Helper Parrots, Guide Horses Face Legal Challenges

npr ^

[JoeProBono]

Chances are you've seen a blind person accompanied by a guide dog. But what about a guide horse, a service parrot or a monkey trained to help an agoraphobic? These are just a few of the nontraditional service animals that are used across the country to help people with disabilities and psychological disorders. As their uses are expanding, however, the government is considering a proposal that would limit the definition of "service animal" to "a dog or other common domestic animal."

[JoeProBono]

Richard, a bonnet macaque monkey, helps Debby Rose get through the day without debilitating panic attacks

Ann Edie, who is blind, relies on Panda to guide her through her daily activities

Jim Eggers carries his parrot Sadie around with him in this cage converted into a backpack.

A Calming Parrot

The surprises don't end with horses. Jim Eggers, who suffers from bipolar disorder, accidentally discovered that his parrot can help him calm down and avoid destructive behavior.

Sensing that her owner is on the verge of a psychotic episode, Sadie talks him down with, "It's OK, Jim. Calm down, Jim. You're all right, Jim. I'm here, Jim."

He carries her around at all times in a backpack carefully fitted to hold her cage. It's not an arrangement that people are accustomed to and people are often skeptical.

[Steely Tom]

Guide Horse? I don't get it. Perhaps, knowing NPR's fealty to All Things Homosexual, they actually mean horse guide.

[nuconvert]

I like Richard. Does he have a co-pilot’s license?

[ThomasThomas]

I hope this catch on with republicans.

[ThomasThomas]

If I only had my “service animal” maybe I would have not forgotten that word. Elephants never forget.

[GeronL]

my helper hippo typed this for me

[Hot Tabasco]

Parrots can’t keep secrets and monkeys are just plain creepy.......

[gogogodzilla]

I always thought parrots would be more useful to the blind than a seeing eye dog. After all, a parrot can tell you what is around you. All a dog can do is tug at your hand.

[norraad]

Why the blind don't skydive......

..it scares their dogs..

[Daffynition]

Do they get minimum wage? Coffee breaks? The right to unionize?

[ex91B10]

Do a search on the "Americans with Disabilities Act" and focus on a section called 'Comfort Animals'.

It gets stranger daily here...

[HairOfTheDog]

I think the problem is not in the variety of service animals used... it could very well be that animals other than dogs can be service animals. I am intrigued that parrots and monkeys might be very helpful in doing tactile tasks for those with serious mobility issues.

I think the problem is in the increasingly silly list of human conditions and animals that may or may not help them. On the surface, many seem like silly excuses to take their pets with them everywhere. Panic attack monkey?

[csvset]

A Calming Parrot

Avast there matey ! Ye be upsetting the captain ! Belay that!

[Steely Tom]

Do a search on the "Americans with Disabilities Act" and focus on a section called 'Comfort Animals'.

Exactly. I recall that the Japanese Imperial Army had it's use of... well, click here if you dare.

[RedStateRocker]

I’m pretty hard of hearing (no, from wonderful Irish healthcare, not playing music).
Many times my Macaw starts saying “hello’ really loudly, turns out the phone is ringing and I wasn’t hearing it.

I’ve also picked up the phone and held it up to him, when caller ID indicates it;s a telemarketer, the poor sot on the other end keeps asking for me or the wife and gets ‘hello’, Dude!’ and such in what sounds like a little girls voice.

[alexander_busek]

I always thought parrots would be more useful to the blind than a seeing eye dog. After all, a parrot can tell you what is around you. All a dog can do is tug at your hand.

Yeah, like a service parrot is gonna cry out "Caution! You are approaching an intersection!"

Parrots can articulate words, but they haven't the faintest understanding of their meaning.

Regards,

P.S. My service chameleon just ate my cricket companion.

[KarlInOhio]

In Ohio stores can post "No Gun" signs prohibiting people from carrying firearms there. Does that apply to my service chimp too?

[brytlea]

Uh oh, shades of Planet of the Apes!

[csvset]

Um, should Debby Rose be driving if she’s prone to “panic attacks”? WTH? Is the monkey going take the wheel?

[csvset]

Ping for the WTH is this files.

[JoeProBono]

" Is the monkey going take the wheel?"

Perhaps

[gogogodzilla]

Google ‘Alex the African Gray Parrot’... and then come back and say that. I doubt you will.

(That is, without being a liar.)

[JoeProBono]

[redhead]

"Avast there matey ! Ye be upsetting the captain ! Belay that!"

LOL! My parrot's favorite saying is, "Oh, sh*t." Next favorite? "Catalog. Wowowowowowowow!" Followed closely by a lung-ripping human cough. Not really calming, but it is nice to have him around.

[eastforker]

You may be amazed at what birds can and do understand.Once upon a time it was thought that they only mi mick words, it is now known they can think,rationalize and solve abstract puzzles.

[Slings and Arrows]

I dunno about service parrots - they hold grudges.

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

"Parrots can’t keep secrets and monkeys are just plain creepy......."

[JoeProBono]

"In Ohio stores can post "No Gun" signs prohibiting people from carrying firearms there. Does that apply to my service chimp too?"

Hell No!

[JoeProBono]

"Do they get minimum wage? Coffee breaks? The right to unionize?"

Some take coffee breaks

[George Smiley]

Parrots can articulate words, but they haven't the faintest understanding of their meaning.

I disagree. Cpckatiels, yes.

Used to have one of those that did a perfect imitation of a 9600 baud modem handshake. Strangest think I ever heard a bird mimic.

Do some basic research on African Grey parrots as they are the most vocal of all parrots, can develop vocabularies of several hundred words and are estimated to have the intelligence of the average two year-old, if I may use the terms "intelligence" and "two year-old" in the same sentence.

My wife gave her parrot a treat (he refers to all treats as "cookie" and was trained to do so before we got him), and they weren't the kind he preferred.

He threw the treat down and said, "Cookie".

She proceeded to give him another treat, and he repeated the behavior.

When she gave him the treat for the third time, he threw it down and said, "GOOD cookie", meaning that these were not the type of treat that he wanted.

[Daffynition]

That primate isn't a service animal ... he's looking FOR service and apparently got it.

I have a service lobster ....sometimes he gets a bit unruly and it's difficult taking him out to restaurants, especially where hot tea is served and when we're seated near the kitchen.

[JoeProBono]

Know what you mean. My guide turtle panics when we pass a soup kitchen

[Daffynition]

[Titan Magroyne]

Your arned service chimp may accompany you wherever he wishes.

Sir.

[Hyzenthlay]

Yeah, the ‘panic attack monkey’ sounds a little ridiculous, but I’m cool with the ‘calming parrot’ - I casually know a couple people who are bipolar, and I’ve seen them during some bad times, and I’d happily let every bipolar person in the world carry a parrot around in a backpack if that’s what it takes for them to get through the day OK.

I don’t disagree about the thing about the monkeys, though, especially given that they have higher intelligence and longer lifespans than dogs, and that’s not to mention the whole ‘manual dexterity’ thing that dogs just don’t have to begin with.