PARENTS FRUSTRATED AFTER NEWS SUPPORT DOGS WON’T RETURN TO KITCHENER SCHOOL

Several parents are expressing frustration over the news that two support dogs will not be returning to an elementary school in Kitchener.

Nacho, a yellow lab, and Quessa, a black lab, had been beloved members of the community at Sheppard Public School for the past four years.

“I was shocked; there was no formal communication or transition plan from the school,” said Lauren Logan, a parent and member of the school council.

The dogs were part of the Canine Assisted Intervention program, run by the nonprofit organization National Service Dogs (NSD). This program, which started in 2013, is one of only three in Canada and the first of its kind in Ontario.

According to Rochelle Barber, Director of Operations at NSD, the dogs were brought to Sheppard Public School at no cost to the institution, providing comfort and support to students.

Nacho, a yellow lab, and Quessa, a black lab, had been integral members of the Sheppard Public School community for the past four years. The two dogs were part of the Canine Assisted Intervention program run by the nonprofit organization National Service Dogs (NSD).

“We had never received feedback from the board indicating any issues; we believed the program was successful and would continue. We were quite surprised when they unexpectedly shut it down,” Barber said.

The dogs are officially classified as facility dogs, which differ from service dogs in that service dogs are individually owned, while facility dogs are owned by an organization and are available to all students.

The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) stated that the program ended “due to a lack of data, making it impossible to assess its performance and impact on students and staff,” according to Associate Director Bill Lemon in an emailed statement to CBC News.

Lemon also pointed out that facility dogs do not meet the definition of a service animal as outlined in the board’s governance documents or under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Grade 1 students at Sheppard Public School in Kitchener enjoyed lunchtime visits from Quessa, the black lab who was part of a program designed to provide comfort and support to students.

Madison Kolberg, a parent and co-chair of the parent council at Sheppard Public School, stated that data had been collected on the dogs.

“There has been no attempt to access the data that was actually collected,” Kolberg said, noting that the information was gathered weekly by the school.

Kolberg shared a copy of a blank data sheet that was intended for weekly data collection with CBC News.

CBC News obtained a copy of a blank data sheet that was intended to collect weekly information on how and why the facility dogs were used at Sheppard Public School.

The news outlet reached out to the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) for comments regarding the data sheets, but they did not respond in time for publication.

Logan shared that the dogs had a significant impact on her son, who struggled with anxiety and trust issues in the school environment. “It was those dogs that bridged that gap for him,” she said.

The dogs were present at the school daily, providing support to students in various ways. For instance, children who felt nervous about reading aloud could practice with one of the dogs to boost their confidence. The dogs also played a role in de-escalating tense situations and served as rewards for good behavior.

Barber noted that the WRDSB had provided no negative feedback to her organization. Kolberg expressed her surprise at the program’s cancellation, stating, “There was no communication from the school or the superintendent. That was concerning to me as I had to handle my child’s questions about where the dogs had gone, and I didn’t have the answers.”

In a statement, Lemon acknowledged that while members of the school council and the dogs’ owners were informed, the board will work on improving communication with school families in the future.

Quessa takes a quick nap during her visit to Sheppard Public School in Kitchener. (National Service Dogs)

Logan believes the program is being canceled at a time when it is desperately needed. “In a time when we are losing resources and facing mental health challenges, these dogs provide consistency, comfort, and care,” she said. “There’s no downside. This is a free program with no liability.”

Lemon insists that supporting students’ mental health is a top priority for the Waterloo Region District School Board.

In a press release, the Sheppard Public School Council is urging parents, community members, and local organizations to show their support by contacting the school board.

Parents and the school council have also launched an online petition. They plan to present their concerns to the WRDSB at a board meeting on November 11 at 7 p.m. at the WRDSB Education Centre in Kitchener.