My Pretty Girl- Photos from the past year.

She looks nice, eh?  she was waiting for a toy to be thrown.

Rosie in Belfast on one of the crafter's chairs... artists in the
area have made benches for  use throughout the town using their media of choice.

Her first movie.

Rosie attended the Banff Mountain Film Festival at
Husson College, Gracie Theater this past week. 

Rosie in Union, Maine in her first boat ride.  Licking her lips, she wasn't totally
sure about this noisy venture, but did very well.  I love this polka dot life vest!

Rosie as a diving dog at the dock at Pushaw Lake this past summer.  She is wearing her working dog life vest.

Rock diving in Kenduskeag Stream this past summer.  This is a great place to spent a hot day!

The Blue Hill Fair... She thought she was one hot herding dog when she would lunge at the sheep as they were being released into the herding course.  The first time I have seen her show interest in sheep like this.  It was more of a "Wanna play?" thing for her.  If they ran, she would want to chase and play tag.  Hate to tell her the sheep probably wouldn't chase her back.

She wanted to say Hello to the clown!  This was 2012 Shriner's Parade.

I got a new bike this year and Rosie has really enjoyed running along (or  in front of ) me as I rode.

I love photographing against this huge Maple down the road.

Rosie hangs out at the church Pioneer Days Picnic.

Belfast, Rosie on one of their crafter's chairs.

Rosie has never been real sure of riding shotgun in the little kayak with me, but she does great, for the most part.

Rosie diving from the dock at Pushaw Lake.

Rosie takes a water break after running along side me in the forest.

More diving dog at Pushaw Lake.  Some photos it looks like she is running on water.

Soccer fiend!  This over-sized tennis ball is the only soccer ball she can't peel apart or pop.

Meeting Toby, one of the new BTs in the BT group in which  Rosie is an honorary member.
She is not crazy about Boston Terriers, but her interactions haven't exactly been great.  It is not her.  They are just a bunch of scrappy little dogs.

She had a frisbee to play with, but when she caught sight of the mother of all sprinklers this past summer, the frisbee meant very little!

Smelling the flowers while out with the rabbit last spring.

One of our first snowfalls this winter.

"Coming!!"

Autumn is always sad for me, the flowers die and the trees lose their leaves, but one beautiful flower remains year round... my Rosie (Rowena)

Blizzard 2013!  Today!  I got her her own Turtle Fur neck warmer for Christmas.

The First Guide Dog

Buddy, the first Seeing Eye dog in the United States

I saw this article as a post on Facebook and had to share it with you.  In this article, you will see the birth of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  The story is a book and a movie.

Morris Frank with his guide dog, Buddy

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=317440531703979&set=a.243010639146969.52357.243007985813901&type=3&theater

In November 1927 Morris Frank was a 20-year-old student at Vanderbilt University and a blind man very unhappy about his dependency on others to get around.

Frank's father read him an article by Dorothy Eustis, a woman in Switzerland who had seen shepherds training dogs to lead blind people get around.  Frank took a ship to Europe and trained very hard with a dog bred and trained to lead a blind person.

Buddy helped Mr. Frank fight for the rights of people with special challenges, including the right to bring service animals into restaurants, onto airplanes, and other places where pets are not typically allowed. Many of the principles and ideas Mr. Frank lobbied for are now law, thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

At one point, in front of a group of dumbfounded reporters, Buddy led Frank safely across a busy New York street. "She (Buddy) moved forward into the ear-splitting clangor, stopped, backed up, and started again, " Frank later wrote. "I lost all sense of direction and surrendered myself entirely to the dog. I shall never forget the next three minutes, Ten-ton trucks rocketing past, cabs blowing their horns in our ears, drivers shouting at us . . . When we finally got to the other side and I realized what a really magnificent job she had done, I leaned over and gave Buddy a great big hug and told her what a good, good girl she was."

Buddy remained a national hero for the rest of her life. When she died in May 1938, the event was noted with a long obituary in the New York Times.

Movie:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087642/

 "Love Leads the Way: A True Story" (The story of Morris Frank and his guide, Buddy.)

Letter (from and to) The Penobscot Theatre Company Regarding Their decision That Service Dogs Who Tried Out for the Part of "Sandy" in the Play "Annie" are Automatically Disqualified

White Lettering

Q- Did they sayon the "Sandy" application that Service Dogs were not allowed to try-out for the part?

A- No, it did not.  It said "All breeds welcome".

One of the chosen "Sandy" dogs and some of the orphans.

----- Original Message -----

From: bari newport

To: bari newport

Sent: Monday, August 20, 2012 11:55 AM

Subject: Penobscot Theatre Company - Sandy Auditions

What a wonderful day Saturday was. I hope you and your doggie had a good, low-stress time of it. 

We ended up seeing 15 dogs of all shapes and sizes. Some dogs were super trained and had super skills and other dogs were goofy but well-behaved, family pets. 

Proof once again that dogs are simply THE MOST AMAZING.

I underestimated how difficult the decision would be! In the end, we narrowed our choices down to five dogs. We did this by eliminating service dogs - they were clearly the most versatile in terms of what they are capable of doing - and certainly they are used to noises and lights, children and excitement - but casting them in a play seems counterintuitive to their role in your life, as you have trained them to do very specific tasks just for you - and it is important that their focus remains as such.

And we narrowed the scope further based on what kind of energy and look the dog had. Incredibly tough decisions. 

I thank you most sincerely for sharing your furry family member with us. You were gracious and kind - and I am humbled to be a part of your community. Thank you.

See you at the theatre! 

  

Bari NewportArtistic Director
Penobscot Theatre Company
Bangor Opera House - 131 Main Street
Administrative Offices - 115 Main Street, 4th floor
207. 942.3333 (Box Office)
207.947.6618 (Admin)
207.947.6678 (fax)
www.penobscottheatre.org

Coming Up!

PTC SUMMER CAMP, July 2 - August 11

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR 39TH SEASON!

Always. Patsy Cline, September 5 - September 23

Becky's New Car, October 17 - November 4

Annie, December 5 - December 29

The Sugar Bean Sisters, January 30 - February 17

WIT, March 13 - March 31

Around the World in Eighty Days, May 15 - June 2

Rosie and a fellow service dog who also tried out for the "Sandy" role.
Here they are in a sit-stay in the middle of the Bangor Mall.

----- Original Message -----

From: Heather Gerquest

To: bari newport

Sent: Monday, August 20, 2012 12:52 PM

Subject: Re: Penobscot Theatre Company - Sandy Auditions- re: Service Dogs Not Allowed

To Whom it May Concern;

I guess that means we won't be seeing any of you at the Scenes and Songs  night on the 23rd. 

Who told you that casting a service dog would take the focus off of their handlers?  Don?  Why was Don chosen out of all the other very good trainers in the area?  For example, choosing one who actually works with and trains service dogs (AND pet dogs), some of which do have dual roles being a show dog, agility dog, or a competitive duck retrieving dog (to name a few).  That is not Don's expertise.  He wouldn't be the first trainer I would have chosen for the job (but then of course it wasn't my job).  He's also not the only trainer that gives therapy dog tests in the area.  I am pretty sure Don had said allowing service dogs to take the coveted role of Sandy was not a good idea since he probably uses ADI's therapy dog test. (ADI believes service dogs can't/ shouldn't be therapy dogs because they would be confused about their roles).  Not to mention I really think he knows very little about service dogs in general.  Thousands of service dog handlers all over the US would beg to differ with their opinion.  The organization has also been known to take away certification from service dogs that had previously passed their therapy dog tests, and had been working as therapy dog already. (They have actually done this for other various, unfound reasons with assorted other dogs). After nearly 8 years of training and testing (and note: not with Don) and spending 24 hours a day with my dog, I would know my dog better than Don.

I guess most of all, I feel cheated (for my dog) of a fair chance at the Sandy role.  If I thought we couldn't handle this job together I would not have bothered to come in.  It could be my dog never had a chance, but after the comments from the woman who escorted me out of the theatre and invited me to the event on the 23rd, I thought we had a good shot.

To say the least, I am disappointed.  Not because my dog did not get the role, but that just because she is a service dog, she didn't even have a fair chance.  I had expected disappointment if my dog didn't get the role.  This just brought it to a new level of disappointment.

As the ADA says about people with disabilities in the workplace, if I have the qualifications, and without my disability I would have been hired for the job, but because of my disability, the employer won't even consider hiring me,  that is discrimination. Now my dog is disqualified because she's a service dog and I am her disabled handler.  She may be qualified, but because I am disabled and her job is to assist me, she doesn't have a chance. To me, it just feels like another "access denied". 

What if I decided to try out for a part in a play that you all were putting on?  Would you say no because I have a service dog and she would not be near me if I was in a play?  OR would you say no because I am disabled.  Period.  Think carefully.  If you choose wrong, you could have some legal problems arise.

Next time, maybe you should say right on the form that service dogs are not allowed to audition.  You may get a few angry responses from that, but at least the person could save some energy and not bother with the application and audition process.

Sorry if I sound harsh at all, but feelings were hurt here.

Thank you for your time,

Sincerely,

Heather Gerquest

helgerquest@msn.com
----------------------------------------------------------

ADDENDUM----

Since the try-outs for the "Sandy" role, I attended the Paws on Parade fundraising event in Bangor, Maine.  It was there that I heard your dog trainer talking to another person saying he did not know how medical alert dogs work, such as a Diabetic Alert dog or Seizure Alert dog, not even the cancer sniffing dogs.  I thought every trainer knew this, or at least would have wanted to find out years ago when some of these types of service dogs came about.  So this guy is supposed to understand individuals with disabilities, their service dogs and the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA (Newly revised) as well?  Does he even know about the Americans with Disabilities Act is?

And the above photographed chosen dog, a dog training friend of mine said the dog looked anxious when she tried out, that she even ran off the stage.  In this photo it was suggested that the dog was showing some anxiety from turning away from everyone, and I saw an inability to follow any commands.  I also think she was overheated and needed some water, or maybe the panting was another way she was showing her anxiety, but that is not what I am concerned about.