社説:刺された盲導犬 人の心も傷ついた

September 05, 2014(Mainichi Japan)
Editorial: Attacks on guide dogs hurt owners, too
社説:刺された盲導犬　人の心も傷ついた

A guide dog for a blind man living in Saitama was injured in July after being stabbed by an unknown assailant. Guide dogs serve as eyes for the blind and support their owners' daily lives. The heartless attack left the dog's owner fearful of venturing outside, and deserves harsh criticism.
　さいたま市の全盲の男性が連れていた盲導犬オスカーが７月下旬、何者かに腰付近を刺されけがをした。盲導犬は、視覚障害者の目の代わりになって生活を支える。男性は「ショックで外に出るのが怖い」と話したという。卑劣と言うほかない。

The perpetrator apparently harbors ill will and hostility toward visually impaired people. The incident has raised concerns that the Saitama case could trigger copycat crimes. The perpetrator in the latest incident not only inflicted deep physical and psychological damage on the guide dog, but also traumatized its owner. Police should thoroughly investigate the case.
　視覚障害者に対する悪意や敵意を感じさせる事件だ。模倣犯が出てくるのではと不安も募る。オスカーにとどまらず、全盲の男性の心にも大きな傷を負わせた罪は重い。警察は徹底的に捜査してもらいたい。

It is suspected that the guide dog, named Oscar, was stabbed while he was accompanying the man on his way to work.
　男性が仕事に向かう電車内でオスカーは被害に遭ったようだ。先のとがったもので刺されたとみられる。

Guide dogs and their owners share a close bond. They undergo training that lasts for nearly a year, and become partners for visually impaired people after going through a training camp with the owner over a period of about one month. Such guide dogs dedicate themselves to supporting their owners while the owners are legally required to look after the dogs in their daily lives in all aspects, including sanitation.
　盲導犬と障害者の関係は濃密だ。１年近い訓練を経た盲導犬は、最後に障害者と約１カ月間の合宿生活を経てパートナーになる。盲導犬が献身する一方で、障害者側は衛生面を含めた日常の世話を尽くす義務を法的に負う。深い信頼関係で結ばれ、生活を共におくる。

Dogs that can enjoy living with people and gently react to people are selected as candidates to become guide dogs. They are trained not to bark unless their owners are in danger. Oscar did not bark even when he was stabbed.
　人間との生活を楽しみ、穏やかに反応する犬が盲導犬に選ばれる。主人に危険が及んだ時以外はむやみにほえない。オスカーも刺された時にほえなかった。

Since the incident was reported by media outlets, misunderstanding has spread that guide dogs are trained to endure any pain. Some visually impaired people have received complaints from people with unimpaired eyesight that guide dogs are being suppressed. Such a lack of understanding deeply hurts the disabled and is intolerable.
　そのため、事件の報道後、「盲導犬は痛みをがまんする訓練を受けている」との誤解が広まった。「盲導犬は抑圧されてかわいそう」といった、矛先を障害者に向けるかのような言葉を投げかけられた人もいる。看過できないことだ。こうした無理解が障害者を深く傷つける。

There are also many cases in which people attempt to hit guide dogs or deliberately step on their tails.
　また傷害に至らなくても、盲導犬をたたこうとしたり、しっぽを踏んだりの嫌がらせは多くあるという。

The Act on Assistance Dogs for Physically Disabled Persons provides stipulations on guide dogs, hearing dogs, and service dogs, which help people with disabilities in their limbs. Enacted in 2002, the law stipulates that public facilities and public transportation systems as well as private facilities such as restaurants used by members of the general public are in principle forbidden from denying entry to people with such assistance dogs. Nevertheless, there are numerous incidents in which disabled people with assistance dogs are denied entry into such facilities.
　盲導犬のほか、肢体の不自由な人を助ける介助犬、さらに聴導犬について定めた身体障害者補助犬法が２００２年に成立した。
　公共施設や交通機関、民間でも不特定多数の人が利用する施設は、原則として補助犬を伴った入店を拒んではならないと規定する。だが、入店拒否がいまだ後を絶たない。

In some cases, managers of restaurants and medical institutions cite sanitation as a reason for not allowing assistance dogs to accompany their owners into their facilities. However, assistance dogs have been trained to excrete strictly in designated locations and are kept clean on the responsibility of their owners.
　飲食店や医療機関などが衛生面などを理由に拒むことも多い。だが、補助犬は決まった場所でしか排せつしないようしつけられ、障害者の責任で清潔に保たれる。

It bears mentioning that the law requires facility managers to accept assistance dogs. Denying assistance dogs entry is tantamount to refusing to admit the disabled people they are accompanying.
　そうした前提で、法が同伴の受け入れを義務付けていることを理解したい。補助犬を拒むことは、その隣にいる障害者を拒むことと同じなのだ。

The motives behind the cruel attack on the guide dog in Saitama remain unclear. Still, the incident reminds members of the public that general understanding of disabled people and assistance dogs is far from sufficient.
　残忍な事件の動機は不明だが、障害者や補助犬への社会の理解がまだまだ足りない。事件をきっかけに、そんなことを考えさせられる。

Since the incident, however, organizations that train guide dogs and others supporting handicapped people have received messages from numerous citizens saying they want to help ensure the safety of guide dogs. Such voices will certainly lead to public understanding of disabled people and assistance dogs.
　ただし、盲導犬の育成団体などには事件後、「市民の一員として盲導犬の安全を見守りたい」との声が多く寄せられたという。そうした声が社会の力となることを信じたい。

毎日新聞　2014年09月05日　02時40分