No - it's not what you think...I'm not talking about our elected officials...
Actually, I'm talking about our mayor's new pet. I think it's terrific that he's adopted an assist dog that is no longer able to assist (due to arthritis), but have to question bringing Scout to work.
No, not on the day of the announcement. That actually makes sense...raises awareness about assist dogs in general and the ability to adopt pets which are not able to perform as trained.
Rather, on Thursday, Carty and I arrived at government center at the same time and Scout was with the mayor, again. Which raised the question of whether or not it was appropriate to bring a pet to work on a regular basis. (Please note - I'm talking about pets - not animals who are actually functioning as assistants.)
I can't help but wonder, considering my own alllergies, what happens when someone who's allergic to dogs has to attend a meeting with the mayor and Scout, or has to sit in a room where a dog has been hanging out. Does the mayor check ahead of time with his guests to see if it might be a problem?
And who takes Scout outside when necessary and cleans up after him?
Perhaps I'm way off, but I don't think the proper place for a pet is in the mayor's office.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
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I wonder if the "no dogs" rule applies to the regular citizen who may travel with their pet?
Yep - I don't think people should bring their pets shopping, or to dinner, or other places where individuals who are allergic might be present AND would have no expectation that they're going to be around pets.
I also don't think that pets should travel inside the cabin of a plane. I had a person in our row bring her cat in a carry case and the person next to me had a rather violent reaction immediately. The flight attendant offered to move him and he made an issue over the fact that he'd paid for a seat and that the flight attendant should move the cat.
I guess I just subscribe to the 'Dog Whisperer' philosophy that they're animals - not humans, no matter how much we love them.
p.s. I also feel that children should not be taken everywhere, too.
If you read the statement about Scout from the Mayor
http://ci.toledo.oh.us/index.cfm?Article=2015
We see that the dog is brought every day to the offices, why?
The dog is not a service animal.
Maybe Scout will make for a great excuse to replace the carpet in the Mayor's office. Gotta have new carpet to match the decor in the bathroom / spa!
wasn't it Carty who put the city seal on the carpet when he was mayor last time?
TOTALLY not on this topic, but I wanted to comment. I just seen your interview on channel 13, you're a wonderful lady and you have MANY things to be proud of! I hope you enjoy your break from the chaos and can't wait to see what the future holds!
Holly
thanks, Holly!
Hi Maggie, Also off topic, but good luck with everything.
I wondered who was the person responsible for taking Scout out as well. Personally the photo op with Scout was cute and it did give many of us (myself included) the chance to say "The city has gone to the dogs" but I agree it's not really appropriate to have a non-essential pet at One Government Center.
I also agree with Holly on your interview, you did an excellent job and I'm really glad you are going to keep blogging.
:-)
thank you Lisa and tm!
Kate - government center is owned by the State of Ohio. I'm sure they have a policy, but don't know what it is...they do have a management office, too.
However, I think that, considering the different jurisdictions, they may allow for some flexibility in policy.
But you've raised an interesting point. If Carty can bring his pet to work, how can he tell any of his employees that they can't? Would that mean that the city is going to the dogs?
(sorry - just couldn't resist...)
hehehe - I'm waiting for someone to address the obvious discrimination towards felines.
:-)
"Kate - government center is owned by the State of Ohio. I'm sure they have a policy, but don't know what it is...they do have a management office, too."
The City of Toledo has no law or regulation about animals in public buildings. The Lucas County Department of Health is responsible for public buildings, places to eat and so on.
Interesting that Government Center is owned by the state. I tried to search the State of Ohio Agricultural site and I could find nothing about dogs in public buildings that related to this situation.
I too, am a dog lover and foster dogs also, but the issue for me is; Scout is not a service dog and as such the Mayor who is the Chief Execuitive for the city, and it does not matter that it is Carty, must abide by the same rules as the rest of us and if the Mayor does not follow the rules, then what is the sense of having rules?
I am going to e-mail a question to the state offices on this for clarification.
Well, well, well..., the mayor SAYS that Scout can no longer function as as assistance dog...
Arthritis is a disease primarily of the elderly.
The mayor is getting up in years.
I contend that Scout is the mayor's full-time assistance dog, although I'll be darned if I know how Scout can help the mayor to overcome his primary disability, feeble mindedness...
That also goes to explain the mayor hiring Brian Schwartz as his mouthpiece, spokesperson, enforcer, doorstop, pooper-scooper...
Now the mayor has very little left to worry about soiling his hands with. . .
And here we are in August 2007 and the Mayor is caught with his dog, which is not an assistance dog in the Mayor's vehicle on a hot day in Toledo.
Brian Schwartz has stated: "By the way, Scout meets the legal definition of an assistance dog. He does not function as one. Scout is good for morale on the 22nd floor.
NC, go on quoting the city code and the ORC. It doesn’t matter. Scout is coming to One Government Center every day if you like it or not. "
And the ORC states: "(1) “Mobility impaired person” means any person, regardless of age, who is subject to a physiological defect or deficiency regardless of its cause, nature, or extent that renders the person unable to move about without the aid of crutches, a wheelchair, or any other form of support, or that limits the person’s functional ability to ambulate, climb, descend, sit, rise, or perform any related function. “Mobility impaired person” includes a person with a neurological or psychological disability that limits the person’s functional ability to ambulate, climb, descend, sit, rise, or perform any related function. “Mobility impaired person” also includes a person with a seizure disorder.
(2) “Blind” means either of the following:
(a) Vision twenty/two hundred or less in the better eye with proper correction;
(b) Field defect in the better eye with proper correction that contracts the peripheral field so that the diameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than twenty degrees.
(3) “Assistance dog” means a guide dog, hearing dog, or service dog that has been trained by a nonprofit special agency.
(4) “Guide dog” means a dog that has been trained or is in training to assist a blind person.
(5) “Hearing dog” means a dog that has been trained or is in training to assist a deaf or hearing-impaired person.
(6) “Service dog” means a dog that has been trained or is in training to assist a mobility impaired person.
Effective Date: 03-17-1989; 11-26-2004; 06-30-2006
http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/955.011 "
And to date the representative responsible for addressing question s about the policy of allowing animals in the LaSalle building has failed to respond.qkmijns
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