Sorting out assistance dogs.

ATR deciding not to tread warily with dog lovers and suggests public areas and retail outlets perhaps DO have a case in banning some assistance animals. Note: NO doggie images are included so that people at least attempt to read about the issue! Read here to see what the issue really is! 

"There is no clear law regarding admitting dogs, or, the awareness we don't just have dogs, Why the wider and wider inclusion of assistance animals to include the deaf and those with no visible issue has meant business wants a clear identification process and licences introduced. 

The health and safety law also conflicts with the access law so needs sorting out. When in doubt, business finds it easier to ban to protect themselves, it is far from clear who is liable if or when an assistance animal causes injury or annoyance to others, disabled are resisting allocated areas, claiming it is discrimination. The UK has also identified opportunist pet owners taking their animals into shops and restaurants falsely claiming they have an issue when they don't. 

Some public areas opposed the deaf, on the grounds they should not have their dogs admitted as they are not trained to support as the blind dogs are, thus non-essential assistance animals in that respect. Deaf respond with 'They are psychological/emotional support animals' and staff have no idea what that means.  They can acknowledge a 'deaf dog' alerts a deaf person to a doorbell or other sounds, but fail to see how that makes them eligible to enter food areas in the public domain.  

For the deaf does this mean they are claiming admittance because they have mental health issues? a hidden disability? or, because they are deaf and cannot leave home without a dog?  Some kind of registration process, monitoring, and a definitive ruling is essential to validate, to get rid of the confusion, else the door is literally wide open to anyone with a dog.

Do not other customers have rights?  apparently not, which is another issue, as other customers may be allergic etc...  Should we be insisting assistance dog owners carry public liability insurance too?"

Be like Bob

Girl With a CI wins place on Brit Gymnastics team.

A deaf girl from Chislehurst has beaten the odds to win a place on the British gymnastics squad aged just 10. 1 comment Sophia Eisenhuth was born profoundly deaf and fitted with a cochlear implant at seven months old. The inspirational schoolgirl, who says she “has never known what it was like not to be able to hear”, auditioned for the British Gymnastics Foundation tumbling squad last year. 

Just days before Christmas she received a letter telling her she had been accepted and would attend training camps this year. Her mum Becky said: “This is exceptional for any 10-year-old, let alone one with a cochlear implant. We are all so proud and Sophia was so excited when she found out that she cried.” MORE: This determined mum taught her deaf son to speak - and has an inspiring message for other parents.

The young gymnast has also defied the odds and excelled in modern dance despite fears her hearing loss would affect her musicality. Last year, she bagged a haul of awards including two first-place medals and a trophy for the most promising junior dancer at a competition in Jersey. Becky added: “I was so proud and her musicality was spot-on. In her last set of dance exams, she got 10/10 for her musicality and timing, it’s always the first section I check.” Sophia added: “I think everyone should have fun and do what they want to do and a cochlear implant shouldn’t stand in their way.” 

SOURCE

What IS the future for those with hearing loss?

As ever what do those with hearing loss really want to happen? E.G.  Share your Deaf or Hard of Hearing technology dream. What would make your life easier, more inclusive and have a massive impact on your daily life? The response below got the most support:

"I think what is a primary demand and need is an end to hearing loss and an end to what makes our hearing worse. Whilst the pessimists continue to accept hearing loss as some inevitable result of the life we lead, or, the age we get to, addressing it is half-hearted an approach as if we did it to ourselves. We read daily of 'Let's declare war on cancer, on arthritis' etc.. 

Let's declare a war on deafness and hearing loss and not just plod along hoping some miracle cure will present itself or a better aid is there. We live in a world swamped by noise, we can start there... There  is 20 times more funding being poured into alleviation than there is to research into hearing loss cures. We are addressing the result not the cause, and not doing a good job of that either. "