Program Description
Recorded: September 25, 2024 – Have you ever seen a guide dog in action before? Are you curious about what their job truly entails? What is the importance of teamwork between guide dog and handler? Please join Melissa Carney, Community Outreach and Graduate Support Manager at Guiding Eyes for the Blind for an informative discussion on the tasks guide dogs are trained to perform, responsibilities of working with and caring for a guide dog, and the puzzle pieces that make up a successful partnership between an individual who is blind and their four-legged sidekick. We will also discuss a guide dog handler’s rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), common access issues, appropriate interactions with a working team, and best practices for inclusivity in your community.
Learning objectives:
- The journey of a guide dog, training process, and tasks they perform alongside their handler.
- A handler’s responsibility to the guide dog, safe travel, decision-making, and problem-solving.
- Protections and rights under the ADA.
- Common access barriers that threaten the independence and safety of a working team.
- How to assist a team in your community.
- Dos and don’ts of interacting with a guide dog team.
Presenter
Melissa Carney, Community Outreach and Graduate Support Manager at Guiding Eyes for the Blind – Melissa provides resources and individualized consultations to guide dog handlers, assists in resolving access discrimination issues, educates prospective clients on guide dog readiness, and leads blindness and guide dog awareness presentations for the public. She graduated cum laude from Mount Holyoke College with a B.A in English and Psychology. She previously served as a Fall Policy Intern with the National Council on Independent Living, Visiting Scholar at IBM, Educational Outreach Consultant for Democracy Live, and Director of Outreach and Engagement with the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind. Melissa and her guide dog, a male yellow lab named Aron, have been a team for over 8 years, and currently live in White Plains, New York. They enjoy exploring Manhattan, traveling to new places, socializing, and cuddling on the couch.
Resources
Resources discussed in webinar:
Guiding Eyes for the Blind Handout 1 – PDF
Guiding Eyes for the Blind Handout 2 – PDF
Guiding Eyes for the Blind Handout 3 – PDF
Rev: 10/2/2024