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Author Topic: interview questions needed  (Read 5479 times)

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ella

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interview questions needed
« on: October 19, 2006, 11:59:31 PM »

Need some suggestions, please. I need as many questions as possible for a tv and or radio interview for a disabled woman and her service dog. One of our local programs gives about a half hour interviews.  The dog was injured, has gotten medical help, and the woman is doing fundraising to pay the bill. The dog is just returning to light duty.  There is a local non-profit organization involved.
She uses two dogs, and both will be with her for the interview.  The woman likes to talk, so one goal of questions has to be to kind of keep her on track, lol.

 Who, what, when where, why, how...
In your spare time, can you think of what you would like to know, as a listener to this interview?  She's had several bake sales, and has 2 more events planned.
Who, what, when where, why, how...

Tell us about yourself and your dogs.
How was Hollie injured? (By this I assume you mean How did it happen?)
What injuries did she receive?

What kind of medical care did she need, did she get it?

By whom?

Is she recovered now?

If not, how long until she is?

What is she doing as far as rehab?

What are you doing to help her recover?

Has it been, or will it be a full recovery?

How has it helped?

You've done some bake sales to raise the money for this. How many more events do you have planned?
What are they, when, where?


All suggestions appreciated.
thanks,
Ella
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Re: interview questions needed
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2006, 12:22:25 AM »

Why do you have 2 dogs?

How has the other dog taken over or filled in for the injured dog?
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Kathy Wendorff

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Re: interview questions needed
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2006, 07:00:38 AM »

How does your service dog usually help you? How have you been getting along while the dog is injured?

How and when did you get your dog? What training was involved -- both for you, and for the dog?

What does it cost to train a service dog? Is pet health insurance an option for these animals? (I'm guessing it's prohibitively expensive)

Kathy W.
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Lance Charnes

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Re: interview questions needed
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2006, 11:15:11 AM »

Does the service dog now need a service dog?  ;)
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Brenda B.

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Re: interview questions needed
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2006, 11:17:47 AM »

Kathy asked the questions I came up with off the top of my head, but here are a few more.

Where was the dog trained? Did she go through the training at the same time? (I have a friend with a service dog and they went through together, but I know this is not always the case.) Give the place which did the training some air time, a lot of them are non-profit and could use the publicity.

In addition to what her dog(s) do for her what are other things service dogs can be trained for? (Again, I know they can be "tailored" to the needs of the individual.)

My friend's dog is "working" when he has his vest on and she has to encourage strangers and friends alike not to pet him or treat him as a pet when he's wearing the vest. I don't know how you can work that into a question, but it is good information for people to know when they see someone in public with a service dog, especially if they have children.


Just an FYI:  I just read, in our paper I think, that a woman was watching TV and her cat jumped across the back of the sofa and off the end table, knocking over a lit candle which then ignited some artificial plants and set the place on fire. The service dog fetched the phone and the woman's artificial leg and helped her to safety. The dog then (of it's own accord I believe) went back into the house to save the cat. Unfortunately neither animal survived.

You've got a great topic there Ella, I wouldn't be surprised if this woman just wants to talk about her dilemma and that's completely understandable, but my advice is don't waste the opportunity to get the word out about service dogs, what they do, how they are beneficial, etc... It might bring more sympathy for the woman than she realizes and get more results than just talking about her particular situation.

Break a leg...or whatever they say in radioland!
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ella

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Re: interview questions needed
« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2006, 11:45:07 AM »

Good Questions, thanks.
The woman is legally blind. She has no peripheral vision, and limited vision otherwise. She also has Cerebral Palsey. Her dogs help her with balance and forward motion.

She's had the injured one for almost 9 years, the other about 6. That one replaced one that had died. Both are owner trained.

Service animals are to be task trained to alleviate the disabled handler's disability.
The costs of training can be relatively small. I've trained Mira, for instance, myself, using my prior knowledge for most of it, with suggestions and advice from other owners of service animals to train a certain task. The costs go up from there. There are training books, videos, private and group classes, or schools. Depending on the need, my understanding is that the costs can get to $20,000-30,000 and more for both Service and for Guide dogs. Because the costs are as you say, prohibitive--disabled people don't usually have a lot of money--most service animals are owner trained. Even if trained by a facility, the owner has to do the tweaking, keep the training going, train more tasks as needed or wanted, etc.
My friend has been on SSDI all her life. She does crafts for a few local craft fairs to supplement that.

Pet health insurance is available, and many people have it. The discussions have suggested it's as effective to keep the monthly premiums in a separate account and let that build up. One service animal advocacy group offers emergency only help for a minimal cost as long as their criteria are met--one animal a year. My girl is covered by that. If something else happens, oops! I may have to do something such as this woman is doing.
There are organizations to be found on the net that offer various kinds of assistance. (I have a list of several, if anyone needs it)

Her dog injured both hind leg knees and required 2 knee surgeries. Both were successful and it appears the dog will return to full work in another month or so. She was totally out of commission for several months, even needing physical support to get outside to relieve herself.


Oh--the total bill was a little over $6000, and through the bake sales held at Walmart and Basha's, a local grocer, donations have totalled about $4500. There is one more bake sale at Basha's, and Sweet Tomatoes is the last--buy a meal on that day at Sweet Tomatoes and tell them it's for Hollie, and a portion of the money goes to her medicals.

Thanks for your suggestions and interest.
Ella

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ella

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Re: interview questions needed
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2006, 12:40:12 PM »

Brenda
These suggestions are not only good, they are important--thank you for suggesting them.

In addition to what her dog(s) do for her what are other things service dogs can be trained for? (Again, I know they can be "tailored" to the needs of the individual.)
I will post seperately some of what I have trained Mira to do for me, as examples. There are task lists at  International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP)  http://www.iaadp.org/tasks.html   http://www.iaadp.org/psd_tasks.html      and other places.  IAADP is also the group through which I have Mira covered for emergency medical help.

My friend's dog is "working" when he has his vest on and she has to encourage strangers and friends alike not to pet him or treat him as a pet when he's wearing the vest. I don't know how you can work that into a question, but it is good information for people to know when they see someone in public with a service dog, especially if they have children.
Service animals are not required to wear any identification. Mira doesn't, and knows when she is working or not. That is a problem we all often run into and it depends on the handler. Sometime, I don't mind, but there are times I step in between, say no, stop a kid, thank the parent, etc. Most animals should never be approached for any reason--guide dogs, hearing dogs, psychiatric dogs, and others, including mobility dogs--basically Mira's main job. Their handlers depend on them for their safety.

Another growing  problem is that people are taking their _pets_ and saying they are service dogs. It's not the animals that have access, but the disabled person. The person must be disabled under federal law and the dog must be task trained to alleviate that disability.
A place of public accommodation per the ADA Business brief can ask
1. Are you disabled?
2. Is that your SD or pet?
3. What tasks is the dog trained to perform?

This was upheld in court in the Grill vs Costco case
Businesses can ask any Assistance Dog real or fake to leave if the dog is not behaving in a professional manner.
There's a little more, but, that doesn't belong here.



 I read that a woman was watching TV and her cat jumped across the back of the sofa and off the end table, knocking over a lit candle which then ... set the place on fire. The service dog fetched the phone and the woman's artificial leg and helped her to safety. The dog then (of it's own accord I believe) went back into the house to save the cat. Unfortunately neither animal survived.
Yes. Sad situation. the woman lost good friends as well as her home.

You've got a great topic ... but ...don't waste the opportunity to get the word out about service dogs, what they do, how they are beneficial, etc... It might bring more sympathy for the woman than she realizes and get more results than just talking about her particular situation.

Excellent! Now to get this across to her, lol.

Break a leg...or whatever they say in radioland!
Thanks
Ella
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ella

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Re: interview questions needed
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2006, 12:43:29 PM »

Mira is from the Belgian Sheepdog Rescue group. I got her when she was about 18 months old.

This is part of what I wrote on Mira's 6th birthday July 4, 2006:
She picks up dropped items, from plastic cards and keys to her leash, my walking stick, and my jacket; she retrieves many things from across the room or from another room, including bottled water, the phone, my purse, my O2 hose, my inhaler, the joggers or slippers, her “bone” or her (pigs) ear; outside she pulls the garden hose for me, brings the rake or broom, brings me branches I pruned from the tree so I can put them into the trash, and helps me exercise by pulling me, or me and the bike. She opens the door to go out, and with her good manners, closes it behind her. Off leash she swiftly chases rabbits, squirrels and lizards. On leash, again, due to her consideration for me, she manages to contain herself.

Miracle saved my life February 27, 2006 by bringing needed meds to me and hauling me to the others.

Mira makes friends wherever she goes, and helps me make friends.

At night, before we go to bed, she tugs my shoes and socks from my feet and brings my slippers. After the light is out and I’m settled in bed, she brings her kong and demands it be filled. She follows me to the kitchen to be sure I fill it completely, then accepts her days pay graciously in her kennel at the foot of my bed and teases the goodies from it as I go to sleep, safe in her keeping.

I thought I rescued her, but in fact, she rescued me.
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Ingrid

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Re: interview questions needed
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2006, 01:14:53 PM »

The question that troubles me is how the dog got injured.  We all try very hard to protect our animals.  How much more crucial when it is a special needs working dog!

Ingrid
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ella

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Re: interview questions needed
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2006, 01:28:02 PM »

The dog's left leg was injured at landing after jumping off the bed. She has slept with her owner for 9 years, getting onto and off the bed numerous times a day. A few months ago she landed wrong, I guess, and broke/tore the one knee (connections) and a few weeks later, did the same to the other knee. Apparently it's common and expected that if one knee goes, the other is almost guaranteed to go soon, too.

If I remember correctly, if only 1 leg is injured, with good care, the dog can sometimes recover without surgery. Since Hollie is a service dog, that was not even a consideration. She had been evaluated and scheduled for an orperation before the second injury.
Fortunately, she had a doctor who does these surgeries very well and with, at least in Hollie's case, with great success. And the woman has been really good about following all his directions and orders.
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Ingrid

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Re: interview questions needed
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2006, 05:19:16 PM »

Terribly sorry about this.  She has no business on that bed any longer.  We've had dachshunds who put their backs out jumping from furniture and going up and down steps. I had to carry them and barricade stairs and furniture to break them from jumping.

Hope all goes well with the dog.

Ingrid
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ella

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Re: interview questions needed
« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2006, 05:28:22 PM »

You're right, and Hollie has been banned from the bed.
Today's Arizona Daily Star has an articleabout her at
http://www.azstarnet.com/neighbors/151953

It has a nice photo of both of them.

Thanks for the suggestions.
Ella
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