Service dogs will be allowed in Northwest School Division classrooms provided they meet the criteria made by the division. (Facebook/Northwest School Division)

By Nikita Ganovicheff

Service Dogs In School

Service animals allowed in Northwest School Division classrooms

Aug 22, 2019 | 2:55 PM

Service dogs could be allowed in Northwest School Division schools and classrooms this year.

The Northwest School Division board held its first meeting of the school year on Aug. 22 and discussed the policy and procedure updates to allow service animals into Saskatchewan schools.

Service dogs are trained to help people with a disability such as vision impairment, hearing impairment and mental disorders. Some are trained to detect and assist with seizures, mobility impairments and diabetes.

Jennifer Williamson, superintendent of student services, said the school division received two requests asking for the use of service dogs in school. She said certain criteria need to be met before a service dog is allowed into the school.

“There has to be different steps that need to be taken before it happens so it wouldn’t just be a request of a service dog and the dog will be put in the school,” Williamson said.

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The dog would need to pass a training course with Assistance Dogs International to be certified as a service animal. The school also requires a physician’s note on the child’s restriction.

Williamson mentioned measures are in place for situations where students with allergies to dogs. She said the policy only covers service animals and not support animals which provides emotional support to a person.

“The difference is these [support animals] are not trained and people proclaim them as a therapy dog,” Williamson said. “Emotional support animals do not require specialized training so it does not fit under the policy of service dogs.”

The board followed similar policies and procedures already in place in Saskatoon Public Schools and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools.

“This is a new area that keeps evolving and request are coming in more and more for these types of supports,” Williamson said.

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nikita.ganovicheff@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Nikitaganov