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Helper Parrots, Guide Horses Face Legal Challenges
npr ^
Posted on 01/03/2009 9:27:06 AM PST by 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."
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: animals; blind; guidedog; horses; monkey; parrots; workingdogs
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To: csvset
" Is the monkey going take the wheel?"
Perhaps
21
posted on
01/03/2009 10:05:10 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(Apparitions are in the eye of the beholder)
To: alexander_busek
Google ‘Alex the African Gray Parrot’... and then come back and say that. I doubt you will.
(That is, without being a liar.)
22
posted on
01/03/2009 10:07:03 AM PST
by
gogogodzilla
(Live free or die!)
To: GeronL
23
posted on
01/03/2009 10:08:48 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(Apparitions are in the eye of the beholder)
To: csvset
"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.
24
posted on
01/03/2009 10:09:02 AM PST
by
redhead
("I got so used to enjoying my freedom that I'd forgotten how to defend it." --Dutch correspondent)
To: alexander_busek
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.
To: csvset; MeekOneGOP; Conspiracy Guy; DocRock; King Prout; Darksheare; OSHA; martin_fierro; ...
26
posted on
01/03/2009 10:14:36 AM PST
by
Slings and Arrows
("Every few generations the really, really bad ideas come back around for another go."--Howard Tayler)
To: eastforker; alexander_busek
27
posted on
01/03/2009 10:18:18 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(Apparitions are in the eye of the beholder)
To: Hot Tabasco
"Parrots can’t keep secrets and monkeys are just plain creepy......."
28
posted on
01/03/2009 10:22:29 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(Apparitions are in the eye of the beholder)
To: KarlInOhio
"In Ohio stores can post "No Gun" signs prohibiting people from carrying firearms there. Does that apply to my service chimp too?"
Hell No!
29
posted on
01/03/2009 10:38:42 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(Apparitions are in the eye of the beholder)
To: Daffynition
"Do they get minimum wage? Coffee breaks? The right to unionize?"
Some take coffee breaks
30
posted on
01/03/2009 11:12:53 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(Apparitions are in the eye of the beholder)
To: alexander_busek
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.
31
posted on
01/03/2009 11:31:15 AM PST
by
George Smiley
(Palin is the real deal.)
To: JoeProBono
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.
32
posted on
01/03/2009 12:36:56 PM PST
by
Daffynition
("Beauty is in the sty of the beholder." ~ Joe 6-pack)
To: Daffynition
Know what you mean. My guide turtle panics when we pass a soup kitchen
33
posted on
01/03/2009 1:24:49 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
(Apparitions are in the eye of the beholder)
To: JoeProBono
34
posted on
01/03/2009 5:21:13 PM PST
by
Daffynition
("Beauty is in the sty of the beholder." ~ Joe 6-pack)
To: KarlInOhio
Your arned service chimp may accompany you wherever he wishes.
Sir.
35
posted on
01/03/2009 7:32:04 PM PST
by
Titan Magroyne
("Drill now drill hard drill often and give old Gaia a cigarette afterwards she deserves it." HerrBlu)
To: HairOfTheDog
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.
36
posted on
01/03/2009 8:09:08 PM PST
by
Hyzenthlay
(Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)
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