Paula Abdul and Guide Dogs
Okay so I just needed a little more room to comment and give my own two cents about a entry posted in jenandbronze 's LJ. Yes May is indeed National Guide Dog Month. You can call any school and ask them that. However I think that just showing up on Scott McIntyre's doorstep with a Guide Dog is kind of tasteless. What the story doesn't tell us is "Was there a trainer there with them doing the Juno Walk?" or was the school CRAZY enough to let Paula take a fully trained dog to a person to do a test walk? I'm not bashing Scott, but most of the time when I've seen him on TV either on Idol, TMZ, or the news, yes he's always had his cane in hand, but he's also been sighted guide 90 percent of the time with his cane. I think it's great that his fellow contestants helped him on and off the stage. I'm not bad mouthing any of it. But is Scott ready for a dog? Does he have the O & M necessary to work with a guide? I'm sure that if he's accepted at GDA that he will meet all these requirements. However I think it's tacky that Paula was the one to bring him the news. It's not her or her celebrity status that will get Scott into GDA or any other school. It's his willingness, desire, drive, and the necessary skills that will get him a dog.
I was kind of miffed and it made me want to gag when it was touted that Paula Abdul would be at a graduation of veterans at my school. We aren't talking previous guide dog handlers we are talking Veterans of our Armed Forces. I just felt that her presence wasn't necessary. But since she partnered with Dick Van Patten and Natural Balance Foods AND Petco, I've kind of got no say in the matter. I just thought it was tacky because the pictures that were taken of her and the vets were shown with her hugging them and draping herself over them. The only one I didn't see her drape herself over was a woman who recieved a beautiful yellow lab named Pearl.
I'm told that Paula is a dog lover and really supports the guide dog movement. That's all fine and dandy just don't go making it seem like she's the one handing out the dogs. It takes more than just being a celebrity to get a dog.