In an unexpected about-face, Mountain View Seniors' Housing (MVSH) officials are granting residency to a blind man and his guide dog at the Foothills Lodge, after initially saying the dog could not live there.
Jack Mortimer had applied to rent a unit at the lodge in recent weeks and received a letter stating he was accepted, but his Seeing Eye dog Rufus, was not.
At age 82, Mortimer is in need of assistance, but doesn't go anywhere without Rufus, whom he has owned for 10 years. Rufus is a certified Seeing Eye dog trained through the International Guide Dog Federation.
After receiving the letter from Michele Langmead, admissions counsellor at Foothills Lodge, Mortimer said he wouldn't live at the lodge for ìone million dollarsî.
But after meeting personally with MVSH officials on Feb. 20, including Sam Smalldon, chief administrative officer, Mortimer said he would be moving in to the lodge within the next two to three months.
ìEverything is fine. The dog is accepted,î said Mortimer.
The Sundre senior said he changed his mind on living at the lodge because he ìcalmed down a little bitî.
ìHe (Smalldon) said that he wasn't quite aware of guide dogs and all this nonsense, which is kind of stupid of him to say all that, but he did. And anyhow now he is aware what the dog does,î he explained.
ìHe said they never, ever had to deal with that type of a situation before and they didn't know how to handle it.î
Smalldon said MVSH initially decided Rufus could not reside at the lodge because there is currently no policy in place to allow guide dogs to reside in any of their buildings. However, he said the MVSH board of directors is currently working on putting a policy in place.
ìWe have addressed the situation with him (Mortimer). He has been accommodated. But there is a process,î said Smalldon.
ìHe is currently on our wait-list for both himself and his guide dog.î
Mortimer spoke before Sundre council at the meeting on Feb. 18 about the situation. At that time, he said he would like to see the ruling changed for blind residents who wish to reside at the lodge with their guide dogs in the future. He was not seeking approval for he and Rufus to reside there, he said.
Mayor Terry Leslie said he would be discussing the issue at a meeting with the MVSH board of directors, as he sits on the board himself.
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.
