An 82-year-old blind resident of Sundre has moved into the Foothills Lodge with his Seeing Eye dog, after he was initially denied a request for his dog to reside with him there earlier this year.
Jack Mortimer doesn't go anywhere without his guide dog, a black lab named Rufus, who he has owned for 10 years because he can only see a few feet in front of him.
Rufus is a certified Seeing Eye dog trained through the International Guide Dog Federation.
Mortimer moved into the lodge, which is owned and operated by Mountain View Seniors' Housing (MVSH), on June 27 because he is in need of assistance at his age.
MVSH officials said they had denied Mortimer's request for Rufus to reside with him at the lodge in February because there was no policy in place to allow guide dogs to reside in their buildings.
But after Mortimer went public with his story, MVSH officials granted residency to both he and Rufus. They were put on a waiting list and have now moved into the lodge.
However, Mortimer says he has not felt welcome there since moving in.
“They haven't been all that wonderful over here,” Mortimer told the Round Up. “Just nitpicking about everything imaginable. We were wishing we had never moved in.”
“Just like we were just damn well unwanted was the way it made you feel. The manager here was just terrible. Just laying down the laws, where he (Rufus) could go.”
Sam Smalldon, chief administrative officer for MVSH, said there are no different restrictions for Rufus in the building.
“Only restriction for places no one really should be going. For instance with the dog, he can't go into food preparation. He can go into food eating areas but not food preparation because there is cleanliness issues,” said Smalldon.
He also can't go where there are medications and sterile areas.
“We can't risk contamination, that's all,” he said. “We're just being careful.”
When asked if the restrictions are the same for all other residents at the lodge, he said: “basically anyone with an issue of contamination would have the same issue, absolutely.”
He said there have not been any issues with Rufus since they moved in.
“We have had questions and we've met with the family and we've also met with Dogs with Wings to get advice on what to do and how to deal with them and they've met with us and they've met with him as well,” he explained.
“To my knowledge we've met all his requirements as best we're able to do, but as far as I know there's nothing restricting him.”
