Ablevision learns about helper monkeys

via YouTube:

Helping Hands is a great organization that trains capuchin monkeys to help people with disabilities with every day tasks such as fetching items, loading DVDs, and even face scratching! The monkeys are amazingly intelligent and provide a great source of companionship. For more information about Helping Hands please visit them at www.monkeyhelpers.org

Triangle's Ablevision is a national, award-winning television show produced by people with disabilities. For more information about Ablevision, to donate, or to order DVDs, please visit www.ablevision.org

In the blink of an eye

When my friend Sue brought her guide dog Wonder over the other night, I wasn't sure how my cat Riley would react. Although the shelter wasn't sure exactly how old he is, we're guessing about eight months. No one knows his history, so it's unclear whether he's been around other dogs or cats.

When Wonder first passed through the room, Riley looked over at her, his eyes grew wide and, he hunched up in fear. Wonder was about six feet away from him and I rolled near Riley to reassure him. Wonder remained calm and completely still. Then she blinked. Riley blinked back. His body relaxed. Wonder blinked again and then Riley blinked too.

A good start.

So I found this YouTube video about raising a guide dog puppy and toward the end it shows how the cats and puppy learn to get along. It's an interesting series called Growing Up Guide Pup which teaches about the training that goes into a service animal and there are other videos to watch if you like this one.

Canine advocacy program

I received an article from a friend about the Canine advocacy program in Michigan.

Amos, a two-year-old lab mix, visits court rooms to work with child witnesses in cases of domestic or sexual assault.

The article says:

The idea of using dogs to ease courtroom tensions is not new and is gaining popularity across the country. Courthousedogs.com began in Seattle when an assistant prosecutor in King County, took her disabled son's service dog to work one day a week and discovered that the dog had a profoundly calming effect on young witnesses. Now that county, and others in Texas, Georgia, Montana, Florida and Maryland have dogs working courtrooms.

New to the Blogroll: People with Disabilities and Service Dog Awareness

Please check out this site which I just added to my blogroll- whether you have a disability, use a service dog or not -all are welcome.

People with Disabilities and Service Dog Awareness has a welcome statement that reads:

You do not have to be a person with disabilities or have a service animal to join our community. There are plenty of worthwhile information here along with lots of conversational opportunities.


I think that's great. And I'm very glad a comment was left which alerted me to the fact that this blog wasn't on my blogroll.

Vermont Woman wants horse as service animal....

"Cooper, 50, has a severe case of celiac disease, a disorder in which exposure to a protein called gluten destroys the ability of the small intestine to absorb nutrients. One result can be brittle bones, and Cooper has used a wheelchair since she broke her back for the second time four years ago.
Earl, short for Early to Rise, is a 1-year-old miniature tobiano pinto horse that weighs about 100 pounds and is 32 inches tall at the shoulder - just the right height for a frequent face-to-face nuzzle with Cooper as she sits in her wheelchair.
....
Her plan is to attach shafts extending from Earl's harness to her wheelchair. "He'll be able to pull me back and forth to the bus stop and pull me to town. After he's trained he'll be able to go on the bus with me under ADA laws."
via Associated Press

Patty Cooper is working with the Land Trust so that she can keep the horse in her apartment. She says she prefers a horse for a few reasons, one of which is the much longer lifespan over that of a service dog.


To read the rest of the article, click above.

Assist monkeys -helping hands

This is a great video showing how helper monkeys assist folks with disabilities.

Mom, there's a dog - in my dorm room...

At Rutgers, University of Delaware and Rowan University , students raise puppies before they are sent for their final phase of training as guide dogs.

Assistive - - cat?

Today I was talking on the phone and tried to use the voice recognition feature to do something, but it wouldn't work. I used my assistive device to try to push a button and missed the target about three times.

Suddenly I saw a big black and white paw descend onto the button and push it down. I looked at my cat Buddy and he blinked at me.

I said "Gee, thanks."

Several years ago I attended a presentation on assistive dogs. Several of my friends, who are dog-lovers, urged me to get a dog to help me with some of the tasks that are difficult due to my quadriplegia. However, I decided at the time not to do it. My aide teased me that I should get a monkey instead. I told her that would be fine - she can change its diapers. So much for that idea.

But it never occurred to me that my cat would be able to do some things for me. So after this happened with my phone, I was curious and wondered if he would do it again. I decided to test him out.

He was sitting on the arm of my chair, in a half-nap, half -awake state which is how he spends about 23 hours a day. I moved the TV remote close to me and tried to hit a button. I missed. I saw his eyes dart over. I tried to hit the button again. I missed. My cat looked at me, then his paw flew out sideways and hit the button. The TV went on and he sighed contentedly.

Remarkable, I thought. Then again, I wondered - do I really want a cat who can answer the phone and turn on the TV when I go out? Heck, why not?

Maybe he could go out to the refrigerator and get me a snack. I wouldn't mind that.