Service Dog at Grad

[hannahmac]

Oh wow, that’s crazy that the school would even question you. Hopefully they’ve learned from this!

Can I ask where you got your dog trained? I thought PADS only uses Labrador retrievers.

Was it expensive? My friend has a special needs child and a service dog would really help them.

Good luck in your future!

I got her trained through a certified service dog trainer- you can find them by searching up Mutts and Motorcycles. It was very expensive and is definitely a cost you have to be aware of. Not only does the training cost money but it is hard work and costs such as grooming, food, and equipment (vests, leashes, patches) do add up! It has certainly changed my life and made a positive impact!

[Bunnyhop]

Oh wow, that’s crazy that the school would even question you. Hopefully they’ve learned from this!

Can I ask where you got your dog trained? I thought PADS only uses Labrador retrievers.

Was it expensive? My friend has a special needs child and a service dog would really help them.

Good luck in your future!

I got her trained through a certified service dog trainer- you can find them by searching up Mutts and Motorcycles. It was very expensive and is definitely a cost you have to be aware of. Not only does the training cost money but it is hard work and costs such as grooming, food, and equipment (vests, leashes, patches) do add up! It has certainly changed my life and made a positive impact!

And was the testing hard? Did you have to go to Vancouver for the final test or is it done in the Okanagan?

[hannahmac]

I got her trained through a certified service dog trainer- you can find them by searching up Mutts and Motorcycles. It was very expensive and is definitely a cost you have to be aware of. Not only does the training cost money but it is hard work and costs such as grooming, food, and equipment (vests, leashes, patches) do add up! It has certainly changed my life and made a positive impact![/quote]

And was the testing hard? Did you have to go to Vancouver for the final test or is it done in the Okanagan?[/quote]

Testing was done in the Okanagan and does test the handlers ability along with the dogs. I wouldn’t say it’s hard but it does cover everything you’ve gone through and does test the capability of the dog.

For any further questions/commentary feel free to contact me at [email protected]!

[mexi cali]

It may come as a surprise to you folks that know everything, that there are some that do not. Try to get over yourselves and realise that.

While true, it is hard to imagine anyone in todays world not knowing this particular little piece of human rights information. Remember that the dog has been with her all year, everyday. Are you saying that the administrators had never consulted the law regarding service animals prior to graduation day.

[mexi cali]

Hey there!

The reason I wanted to share this story is to raise awareness for people with invisible disabilities and the rights of medical service dogs. The truth is they are allowed to go anywhere any regular person is allowed to! This includes police stations, hospitals, restaurants, etc. The only place they are not permitted to go is anywhere I myself wouldn’t be permitted to go i.e ICU without permission, etc. The majority of staff at Pen High have been amazing and exceptionally supportive, all I want is for it to be easier for other students who may succeed me. Where the frustration comes from is the fact that this isn’t the first time we’ve had a run in with the school board not understanding disability rights and the rights of medical service dogs and their handlers.

If you have any questions feel free to ask! I am here to educate and raise awareness!

Thanks for doing this. One of the issues that I think may cause you problems is the blurry "emotional support" designation which many people have been taking advantage of. Service dogs require intensive training as do their owners whereas anybody can get a "certificate" saying that their ostrich is an emotional support animal and no training is required. Not that Ostriches are easy to train.

The administrator at your school was flexing, not misinformed.

[Bunnyhop]

Certification of service dogs in BC is quite regulated.

Not sure where this dog fits in but if the dog has been attending school all this time, why would the grad ceremony be any different. I’m glad she got to have her dog with her, certified or not.


https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/just ... tification

[GordonH]

There is list of types of service dogs, here is a link
https://www.anythingpawsable.com/types-of-service-dogs/

[hannahmac]

Hey there!

If anyone has any questions they’d like to ask me feel free to contact me via email at [email protected]

Thanks!