"SUNSHINE" of Nashville, Tennessee
DBSA Launches Interactive Clubhouse Website for Those Living with Depression and Bipolar Disorder
FacingUs.org is an online community where users can journal, share tips, create wellness plans and provide and receive support
Psychiatric Service Dog Society
http://www.psychdog.org/about_mission.html
American Association of People with Disabilities
http://www.aapd-dc.org/index.php
If you live in TN, there is a chance you have seen me since I travel a great deal and live here. You may have met me in the grocery, walking in the mall, dining in a local restaurant, checking in to the same hotel in which you stay, walking in the park, trying to access my laptop in the library, arguing for or against a proposed bill in a legislative committee, or conducting business at the bank. You would recognize me because when I travel, I always travel with Sunshine and she is unforgettable. She weighs about 60 pounds, is two years old and as sweet as can be. A musician friend of mine once told me she has hair most women would kill for- curly with red highlights, blond and white hair. She IS the Sunshine in my life.
Sunshine is my service dog. You cannot tell by looking at me that I have a disability, as is true with many of the other 54 million Americans with disabilities. In 1990 President George Bush signed into law the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Many of us became familiar with the laws around employment, communication and voting, public access and inclusion into all community activities. One of my favorite activists, Marca Bristo says “if we can’t go everywhere, we can’t go anywhere”.
Many of us use animals to provide assistance and help us enjoy a higher quality of life. Some people may use monkeys as service (or working) animals since monkeys have an opposable thumb and can help us dress and grip certain items. Many of us use dogs as an accommodation, based on our disability and need. People who use working animals may include people with autism, epilepsy (and other seizure conditions) multiple chemical sensitivity disorders, anxiety/panic disorders, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, people who are blind or visually impaired, and people who use wheelchairs to name a few. What tasks the animals perform may include getting medicine, alerting us to an alarm or telephone, helping us get to a safe place, getting us assistance, guiding us to transportation or shopping, alerting us to dangerous chemicals, etc.
While Tennessee may have more restrictive laws regarding working animals, the ADA is federal law and supersedes state law. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, we are not required to carry papers on us that indicate this is a service animal. I try to keep a bandana on Sunshine with a badge glued on that reads “Service Dog” to make our path easier but for many people working animals are still a new concept. For every instance where I have been yelled at, escorted out of buildings, challenged to “prove” she is a service animal, and treated with disrespect, I have a dozen more instances of restaurant owners, business managers, store keepers, sales associates, and librarians who greet me asking appropriately “is this a service animal?”, those who come toward me with a question on their face and when I let them know she is a service animal, that is all that is needed. There are many people asking me what she does for me and in some cases how they can get a service animal.
When you see us, please treat us with respect. Service animals are working animals, they are not pets. We are not trying to sneak our dogs in to a building. If you have questions about service animals, contact the Department of Justice: become informed and teach other people. Those of us with disabilities are 20% of the community in the US, and in Davidson County alone, where I reside, 35% of the community. Service animals enable us to be more independent, safe, healthy and aware of our surroundings. Most of us are responsible and obtain working animals through a school or have trained them ourselves to perform certain tasks. When I meet someone who is afraid of dogs I always offer to move to a different area if they would be more comfortable. As with everything else, I have found communication is the key.
I welcome the opportunity to educate others and become more informed.
Sincerely,
Lorre Leon Mendelson
lorreleon@bellsouth.net