Bonnie Bergin - Fees For Services

Fees For Services

Bonnie came to realize that not taking money from people living with disabilities is a form of discrimination. Bonnie's approach to the disabled recipients changed over time. Individuals with mobility and hearing impairments and facility placements were required to pay a small application fee in order to get a dog. This was a way of ensuring more accountability on their part. The program was essentially restructured, making the recipient carry significant responsibility. Classes were held, trading the costly one-on-one home placements for a team dynamic amongst the recipients. The person with the disability or facility handler and his/her dog had a lifetime working partnership for which no third party could be responsible - it needed to be between the two of them.

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