Re: Service Dogs -- Barb Chalfonte
From: Fred H Olson (fholsoncohousing.org)
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 04:39:12 -0700 (MST)
Barb Chalfonte DuraMaterBC [at] aol.com
is the author of the message below. 
It was posted by Fred the Cohousing-L list manager <fholson [at] cohousing.org> 
because the message included HTML ;      PLEASE do not post HTML, see
   http://csf.colorado.edu/cohousing/2001/msg01672.html
--------------------  FORWARDED MESSAGE FOLLOWS --------------------

On March 27, 2002 Alicianat [at] aol.com wrote:

>Banning service dogs, or in any way making them unwelcome by making it
>even an issue for discussion, is in my perspective, very unaccepting and
>inappropriate.  So is suggesting that a disabled person depend on people
>who are neither trained to support that individual nor having a
>relationship of trust with the person needing assistance.

I disagree wholeheartedly with this argument.  I have anaphylactic-level 
allergies to both dogs and cats, and one might constitute this is as a 
"special-challenge" if not a disability.  Why is a disability requiring a 
trained animal held in "higher regard" than a life-threatening allergy?

Asking a question is hardly unaccepting, unwelcoming or inappropriate.  The 
person is honestly seeking information.  Indeed, I think it is an excellent 
question, one I too have concerns about, albeit from the perspective of the 
one potentially harmed rather than aided by a dog.  In fact, all the 
arguments that were made in favor for the person with the aid-dog should be 
made for the allergic person is well.  I hope my community will support me 
around these issues, as I don't want the common house, an extension of my 
home, to be off limits.  Indeed, such issues pose a dilemma, as no one has 
more "rights" than any other person.

Best,
Barb Chalfonte
Rocky Hill Cohousing (got land, working on site dev)
Northampton

Alicianat [at] aol.com continues:
>The disabled person needs to determine what level of support vs. 
independence 
>they want.  The are entitled to whatever level of independence, autonomy and 
>sense of freedom the service animal/dog provides them and  offering to help 
>so we don't get our carpets dirty is a bad reason for doing so. People who 
>choose service animals as helpmates often do so because they do not want to 
>have to lean on someone else's arm or constantly depend on another human 
>being for meeting their needs. We need to keep that in consideration.  We 
>cannot an should not assume that a disabled person has a preference for 
>depending on neighbors to "help". That may be a conscious choice which the 
>community, including the disabled person makes, but legislating dogs out so 
>the community can "help" to a disabled person who does not need or want that 
>kind of help is inappropriate. 
>
>In the ideal world, the community would welcome participating in supporting 
>the specially challenged person.  In truth, the very best way to do that may 
>be creating an environment where the disabled person with service animal 
>companion live independently with dignity and are fully and heartily 
welcomed 
>in all areas of the common property.  Common areas are as much an extension 
>of home for the disabled as for everyone else, and making it  unwelcoming to 
>service animals is as significant as saying your husband or child is 
>unwelcome and we really are saying "We don't want any disabled people with 
>service animals here because it might inconenience us."  That means finding 
>ways to deal with animal dander or whatever other considerations as 
necessary.
>
>It is great to see a thoughtful discussion of issues relating to service 
>animals. I hope this will start an honest look  attitudes and  values within 
>the community regarding the disabled and promote better understanding. .  
>There are enough places in the world where disabled people meed 
>misunderstanding, discrimination and intolerance and they certainly do not 
>need it in their home community. I would hope that every co housing 
community 
>facing this consideration give some thought to understanding the the need of 
>the disabled persons includes access with service animals in all common 
>areas.

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