deafbiz.com

(Hat Tip - Kokonut Pundits)

Here’s a story that should get everybody upset of how this non-profit group “Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota” took away a man’s beloved service dog named “Ozzie” only because the dog was literally a couple of pounds “overweight.” Grewing, who is deaf and uses a wheelchair when doctors had to removed his legs due to diabetes complications, cannot get his dog back. Even after getting state Rep. Doug Meslow, a lawyer, who volunteered to represent him at no cost. Here’s a part of the story below.

The weight thing, it was a non-issue. He was doing his very best to manage that situation,” the veterinarian said of Grewing. “(Ozzie) was the center of his life, from what we saw. It was crushing to him.”

Grewing, 45, is confined to a wheelchair because his legs were amputated due to severe diabetes. A cook by training before his health deteriorated, his toes, feet, lower legs and a knee were removed in a series of surgeries.

After Grewing was warned about the dog’s weight, his friends said, he redoubled his efforts to exercise Ozzie daily. The pair were often seen rolling and walking together along the sidewalks and through the parks of White Bear Lake.

The service dog helped him with everyday chores, fetching the phone and picking up dropped objects. And once, when Grewing’s blood sugar level spiked, Ozzie licked his face, keeping him conscious until the ambulance arrived, he said.

“Ozzie changed my whole life around. Ozzie and I were busy all day long,” said Grewing. “I always will love Ozzie with all my heart and soul.”

The Watchdog has heard from more than a dozen people who object to the way this situation was handled. One of those is James Hansen, a White Bear Lake bait shop owner who considers his own dogs part of the family. “If somebody came and took my dog, it would break my heart,” Hansen said.

Peters founded Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota in 1987 for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and people with significant disabilities. Dogs are trained, then matched with clients from a waiting list and trained further to respond to clients’ specific needs. Then the dog goes home with the client, and after a year, the dog is the client’s to keep.

The nonprofit organization gets no state or federal funding and relies on individual and group donations to cover the $15,600 it costs on average to train a dog, Peters said. Volunteers, many of whom pick up the food and veterinary costs, raise the puppies. The group places 25 to 30 trained service dogs a year, he said.

A last-ditch attempt to resolve the dispute came to naught in January. Peters sent Meslow a letter asking what it would take to satisfy Grewing, who responded he wanted Ozzie back, a copy of his file and for the agency to move to the top of its list another man who also claimed his service dog was taken for no reason.

Meslow said Peters indicated that Ozzie already had been placed in another home, and that he could not comply with either of Grewing’s other requests.

“He said ‘no’ to everything and he hopes we’re satisfied with that,” Meslow said. “It’s pretty clear that he never had any intention to make any attempt to resolve anything.”

Grewing has started the application process with Helping Paws, another Minnesota service dog organization. Program director Eileen Bohn said Grewing will be treated like any other applicant. Helping Paws places 10 to 15 dogs a year, and the wait can be two years.

Grewing is trying to remain optimistic, but said he has a hole in his life. The Watchdog will stay on the story and try — with readers’ help — to fill that gap.

This is a story that bears repeating. Please spread this story. If you’re a deaf/hh blogger, be sure to contact others about this appalling story to other bloggers who will print this story.

Contact the Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota to send in your complaints at:

Maybe collectively the situation will get resolved and Grewing gets his dog back.

There’s a new website  with a great idea to match people that want to get out of their cell phone contract but don’t want to pay the termination fee with people that just want a cell phone for a few months.

For example, I saw several Sidekick II being available for sale. One is a data only plan with 10 months left and a Sidekick II thrown in for $75!

For those that want to get out of the plan, let’s say there’s a $200 termination fee, plus other possible costs. Figure that out vs. how many months left in the plan and how much you’re paying per month. If the termination and other fees are below the total you’re paying every month, you’re better off paying the fees. Otherwise, participating in this trade may be cheaper.

Before joining, please read the FAQ, especially regarding to bad or low credit ratings.

This service is new so caveat emptor applies, but it is definitely something to look as one of the alternatives to higher cell phone costs.

Again, I am putting information here because I am fully aware that deaf people need to take responsibility to educate themselves to manage money better. And debt is the biggest killer of all (Why do so many deafies get turned down by T-Mobile?)

This is a great website that will help you “visualize” your debt.

First, enter the interest rate that you’re paying, which is on your credit card statement. Leave alone the 2% Minimum Monthly Payment because it’s becoming an industry standard to help people pay off faster (yes, it kinda does “force” you to pay more every month, but then you’ll pay off sooner, and that’s the whole point).

On the right column, put down how much you owe and the minimum monthly payment on your credit card bill.

You have two choices: Fixed Pay or Minimum pay.

Click on the bar “Show me the money” and watch how many payments you have to make. It will tell you how much you’e paid for the year and how much further to go to pay off.

Go ahead and play with both choices. Play with “what if I pay this much more every month” and see how far it goes.

This is an excellent tool, and better to use than Quicken or any spreadsheet program.