What about a police car, a firetruck, or an ambulance behind you in broad daylight. Part of the reason for those sirens are that the flashing lights can be difficult to see during the day. Okay, now you are a store. You accidently leave your purse in the dressing room. You are walking away when someone tries to tell you, but you don't see them and can't hear them. Your child wandered off and can not find you. The customer service desk, so helpfully, puts your name over the sound system. But you can't hear it. Don't say your child told them you are deaf. 1. She may not of thought of it, and 2. they do not always listen. Leaving the store, you bought a cd, the anti-theft did not deactivate setting off the door alarms. You do not stop, because you do not hear them. The store security man chases after you angerily.

Service animals make life easier. They mitigate the effects of a disability. Limiting access for one type will great effect the access laws for the rest. Imagine what confusion and problems that would cause for people with hidden disabilities.

I hope this helps,
Em:fingersx:
 
I almost got a service dog myself from northstardogs for the autistic. But it was too expensive, I would have had to wait for a long time, plus on a sidewalk sale at a pet store I found a black lab/Shih Tzu puppy I just had to have instead.

Stargirl016 - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

You can't say thats not cute.
Well, you can't exactly play with a service dog, Shadow girl. I don't think we need them anyway. ;)
 
I read this thread with a great deal of interest. Finally, I just had to post. None of you know me, but I suffer from KFS with a start to hearing complications due to it. But hearing or not, this thread would be of interest to most people with service dogs.

So here are my opinions. My SD (yes, I have one for the mobility problems associated with KFS) is allowed to go wherever I go. PERIOD. And I can go anywhere any other member of the general public is allowed to go. PERIOD. I saw a great shirt once that summed it up nicely. "I can go where you can go. My service dog can go where I can go." There are exceptions. But those exceptions deal with locations (parts of the hospital, parts of a zoo, etc) not with the type of disability the handler has. People are asking about a doctor's office or a place where another patron has a severe allergy to animal fur. It is being discussed about a hearing dog. However, if you ever drew that line, guide dogs, mobility assist dogs, seizure dogs, etc would all be next. People want to know why you would use a hearing dog away from home. The same logic applies to my SD. Why do I need her when I am out with my husband? The answer to that one is that she maintains my independence. She is also more reliable and gets less distracted.

Why have a hearing dog in public with you? It has been answered already here, but as someone who does not use a hearing dog, maybe I can word it a little better. One if you are hearing, to get a small glimpse of what being deaf is like, try this for just 24 hours straight...no cheating. Buy some excellent noise blocking ear plugs, place them in your ears and do NOT remove them for any reason for the next 24 hours. Now, try to cope with your daily activities. Lack of hearing impacts significantly one or more of life's major activities. After this, think of ways a service animal could help you. People talked about names being called in a eatery. What about a police car, a firetruck, or an ambulance behind you in broad daylight. Part of the reason for those sirens are that the flashing lights can be difficult to see during the day. Okay, now you are a store. You accidently leave your purse in the dressing room. You are walking away when someone tries to tell you, but you don't see them and can't hear them. Your child wandered off and can not find you. The customer service desk, so helpfully, puts your name over the sound system. But you can't hear it. Don't say your child told them you are deaf. 1. She may not of thought of it, and 2. they do not always listen. Leaving the store, you bought a cd, the anti-theft did not deactivate setting off the door alarms. You do not stop, because you do not hear them. The store security man chases after you angerily.

Service animals make life easier. They mitigate the effects of a disability. Limiting access for one type will great effect the access laws for the rest. Imagine what confusion and problems that would cause for people with hidden disabilities.

I hope this helps,
Em:fingersx:

I don't think that I could have described it better myself.

As to an earlier question to me in this post that if a doctor is allergic I could be denied. Well, happened, I sued and won. I wasn't even a patient of the doctor who was complaining. The employer is obligated to make other arrangements for the doctor. The allergy has to be life threatening. And, now, the whole staff has to take a course in service dog laws. You see, I didn't sue for money. I sued for education.

As to people who do not understand my use of a service dog. I don't feel obligated to defend my position. I don't care when a deaf person doesn't use a service dog so why should that person care that I do?

I started this thread not to get people to use service dogs but to make the hassle that hearing people impose on us for trying to be independent a little less aggravating by sharing our stories. Please all feel free to share your stories but please do not put us down for our decision to use a service dog. You should be commending us for finding our independence any way that we can. Different strokes for different folks.
 
I read this thread with a great deal of interest. Finally, I just had to post. None of you know me, but I suffer from KFS with a start to hearing complications due to it. But hearing or not, this thread would be of interest to most people with service dogs.

So here are my opinions. My SD (yes, I have one for the mobility problems associated with KFS) is allowed to go wherever I go. PERIOD. And I can go anywhere any other member of the general public is allowed to go. PERIOD. I saw a great shirt once that summed it up nicely. "I can go where you can go. My service dog can go where I can go." There are exceptions. But those exceptions deal with locations (parts of the hospital, parts of a zoo, etc) not with the type of disability the handler has. People are asking about a doctor's office or a place where another patron has a severe allergy to animal fur. It is being discussed about a hearing dog. However, if you ever drew that line, guide dogs, mobility assist dogs, seizure dogs, etc would all be next. People want to know why you would use a hearing dog away from home. The same logic applies to my SD. Why do I need her when I am out with my husband? The answer to that one is that she maintains my independence. She is also more reliable and gets less distracted.

Why have a hearing dog in public with you? It has been answered already here, but as someone who does not use a hearing dog, maybe I can word it a little better. One if you are hearing, to get a small glimpse of what being deaf is like, try this for just 24 hours straight...no cheating. Buy some excellent noise blocking ear plugs, place them in your ears and do NOT remove them for any reason for the next 24 hours. Now, try to cope with your daily activities. Lack of hearing impacts significantly one or more of life's major activities. After this, think of ways a service animal could help you. People talked about names being called in a eatery. What about a police car, a firetruck, or an ambulance behind you in broad daylight. Part of the reason for those sirens are that the flashing lights can be difficult to see during the day. Okay, now you are a store. You accidently leave your purse in the dressing room. You are walking away when someone tries to tell you, but you don't see them and can't hear them. Your child wandered off and can not find you. The customer service desk, so helpfully, puts your name over the sound system. But you can't hear it. Don't say your child told them you are deaf. 1. She may not of thought of it, and 2. they do not always listen. Leaving the store, you bought a cd, the anti-theft did not deactivate setting off the door alarms. You do not stop, because you do not hear them. The store security man chases after you angerily.

Service animals make life easier. They mitigate the effects of a disability. Limiting access for one type will great effect the access laws for the rest. Imagine what confusion and problems that would cause for people with hidden disabilities.

I hope this helps,
Em:fingersx:

:gpost: :welcome:
 
This article is about dogs used by the blind but I think it would apply to all service dogs, including those used by Deaf people.

Norway: Blind People Rejected by Muslim Taxi Drivers

Clash of civilizations update. From the Norwegian Kafir's Fjordman blogspot:

lind people with their guide dogs are finding it increasingly difficult to get a taxi ride, and not just in the capital. In Oslo, Muslims make up such a high percentage of cab drivers that it can be hard to obtain a taxi during Islamic holidays. The following example is from the city of Drammen outside Oslo, one of the Norwegian municipalities where the number of Muslim immigrants is now so large that the conflicts are becoming significant. A pro-Israeli politician from the rightwing Progress Party recently received death threats here. A lady in Drammen ran into some unexpected difficulties when travelling to visit another town:

Grethe Olsen, accompanied by her guide dog Isak, experienced being rejected by no less than 21 taxis before finally getting a ride. Olsen thinks the taxi drivers said no for religious reasons. The Norwegian Blind Association confirms that this is a well known problem all over the country, especially in cities with many immigrants. It arises when a blind person accompanied by a guide dog wants to take a taxi from a stand, instead of ordering one in advance.

According to spokesperson Amber Khan from World Islamic Mission in Oslo, this has nothing to do with Islam. "This is culture, not religion," she says. "If somebody is dependent upon a dog, this should take precedence over religion." Director Viggo Korsnes in Norway's Taxi Association has no sympathy for drivers who refuse to accept guide dogs into their cars. "You are obliged to accept the dog. Those who don't should find something else to do."

Amber Khan is not entirely wrong. Dogs, although considered extremely dirty animals and greatly disliked, are permitted for certain limited uses, such as guarding your property. I have never seen anything mentioned about guide dogs included in these few exceptions. At best, it is a matter of a great deal of interpretation. Khan is blatantly wrong in stating that this has nothing to do with the Islamic religion. First of all, Islam is not just a religion, but culture and politics as well, all rolled into one. It is difficult to see how non-Muslims are supposed to separate between religion and culture given that Islam admits no such distinction. And core Islamic texts do reveal a strong distaste for dogs, going back to Muhammad himself.

Here are two hadith from the most important collections for one billion Sunni Muslims:

Bukhari Volume 7, Book 72, Number 833:

Narrated Abu Talha : The Prophet said, "Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or there are pictures."

Muslim Book 010, Number 3811:

Abdullah (b. Umar) (Allah be pleased with them) reported: Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) ordered the killing of dogs and we would send (men) in Medina and its corners and we did not spare any dog that we did not kill, so much so that we killed the dog that accompanied the wet she-camel belonging to the people of the desert.

From Islam Q&A: Ruling on having a dog

According to Islaamic Sharee'ah, it is not permitted to keep a dog except within narrowly-defined limits, as the Prophet explained: "Whoever keeps a dog, his good deeds will decrease every day by one qeeraat (a unit of measurement), unless it is a dog for farming or herding." Dogs are extremely naajis (impure, unclean). Keeping dogs nowadays is the habit of the kuffaar (infidels), who adopt them as friends, kiss them, let them lick them and their clothes, sleep with them and even leave them money in their wills. Keeping a dog is an imitation of the kuffaar. Some Muslims may claim that they need to keep a dog at home for purposes of protection, to which we respond that nowadays there are burglar alarm systems and other measures one may take for security purposes, and there is no need to keep a dog, praise be to Allaah.
Dhimmi Watch: Norway: Blind People Rejected by Muslim Taxi Drivers
 
It happened in Australia also:

Muslim Cabbies Refuse The Blind And Drinkers

Lincoln Wright and Ian Haberfield, Herald Sun (AU), October 08, 2006

Muslim taxi drivers are refusing to carry blind passengers with their guide dogs or anyone carrying alcohol.

At least 20 dog-aided blind people have lodged discrimination complaints with the Victorian Taxi Directorate. Dozens more have voiced their anger...

Victorian Taxi Association spokesman Neil Sach said the association had appealed to the mufti of Melbourne to give religious approval for Muslim cabbies to carry guide dogs.

One Muslim driver, Imran, said yesterday the guide dog issue was difficult for him.

``I don’t refuse to take people, but it’s hard for me because my religion tells me I should not go near dogs,’’ he said.

There are about 2000 Muslims among drivers of Melbourne’s 10,000 taxis. Many are from countries with strict Islamic teachings about ``unclean’’ dogs and the evils of alcohol.

Drivers who refused to carry blind people with their dogs attended remedial classes at Guide Dogs Victoria, Mr Sach said.

“They are taught why blind people need dogs,” Mr Sach said.

“The Victorian Taxi Association has included a program in their taxi driver training program.”

Guide Dogs Victoria spokeswoman Holly Marquette said blind people regularly reported taxi drivers refusing to carry them because of their dogs.

“It’s sad and quite upsetting,” Ms Marquette said. “We try to work with new drivers to educate them about their responsibilities and the needs and rights of blind people.

“We explain that the dog is clean, well trained, won’t go near them and will stay in the foot well with the client.
“But it’s a high turnover industry and it’s hard to capture everyone.”

Ms Marquette said there was a legal requirement for taxi drivers, shops, restaurants, hotels and supermarkets to accept guide dogs.”

Opposition Transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the guide dog issue would exacerbate the taxi industry’s flagging respect in the community.

Under the State Government’s customer charter, taxi passengers have the right to “be accompanied by a guide dog or hearing dog”...

Over the past two years the licences of 306 drivers were revoked or suspended, including those who refused to carry the blind and their dogs.
American Renaissance News: ‘Unclean’ Guide Dog Banned By Muslim Cab Driver
 
...and England:

'Unclean' guide dog banned by Muslim cab driver
Last updated at 09:25am on 6th October 2006

A Muslim minicab driver refused to take a blind passenger because her guide dog was "unclean".

Abdul Rasheed Majekodumni told Jane Vernon she could not get into his car with the dog because of his religion.

Islamic tradition warns Muslims against contact with dogs because they are seen as impure.

...Mrs Vernon, 39, from Hammersmith, said: "This experience was very upsetting.

"I was tired and cold and just wanted to get home but this driver made me feel like I was a second-class citizen, like I didn't count at all."

Mrs Vernon, who works as a legal officer for the Royal National Institute for the Blind, added: "The owner of the minicab firm, Niven Sinclair, was also very insensitive, telling me that what had happened to me wasn't really very important, and I should have more respect for other people's culture. They have shown very little respect for my rights as a disabled person and have never once offered me an apology."

Niven's and Co cab company, is contracted by the BBC and the minicab was sent to take her home from a studio after she was invited to appear on News 24.

The driver's refusal resulted in a court case because the law requires all licensed cab drivers to carry guide dogs. Magistrates at Marylebone fined Mr Majekodumni £200 and ordered him to pay £1,200 for failing to comply with regulations set out under the Disability Discrimination Act. After the case Mr Majekodunmi remained defiant and insisted that he would continue refusing passengers accompanied by guide dogs.

Drivers who refuse to take a guide dog can lose their licence or get a fine of up to £1,000 but Mr Alker said cases rarely went to court...

Earlier this month Mrs Vernon supported-another blind woman who was refused a taxi ride take the case to court. Bernie Reddington, 37, had asked driver Basir Miah for a lift home after a hospital appointment at Great Ormond Street but he had refused, calling her dog "dirty"...
'Unclean' guide dog banned by Muslim cab driver | the Daily Mail
 
I know guide dog users in my area who have been refused by Muslin taxi drivers. I'm also blind and use a guide dog, but I've never been denied a taxi because of my dog. Sometimes there have been cases where a driver threatened a refusal because dispatch did not notify him that I had a guide dog, but this was quickly resolved once I showed him my law book (a book that contains laws pertaining to guide dogs for all 50 states).
 
Last week our local paper had an article about a man who wasn't allowed to bring his service dog into a motel unless he paid a $100 deposit.

The title of the article was "No room at the inn for pooch". Here is part of the article:

"Timothy Smith takes his dog, Alex, with him everywhere. Anywhere Smith goes, the huge, black lab-Great Dane is always by his side.
Alex's affection for Smith isn't just a dog's simple loyalty, it's his job. Alex is a medical service dog.
While Alex wears a harness and pack that identitfy him as a medical service dog, he's not always welcome in certain places.
Smith went to The Hamilton Motel in Summerville on Dec. 27 to rent a room for a New Year's party with a group of friends. He was denied a room because of the motel's no pet policy.
'I told my employee that they cannot take any pets,' said motel manager and owner Peter Patel.
Patel added that Smith could have kept his dog in the room with him if he had paid a $100 refundable deposit.
'I tried to tell them he's not a pet,' Smith said.
...Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, privately owned businesses that serve the public are required to allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals onto business premises in whatever areas customers are generally allowed. The ADA also prohibits business owners from charging a fee or deposit for admitting a service dog. A fee can only be imposed if the dog causes damage to the property."
 
Last week our local paper had an article about a man who wasn't allowed to bring his service dog into a motel unless he paid a $100 deposit.

The title of the article was "No room at the inn for pooch". Here is part of the article:

"Timothy Smith takes his dog, Alex, with him everywhere. Anywhere Smith goes, the huge, black lab-Great Dane is always by his side.
Alex's affection for Smith isn't just a dog's simple loyalty, it's his job. Alex is a medical service dog.
While Alex wears a harness and pack that identitfy him as a medical service dog, he's not always welcome in certain places.
Smith went to The Hamilton Motel in Summerville on Dec. 27 to rent a room for a New Year's party with a group of friends. He was denied a room because of the motel's no pet policy.
'I told my employee that they cannot take any pets,' said motel manager and owner Peter Patel.
Patel added that Smith could have kept his dog in the room with him if he had paid a $100 refundable deposit.
'I tried to tell them he's not a pet,' Smith said.
...Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, privately owned businesses that serve the public are required to allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals onto business premises in whatever areas customers are generally allowed. The ADA also prohibits business owners from charging a fee or deposit for admitting a service dog. A fee can only be imposed if the dog causes damage to the property."

Reba,

Hopefully, the article said the name of the motel. Secondly, Smith should have called the police on the spot and threaten a lawsuit. The police would have educated the owner very quickly and advised him that he would be in violation of a federal law. I sure hope this motel gets sued.
 
Reba,

Hopefully, the article said the name of the motel. Secondly, Smith should have called the police on the spot and threaten a lawsuit. The police would have educated the owner very quickly and advised him that he would be in violation of a federal law. I sure hope this motel gets sued.
The Hamilton Motel
 
South Carolina law:

TITLE 43. SOCIAL SERVICES

CHAPTER 33. RIGHTS OF PHYSICALLY DISABLED PERSONS

ARTICLE 1. IN GENERAL

SECTION 43-33-10. Declaration of policy. [SC ST SEC 43-33-10]

It is the policy of this State to encourage and enable the blind, the visually handicapped, and the otherwise physically disabled to participate fully in the social and economic life of the State and to engage in remunerative employment.

SECTION 43-33-20. Right of use of public facilities and accommodations of blind, other special need persons, and guide dog trainers. [SC ST SEC 43-33-20]

(a) The blind, the visually handicapped, and the otherwise physically disabled have the same right as the able-bodied to the full and free use of the streets, highways, sidewalks, walkways, public facilities, and other public places;

(b) The blind, the visually handicapped, and the otherwise physically disabled are entitled to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of all common carriers, airplanes, motor vehicles, railroad trains, motor buses, street cars, boats or any other public conveyances or modes of transportation, hotels, lodging places, places of public accommodation, amusement or resort, and other places to which the general public is invited, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons;

(c) Every handicapped person has the right to be accompanied by an assistance dog, especially trained for the purpose, in any of the places listed in item (b) of this section without being required to pay an extra charge for the assistance dog. Each handicapped person is liable for any damage done to the premises or facilities by the dog.

(d) Every person who is a trainer of an assistance or guide dog, while engaged in the training of an assistance or guide dog, has the same rights and privileges with respect to access to public facilities and accommodations as blind and disabled persons, including the right to be accompanied by an assistance or guide dog or assistance or guide dog in training, in any of the places listed in item (b) of this section without being required to pay an extra charge for the assistance dog. A person who uses premises or facilities accommodations accompanied by a dog under the authority of this item is liable for any damage done to the premises or facilities by the dog.
 
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