Buddy was one of the first dogs to be trained for a blind owner, Morris Frank (1908-1980). Morris lost vision in one eye at six years old from riding a horse into a tree limb, and the second eye as a result of a boxing match at 16 years of age. Buddy was the one to convince Congress that to do her job, she needed special laws about public access.
There is a story about Congress wanting visual proof of how buddy would lead her blind partner around obstacles. They arranged all kids of chairs and tables in one of the aisles of Congress while buddy watched. When Morris gave the command to walk on toward the podium, buddy turned sharply and went down the other aisle, thus avoiding all the planned obstacles.
For years, public access applied only to seeing eye dogs. Only recently it was expanded to include hearing and mobility dogs. The law includes a provision that if the dog does not behave perfectly it may be denied access. Presenting a pet dog as a service dog is not only shameful, it is illegal in many states.
– Carlene White, founder of Service Dog Project in Ipswich, MA. The organization trains and places Great Danes with people who live with Multiple Sclerosis, Friedreich’s ataxia, and veterans with disabilities.
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