Marisa Gerlach-Blanco, Service Dog Program Manager at Dogs, Inc. (formerly known as Southeastern Guide Dogs), will address the topic of anxiety and depression in service animals after the loss of a handler, or the handler’s retirement from work, and how to medically treat the animal. 

All past, present, and prospective dog handlers among BVA’s blind and low vision veterans are invited to attend this Tuesday’s virtual meeting of the Dog Handlers Group, scheduled for 4:00pm Eastern Time. Included among the invitees are those who have never attended a dog handler meeting in the past and those who do not currently have a guide dog but who are interested in the issues concerning them. Please encourage your fellow veterans to attend, sharing the joining information and Zoom link.

The sessions generally include an informal meet-and-greet online followed by an open forum, monthly dog trivia, and a focused issue briefing on a topic of interest and importance to veterans with guide dogs. The group meets on the third Tuesday of each month in the same 4:00pm Eastern Time slot.

In preparation for next week’s meeting, Group Chair Michaun Harris asks that as many potential attendees as possible read the article using the link below, or that they view the news video about a young blind woman who, accompanied by her guide dog, was denied entrance into a church for a Sunday service. Because the Americans with Disabilities Act does not apply to religious institutions, the church broke no existing laws in denying the dog entrance. The link to both the video and the written content entitled “Blind Woman Shares Concerns, Sadness after Guide Dog Denied Entry to Local Church” is located here.

For additional information from the Dog Handlers Group webpage under “Membership,” click here. To enter the meeting directly, click here.

The Blinded Veterans Association is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: BVA Dog Handlers Committee Meeting

Date and Time: June 18, 2024, 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89948566589?pwd=T29UQ1YvTjNzWC9iMC9MTEtqQlE0Zz09

Meeting ID: 899 4856 6589

Passcode: 287354

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,89948566589#,,,,*287354# US (Washington DC)

+13092053325,,89948566589#,,,,*287354# US

Dial by your location

• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 309 205 3325 US
• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
• +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
• +1 646 931 3860 US
• +1 305 224 1968 US
• +1 719 359 4580 US
• +1 720 707 2699 US (Denver)
• +1 253 205 0468 US
• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
• +1 360 209 5623 US
• +1 386 347 5053 US
• +1 507 473 4847 US
• +1 564 217 2000 US
• +1 669 444 9171 US
• +1 689 278 1000 US