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"Creature Comforts" puts human (and animal) faces on policy debate

By Mark Obbie

Joe Nocera's cover story in the Times Magazine, on "what led to the financial meltdown," was so compelling that I almost overlooked this remarkably good legal story by Rebecca Skloot. Her deeply reported and engaging story examines a topic prone to snap judgments. Skloot writes that people with a variety of disabilities who use service animals far beyond the familiar Seeing Eye dog -- monkeys, miniature horses, birds, and many more -- have clashed often withFor many, this is a surprising and unfamiliar topic. So we're likely charmed by the smart animals -- there are several remarkable scenes in the piece showing animals seemingly helping their humans -- and then dismissive of claims that the disabled deserve to use whatever help they need, however intrusive (horses on airplanes?). Skloot expertly and compassionately injects facts to debunk or add nuance to our prejudices and hunches. And she explains clearly to a lay audience what the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws require, and where they are vague. The story ends on a note that in some stories can feel like an under-reported cop-out, but in this case seems like the unavoidable truth: There are no easy answers. At least now we appreciate the questions.

Full post as published by Lawbeat on January 06, 2009 (boomark / email).