Tragedy struck for a former Cortez resident and low-vision coordinator last week after a water main broke, collapsing the garage of her Albuquerque home and trapping her service dog.
Rose Romero’s dog, Ivy, was found dead Aug. 9, after the July 28 collapse prevented her from escaping or from being found earlier. Now, Romero and community members are petitioning for the city of Albuquerque to change their policies in the face of similar emergencies.
“The city thinks of dogs, service dogs, or any pet as property, not as someone that's so important to us,” Romero told a Journal reporter.
The water main break happened in the street outside Romero’s home, sending water and mud high into the air. According to the petition, created by Maisie Reynolds, the break was preventable, had the known issue been addressed.
Community members requested that the city send a search and rescue team that would be able to locate Ivy, who was nearly 14 years old. Instead, they were met with “unexplained resistance,” according to the petition.
According to an article by the Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque Fire Rescue spokesman Lt. Jason Fejer said that a team went to Romero’s residence and deemed the garage unstable. On Wednesday, holes were cut in the garage, but contractors couldn’t access the area. Friday’s discovery was thanks to the holes, according to Romero. Unfortunately, it was too late.
Ivy was Romero’s seeing-eye dog, as she has been visually impaired since 2009 and is now legally blind. A detached retina led to the removal of Romero’s left eye in 2009, leaving her with a well-crafted prosthetic. Then, she got glaucoma in her right eye in 2010. Now, she only sees shadows, and uses various tools such as special lights, magnifiers, and color contrast technology to help her in her day to day life. Ivy played a large role in that.
The petition to change the city of Albuquerque’s policies about pets has 1,587 signatures as of 3:15 p.m. Monday. The next goal to reach is 2,500 signatures. To sign the petition, visit bit.ly/IvyPetition.
“What I need is their signature on that petition. That's what's important, to change the system,” Romero said.
Romero lived in Cortez from 1996 to 2017. During that time, she served as the low-vision coordinator for the Southwest Center for Independence. Before that, though, she worked in the school system as a paraprofessional. She applied because she met a woman with a disabled granddaughter, and no one was equipped to help her, so Romero stepped up to the plate.
During her time as a low-vision coordinator, Romero encouraged those with visual impairments to keep going and living their lives. She was available to support them at any time of day or night. During home visits, Ivy accompanied her, and the pair became well-known in the community.
“I believe take the high road, not the low road, OK, and keep going,” Romero said. “I was trying to be a role model, an example to people that if they're disabled, OK, but doesn't mean you're dead. You can go on and do other things.”
Romero has faced plenty of tragedy in her life previous to losing her dog. Her young daughter, Tiffany, was born prematurely and faced 20 surgeries. She unfortunately passed during her 21st surgery. A year and a half later, her husband died of esophageal cancer.
In the face of it all, Romero keeps going.
“I try to use all that negative to do something better or different to help somebody else,” Romero said.
