by
Carl Hampton
09/20/2006
When we see the visually impaired with their
seeing eye dog, we think nothing of it. The
dog does not make us uncomfortable because
they are the most common pet. Dogs are man's
best friend – so to speak. Seeing eye dogs
can go everywhere: the bus, restaurants, the
mall, and even the restroom. Those that are
visually disabled need these four legged
creatures as service animals, as animals
they can depend on.
So let's look at another animal: the monkey.
We can and do pay to watch monkeys be
exploited at a circus without a problem. We
can go to the zoo and see them caged up, tis
also seems to cause no problems. We enjoy
monkeys as a from of entertainment. But we
would appear as a general public we cannot
deal with a monkey being in the same space
as a domestic animal.
Debby Rose of Springfield, Missouri, suffers
from an anxiety disorder (an emotional
disability) that makes it really difficult
for her to go to public places like the
mall, restaurants, the grocery store, and
places like that. She has had her macaque
monkey, named Richard, join her in all of
her outings. Rose feels that the federal
Americans with Disabilities Act should allow
Richard as her service animal.
There's not a lot of people are on the same
page as Rose. Her family says that she truly
cannot perform simple functions like being
in public without her monkey. So here is the
problem, the blind population (those that
are physically impaired) have the right to
have a service animal. But Rose who has to
deal with emotional or mental impairments
does not get afforded the same rights.
Health Department officials met with a local
service agency, the Southwest Center for
Independent Living, which is acting as an
agent for Rose. The Health Department told
the agency that Rose must produce some kind
of federal ruling or certification that the
monkey is a service animal under the ADA
before it will consider allowing her to take
the money into public places, said Kevin
Gipson, Director of Health.
Science has shown on that a monkey can be
domesticated. In fact, monkeys have the
ability to actually communicate where as
mans best friend (the dog) does not.
Anatomically, monkeys are the most
physically like humans and perform similar
functions which could help anyone with an
anxiety problem. Meaning, those with anxiety
issues can interact with an animal that is
very much like themselves.
Cynthia Magnuson, a spokesperson from the
Justice Department in Washington, told the
Springfield News-Leader that while the law
is somewhat vague about emotional support
animals, there is still a law that covers
the subject. “We have actually prosecuted
cases where people have had emotional
support animals,” she said. “It's kind
of a fine line, but the law errs on the side
of protecting individuals that are
disabled.” An emotional disability is a
disability nonetheless.
Is the real problem here, the monkey?
What kind of health perspective can or
should we take on this situation?
Have an opinion or a question you would like
me to answer, then write me!
http://www.CarlHampton.com
