photo courtesy of Yahoo!
There are currently about 10,000 people who use guide dogs just in the U.S. and Canada, according to Guidedogs.com. We’ve all seen them in action: on the streets, in airports, movie theaters, on public transportation, etc. Those who are blind employ guide dogs for protection, companionship, and to gain more of a sense of independence in their every day lives.
Earlier this year the Los Angeles Times conducted an interview with PETA’s Vice President of Cruelty Investigations, Daphna Nachminovitch. Ms. Nachminovitch stated: “…we support some working dog situations and decry others. Hearing dog programs that pull dogs from animal shelters and ensure that they are in safe and loving homes have our stamp of approval; they live with the family for their entire life, they learn interesting things, enjoy life, and love helping. On the other hand, we oppose most seeing-eye-dog programs because the dogs are bred as if there are no equally intelligent dogs literally dying for homes in shelters, they are kept in harnesses almost 24/7, people are prohibited from petting or playing with them and they cannot romp and run and interact with dogs; and their lives are repeatedly disrupted (they are trained for months in one home and bond, then sent to a second, and after years of bonding with the person they have “served,” they are whisked away again because they are old and no longer “useful”). We have a member who is blind who actually moved states to avoid “returning” her beloved dog. We feel that the human community should do more to support blind people, and give dogs a break. A deaf person can see if a dog has a medical issue such as blood in her urine, a blind person living alone cannot, and so on…”
Putting your personal thoughts on PETA aside, does the VP have a valid argument?
-Are all shelter dogs trainable as guide dogs? Would these dogs require more time and more money to train than dogs specifically bred for this type of work?
-Are guide dogs really kept in harness almost 24/7? Or do they have down time in which they can play and relax in a comfortable environment at home? And how does this compare with regular house dogs- do you think it’s possible that guide dogs actually get more stimulus than your average pet dog?
-How much moving around from owner to owner does a guide dog actually endure? And what really happens when they “retire”?
-Is the comparison between a deaf person and a blind person’s ability to care for a dog flawed?
-Respond to the statement, “…the human community should do more to support blind people, and give dogs a break.” It is certainly possible for blind people to rely solely on the guidance of other humans, but how important is it for a person to feel independent? If you had to choose, would you pick another human as your guide, or a dog?
Comment on your thoughts. And if you or anyone you know uses a guide dog, help set the record straight!
