by Rob Clay

    Marlaina got a new dog. She’s almost two and she’s had plenty of training. Nisha (neesha) is a certified guide dog. Marlaina Lieberg, blind since birth, retired her beautiful Agnes recently and now it is the family pet. It’s okay to pet Agnes but don’t touch Nisha, at least not without asking.

    Dogs are wonderful creatures. Guides dogs are more wonderful if you ask Marlaina. In fact, they are her life, her eyes on the world. Touching them encourages the dog to get out of character. Character of 24/7 monitoring of their owner's habits, needs, safety and well-being. Touching them is not forbidden but is discouraged. “Like many people we love our dogs but guide dogs are special. They need to be ignored.” Marlaina explained. Sort of don’t bother me while I am at work. And the dog is alway at work.

       Nisha, a lab mix, is still learning. She patiently stands at street corners, effectively blocking Marlaina from entering traffic until she is given the command. The command; there are many, is “forward” coming from Marlaina. Nisha is trained to notice the traffic. With the light green, Nisha responds, leading Marlaina across 152nd street at 6th SW.

     Safely on the opposite side, all is well. Marlaina, her husband Gary and the two dogs are headed for a grooming session at A Place for Pets, next to Mick Kelly’s restaurant in the heart of Burien.

    Marlaina travels a lot as 2nd VP for the American Council of the Blind. She often needs a ride. “Hailing a cab in near impossible,” she complains. When cab drivers are dispatched to pick her up, Marlaina says, “they drive right on by when the see my dog. For some drivers there was an opinion that their religious beliefs prevented them from allowing dogs in their cabs. Other drivers refuted this, according to Marlaina but the problem of actually getting a cab ride can still be quite a process. The dispatcher might say 20 minutes but it can take twice as long or they don’t show up at all. “They can drive right by me on the corner with my dog and I won’t see them,” she said.

     Uber, the up and coming ride-share is one alternative. “I love Uber,” Marlaina smiled. She explained that Uber is there on time, in mere minutes, making sure she and her guide dog are comfortably strapped in and off they go. So what is the fuss? Why not use Uber all the time? “Uber is a mobile-phone based business. Not every city I travel to has their service,” she said. 

    Originally from North Redding, Massachusetts, Marlaina made her way to the NW after meeting husband Gary online. Gary had grown up in the NW, traveled the world as a military pilot. He was working in Alabama for Boeing after his retirement. A few months after landing a job at Boeing, he bumped his head, dislocating his cervical vertebra. It paralyzed him from the waist down. The sudden life change to a wheelchair 28 years ago gave Gary a different perspective on the disabled community. He and Marlaina had never met to that point but had always thought they should over the months and months of online visiting. They did eventually get together, marrying 20 years ago.
     
    Marlaina might be frustrated by taxi service but it is not her biggest concern.“Why don’t some people want to speak to me,” she asks.  “Would the lady like some juice?,” a waitress might ask Gary. “Yes, the lady would like some juice,” Marlaina responds." Because the waitress cannot make eye contact with Marlaina they very likely get assistance from Gary when a simple “ma’am, would you like some juice,” would work just fine.

       As an officer for the ACB, Marlaina champions rights for the disabled. She’s careful to point out that the ADA (American Disabilities Act) does not cover every aspect of living in a sighted, walking and hearing world. She explains that there are cheaters. People who abuse the system. Either with an untrained family pet they claim is a guide/service dog or just fudging on having their pets in their laps. “You can buy a certified guide dog jacket and harness online," Marlaina said. “You don’t need to prove you are disabled and the dog does not need to be trained or certified,” she added. “Guide dogs are supposed to be floor dogs only. Not lap dogs,” Marlaina said.

     Nisha leads the way at the restaurant if the owners are educated enough to know disabled persons with guide dogs cannot be refused service. That does not stop those cheaters from trying to bring their dogs along.

    There may be a good reason people cheat. Certified guide dogs can cost upwards of $100,000 dollars to train. Most disabled people don’t pay that; the cost is borne by donations and private fundraisers. There are no rules on guide dogs. There is no certification or licensing. There is little oversight on owning one or even selling one. The dogs are in service for 10 years for the most part. There is some good news. At some point the dogs get too old and are always given to loving homes. There is a waiting list for retired guide dogs across the nation.

    Marlaina has had nine previous guide dogs, all with different personalities and abilities. She's loved them dearly. For Anges that means a gentle retirement and tolerating Nisha, the newcomer at Gary and Marlaina's condo in Town Square. They are one big happy family and you can't touch that.