Guide Animals may need to become multilingual

For the latest in miniature horse headlines visit: http://www.guidehorse.com/law_n_news.htm

In a remarkable story titled "Guide dog barred for speaking only French", it appears that some Guide Animals must be taught to respond in several languages.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5395372/

Because Canada is officially a dual-language Nation (English and French), Guide Horse users may encounter difficulty if their Guide Horses do not understand French commands.

In this unique story a blind guide dog user was barred from an English-only course because his dog was not fluent in English.

"Yvan Tessier was turned away from an English immersion course at the
University of New Brunswick because he would be forced to give his dog, Pavot, instructions in French."

The potential student was consternated because the issue was only with the 17 commands required for the dog to guide him:

"They don't have the openness of spirit to understand that it's better for
me and my mobility to operate with my guide dog. It's only 17 commands in French, it won't compromise the English program."

There is concern that the dual-language requirement may eventually be extended to the language recognition of guide animals:

"We were astonished by this," said Pierre Noiseux, a spokesman at the foundation which placed Pavot with Tessier.

"The dog doesn't speak French or English. He doesn't know how to spell 'en avant.' He doesn't know it's French. He just knows that 'en avant' means forward."

The training school, The Mira Foundation made this comment:

Tessier said it would take too long to teach Pavot English commands. The Mira Foundation said it was also dangerous to teach the dog new commands just as Tessier arrives in unfamiliar surroundings.

In sum, Guide Horse users need to understand that the laws of every foreign country are different and the protection extended by the American's with Disabilities Act does not apply in many foreign nations.

 

Get the Book!

Helping Hooves The Guide Horse Foundation Training Program to Train  Miniature Horses  as Guide Animals for the Blind Janet Burleson ISBN Retail Price $27.95 Order this book now and get 20% off the retail price! Only $19.95 Order Now!   Read the compelling story of the first miniature horse trained to work as a guide horse. Learn the exciting methods used to prepare the tiny horses to perform these amazing services.   A portion of the proceeds from sales will benefit the Guide Horse Foundation.     Quotes:   Janet Burleson is one of the world's pioneering horse trainers – Practical Horseman Magazine   Seeing is believing – USA Today   Janet and Don Burleson are  . . . Angels – People Magazine   How wonderful that Janet and Don Burleson have initiated this valuable experimental program teaming miniature horses with blind people – Newsweek   Miniature ponies are leading the way for the blind – ABC News   Guide Horses  . . . are as small and disciplined as Guide Dogs – TIME Magazine   Extraordinary – ABC 20/20   It is often the little things that win our hearts and minds – ABC News   The Burleson’s are . . . using horse sense to Guide – Boston Globe   Twinkie proved that miniature horses could fill the role, and fill it well – VetCentric Magazine   An Intriguing Program - Discovery Channel