A seizure alert dog/Canine Partners for Life
As the economy plummets and more people become homeless, heartbreaking decisions are being made to surrender pets.
But what if a person needs his or her pet for a medical reason?
Guide dogs, for example, are often used to help the legally blind navigate through their daily lives. Seizure-detecting dogs alert their owners to an oncoming episode and watch over them as it happens.
When people like this become homeless, an already horrible situation can become even worse if shelters refuse to take them in because of their service dogs.
The Los Angeles Times reports that is exactly what happened to Shawnine Mackay, a homeless woman who uses a wheelchair to navigate the streets around Hollywood Boulevard. Nearby homeless shelters won’t accept Mackay because she relies on Molly, a seizure-detecting dog that is her constant companion.
In response, the Housing Rights Center and the Disability Rights Legal Center this week filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. The lawsuit alleges that several shelters have banned service dogs -- a violation of fair housing laws and The Americans With Disabilities Act.
Shawna L. Parks, director of litigation for the Disability Rights Legal Center told the L.A. Times that homeless shelters are supposed to accommodate service animals. The same provisions do not apply to "pets," she said.
The Homeless Services Authority could not be reached for comment, the L.A. Times reported.
Since the economic decline began, animal advocates and other groups have reported increasing numbers of pets being surrendered to shelters or being set free to fend for themselves. Some people are unable to care for their pets after they lose their jobs and then their housing.
Sources: L.A. Times, Canine Partners for Life, epilepsy.com, nationalgeographic.com.
Seizure detecting dogs
*Some dog trainers and researchers believe certain dogs can detect small changes in human behavior or scent before seizure.
*The service dog group Canine Partners for Life believes some dogs have an innate ability to detect seizures. The dogs cannot be trained to do this, but rather positive enforcement is given to dogs that exhibit the ability.
*Seizure-detecting dogs will often nudge or bump their owner, or make a whining noise to warn them of an impending seizure.
*When the owner receives the warning, they can take necessary precautions, or alert medical personnel or their family members.
*The dogs can give their owners a sense of control and management over their condition.
*There is no scientific evidence that proves some dogs can detect seizures before they happen.
Comments
This same thing happened to me in 1993 in Colorado Springs. I was homeless, disabled, and with a service dog. I ended up sleeping by a creek in the dead of winter.
The homeless shelters wanted me to dump my highly trained 9 year old assistance dog into a pound and surrender her. In a time I desperately needed the dog for mobility, hearing assistance, and alerting to epilepsy.
Lucky for me other disabled people heard of my plight and opened their homes and hearts for me and my service dog until I got onto my feet and got my disability backpayments to where I could get my own home. I owe those people my life!
I hope these shelters get nailed to the wall for refusing access to disabled people with working service dogs. Living on the street when one is very vulnerable and even unable to run away from danger is excruciatingly scary. I still have nightmares about my time on the street sick , crippled and scared for my life.
I would think this is illegal and they will get nailed under the ADA.
It seems an odd juxtaposition that along with this story some of the others that are listed are:
~dog fashion shows
~custom pet portraits
~dog party tips
~pet friendly hotels
It seems that the disparity between rich and poor people has extended to rich and poor pets.
If a society is indeed judged by how we treat our weakest members, we aren't looking so good!
Been through Shelters, classified as certified Hearing Guide Dog, decades ago - denied protective shelter in spite of Federal Law on Guide dogs - now known as Service Dogs regardless of what ability and functionality they perform - the LAW is the LAW. Shelters often revert to "Exemption" to "Religious" purposes for excuses.. I certainly wasn't homeless, but a victim of domestic violence and abuse and needed protection and I had a child... Shelters have zone compassion even back then - it still shows today.
My, how awful. I can't imagine why a shelter would think it's ok to turn people with service dogs away. That doesn't make sense, to disallow someone disabled and with a service dog shelter and food.
Keep posting the great articles. I'm crossposting this one.
I was in a homeless shelter and was told 2 leave b/c I didn't have a letter from a doctor stating my dog was a service animal. I was given 1 day 2 get a letter. Unfortunately, my circumstances were that I didn't have access to medical providers b/c of the cost. I was forced out of the shelter. It was incredibly difficult.
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