Welcome
Announcing the GDUI 2024 Elections
Report those ads that encourage doting pet owners to break the law and identify untrained pets as service and guide dogs!
We find the ads everywhere! These are the ads that sell a cape or a vest or some other piece of identification paraphernalia that gives pet owners the confidence to falsely claim their pets are service dogs! Don’t make it easy for pet owners to break the law – and harder for guide and service dog users to travel independently and safely with our dogs! Report those ads every time you encounter them! Here’s how!
Do You Frequently Encounter Uncontrolled Pet Dogs in Stores Or Other Public Venues?
GDUI has advice for lodging complaints with business owners or management.
Public Service Announcement on Uncontrolled Dogs
Don’t you wish pet owners would understand how important it is to keep their dogs on leash and under control?
You can help them understand!
Share GDUI’s new audio Public Service Announcement with your local media! And, share the announcement, yourself, with family and friends on all the social media you visit!
We encourage you to share our audio message widely! The more people who understand how important it is to control their dogs, the safer all of us will be!
Tired of being left in the dust? In the rain? In the dark? By the side of the road?
Don’t tolerate discrimination from drivers for Uber or Lyft! Drivers are obligated, by law, to transport you and your guide dog. If a driver fails to pick you and your guide dog up, file a complaint. Find out how to file your complaint.
New CDC Dog Importation Regulations Take Effect August 1, 2024
Beginning August 1, 2024, new dog import rules will go into effect from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These rules, meant to prevent the re-introduction of rabies into the U.S., will affect guide dog teams returning to the United States from travel abroad. Even in cases where a dog’s rabies vaccine has originated in the U.S., and the dog is returning from a country not deemed to be high risk for rabies, some additional documentation will now be required to return to the United States. Visit the CDC’s Bringing a Dog into the United States Web site for further information. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with these requirements, along with those for your destination country as provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, (APHIS) before traveling with your guide dog. You can also find these links and more in our Resources section.
Paws for GDUI – News You Can Use! – VOL IV, No. 5 – Fall 2024 – A Publication of Guide Dog Users, Inc.
President: Sarah Calhoun
Editor: Andrea Giudice
Co-editor and GDUI Immediate Past President: Penny Reeder
Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI) A special interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) since 1972
Toll-Free: 866.799.8436
From the Editor
Hello fellow GDUISters
Somehow it is already November- 2024 is hurdling along at breakneck speed! I love fall with the cooler nights, crisp breezes and the smell of wood smoke in the air. The brisk days make Toto feel frisky, however, he is highly suspicious of the endless piles of leaves strewn all willy nilly along the sidewalks. They are definitely questionable, as he can’t see to the bottom of them and any number of dangers could be lurking in their depths!
This issue is a slight departure from the usual format- instead of having been published in early October (and being called the October issue) it is coming to you in early November (hence its title of Paws for GDUI News You Can Use- Fall Addition!). Thank you for your understanding of the change in publication dates- any and all responsibility for the delay falls squarely, and completely, on my shoulders. (Sorry fellow editorial team, your leader got bogged down in weather and tech complications but I surely don’t want that to tarnish your sterling reputations!)
Please check the calendar section, as it is full of great information about upcoming events, some of which are very soon. Enjoy the announcements, articles, recipes and other tidbits found in this, the fall addition of Paws.…(Read more)
About Us
Guide Dog Users Inc., (GDUI), is the leading consumer-driven organization of guide dog handlers in the world. GDUI is an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and is a founding member of the Coalition of Assistance Dog Organizations (CADO).
We strive to promote civil rights and enhance the quality of life for working guide dog teams. Drawing on the experiences and varied knowledge of its members, GDUI provides peer support, advocacy and information to guide dog users everywhere. In addition, GDUI works with public entities, private businesses and individuals to ensure that guide dog users enjoy the same rights to travel, employment, housing, and participation in all aspects of life that people without disabilities enjoy.
The collective knowledge and experience of GDUI’s members drives constructive dialogue breaking down barriers of ignorance, opening doors for those of us men and women who live and work proudly and independently partnered with a well-trained guide dog.
The information and helpful resources shared here on GuideDogUsersInc.org are provided as a service to all who are interested in the guide dog and handler partnership. We invite you to explore our website and to become a part of GDUI!
Special Announcement
Guide Dog Users, Inc. offers the Disaster Assistance and Preparedness Program (DAPP) to working guide dog teams that are recovering after a catastrophic event (e.g. hurricanes, floods, fire, etc.). If you are in need of assistance, learn more about the DAPP program.