TAMPA, Fla. — September is Service Dog Awareness Month, and a blind musician in Tampa is using his guitar playing as a way to get the message across.
Marion Gwizdala doesn’t go anywhere without his service dog Trooper, and that includes being on stage, entertaining, and educating audiences across Tampa Bay.
“Trooper is my fifth guide dog. I’ve been working with guide dogs since 1987,” said Gwizdala.
He wants to make sure people know there is a big difference between Trooper and your average pet or emotional support animal.
“They are trained to do work or to perform tasks that benefit a person with a disability, so they are not pets,” said Gwizdala.
So Marion has been using his musical reach to educate the public.
“I talk about my dog on stage, and everyone sitting at the table gets information that they can access through our website,” said Gwizdala.
He even founded the non-profit organization Advocates for Service Animal Partners, which offers a 24-hour hotline. That number is 855-ASAP-211.
“Where they can get information and support from someone who understands the issues and knows how to resolve them,” said Gwizdala.
Marion said service dog owners still have a long way to go when it comes to civil rights.
“We found out that 73, almost 74 percent of people who have service animals have experienced at least one access issue in a health care facility,” said Gwizdala.
He said the biggest hurdle is just getting this important information out there, and so far, acoustic rock seems to be working.
“I think the issues that we face as disabled people are more a lack of ignorance, and I don’t mean that in a negative way. Just means you don’t know,” said Gwizdala.
For more information on Advocates for Service Animal Partners, go here. For more information on Marion’s music, email him at swampfox1833@verizon.net.
