An 82-year-old blind resident of Sundre has been denied a request for his guide dog to reside with him at the Foothills Lodge, after he applied to rent a unit there in recent weeks.
Jack Mortimer doesn't go anywhere without his guide dog, a black lab named Rufus, who he has owned for 10 years. The dog is a certified Seeing Eye dog trained through the International Guide Dog Federation.
ìIf I drop something on the floor I have to rub my hand around on the floor to find it,î said Mortimer, adding he can only see a few feet in front of him.
Mortimer applied for a room at the lodge, owned and operated by Mountain View Seniors' Housing (MVSH), because he is in need of assistance at his age.
MVSH officials say there is currently no policy in place to allow guide dogs to reside in any of their buildings but they will be looking into it. But for now, the ruling stands.
ìCurrently we have no policy about Seeing Eye dogs. We do have a policy about petsÖat this time we don't have a policy on any other animals other than pets,î said Sam Smalldon, MVSH chief administrative officer.
ìWe're not ignoring it. We just don't have a policy at the moment and before we say yes we need to make sure we know we have a policy.î
According to Cheryl Chichak, public affairs officer with Alberta Human Services, as long as the guide dog is trained by a school that is certified by the International Guide Dog Federation, the dog should be able to reside anywhere.
She said a person who violates the Alberta Blind Persons' Rights Act could be fined up to $3,000.
Section 5 (2) of the act reads as follows:
ìNo person, directly or indirectly, alone or with another, by himself or herself or by the interposition of another, shall (a) deny to any person occupancy of any self-contained dwelling unit, or (b) discriminate against any person with respect to any term or condition of occupancy of any self-contained dwelling unit, for the reason that the person is a blind person keeping or customarily accompanied by a guide dog.î
Mortimer and his neighbour Betty Thomas went to the lodge roughly three weeks ago to apply for a unit there.
About a week later, Mortimer received a letter from Michele Langmead, admissions counsellor at Foothills Lodge, stating that Mortimer was accepted, but not Rufus.
ìIf you wish to make alternate living arrangements for the care of your dog then you would be able to move into the lodge when a suite becomes available. Your dog would be able to visit you at the lodge for short periods of time as long as you were able to manage his care during his visits,î the letter states.
Thomas, who is also 82, has been helping Mortimer with meals and other necessities, but is also having a hard time at her age. They both currently reside at Pioneer Place.
ìEverything seemed to be fine when we went over there. We told the girl, Michele -- she wrote the letter -- that he was a guide dog and that Jack would be bringing him in with him. And she never said anything. She didn't say he wasn't allowed to be in there at all,î said Thomas.
ìIt was really strange. I couldn't even have believed that she wrote that letter. It just shocked both of us right out of our minds when we got that letter because it was just really upsetting,î she said.
ìHe has never been anywhere without that dog for all those years.î
She added that Mortimer is becoming forgetful, and Rufus has arthritis and requires medicine.
ìNow I take Jack his medicine because he forgets that he's taken them,î she said.
ìJack goes for walks with him every day and that dog knows Sundre. Even when he is taking him for walks he will push Jack's legs so that he will get off the ice and off the snow.
ìHe has started to want to sleep on Jack's bed. He is such a wonderful dog. He sleeps right on the bed, up on his pillow. And if Jack has to get up in the night the dog is right up there. He goes with him to the bathroom and everywhere with him.î
She said she would never reside at the Foothills Lodge after this incident.
ìMy dog, heaven sakes, I mean he is part of my life,î said Mortimer.
ìIt just gives you an unwanted feeling. And I wouldn't go there now for one million dollars.
ìI just couldn't face it. I don't understand. Life goes on I guess. And there will always be people like that out there trying to hurt you and take advantage of you it seems.î
MVSH board chair Bruce Beattie said staff members at the lodge would care for Mortimer, and Rufus would be able to visit him there.
ìWe can look after the individual. He doesn't need the dog 24 hours a day because that's what our staff is there for,î said Beattie.
ìIn the past we've had issues with people who have had live-in pets and they have created some problems with the lodges.î
He said the issue is going to be brought to a board meeting to establish a policy regarding guide dogs.
ìWe haven't dealt with that because we simply haven't had a request prior to this,î he said.
ìBut we know there is evidence that there are certainly positive issues for seniors, well for anybody for that matter, to have a pet around.î
