[nagdu] Missing Washington Co. Boy Found After 5-Mile BarefootWalk

[Katrin Andberg]

Actually I believe the differentiation as with all things regarding service
dogs or guide dogs is the word "reasonableness."  Someone correct me if I am
wrong but there is no law saying the school has to allow the dog in the
classroom.  Service dogs or guide dogs, even with an adult partner, would
need special accommodation anywhere that the general public is not permitted
access, such as a classroom during teaching school hours.  If I were to say
go to an open to the public function at my town high school, then yes I
would have to be granted entrance with my guide/service dog.  But if I were
trying to gain entrance to a classroom where there where children being
taught then I would need special permission as that is not a place open to
the general public.

 

For the dog to be allowed in the classroom with a disabled child the dog
must be the most reasonable accommodation.  And in most cases there are
other more reasonable ones.  Such as the child's 1 on 1 aid that most
severely disabled children have.  Also since the parent is generally the
handler of these dogs in these cases and not the child, there needs to be
someone present to handle the dog and that is not the school's
responsibility at all to provide.  So unless the parent wants to go to
school with their child to solely handle the dog (which has actually
happened in some cases I have heard about) then it generally doesn't make
much sense if you ask me.

 

And as I understood it CCI does not place service dogs with young children,
they place companion dogs with them.  But again someone correct me if I am
wrong on that knowledge.


Katrin

 

Katrin Andberg

Katrin at maplewooddog.com 

 

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The autistic kid can have a service dog at school IF IT IS TRAINED to help 

his disability.

 

However, I think dogs in schools can be challenging because of the imaturity


of the other kids.  When kids are given service dogs, the parents go to the 

classes to learn about the dog as the kid does. The parents are the ones 

legally responsible for the dog's care and actions.  I guess this can work -


CCI issues dogs to kids all the time and for many years.

 

I think it is different for blind kids and guide dogs. It is much more 

imperitive that a guide dog is not being destracted by everyone petting it 

because it has to watch out for obstacles - unlike a service dog for a 

sighted kid. Petting those won't always cause a dangerous situatin to arise.

 

Lyn and Landon