By Michele Walsky | Assistant Editor
Photo by Michael Young
Do you have a canine classmate? It may seem surprising but according to Amy LaBarge, Coordinator of Disabilities, there are three service dogs registered with students this semester. If you happen to share desk space with man’s best friend, remember, this is not a pet show.
As usual with schools, there are rules. Only service dogs are allowed on campus, as per Jason Zelesky, Dean of Students. Therapy dogs (and emotional support animals) are not permitted. It may be confusing to tell the difference between the two types of certified dogs.
Service dog Luna is a superhero. When the black lab mix dons her vest, she must remain alert to perform tasks for Elizabeth Gilbert, a dual-enrolled high school senior. Gilbert wears a knee brace for muscle/nerve problems and has crowd anxiety.
Off-duty, Luna is Gilbert’s mild-mannered pet who loves squeaky toys and going for runs. And her beginnings are even more humbled. Little did Gilbert know rescuing Luna at a shelter five years ago would result in Luna rescuing her.
Gilbert dislocated her knee cap while home alone last summer and could not get up. Out of desperation she called Luna over for help. To her amazement, the dog braced herself for Gilbert’s grip. When her knee would not heal and revealed a mobility condition, she knew Luna possessed the personality to become a service dog.
“Training wasn’t hard. We watched YouTube and handler videos,” Gilbert said. “Through trial and error, treats and playtime reinforcements, we shaped what worked best for us.”
Luna provides steadiness for balance and senses Gilbert’s impending panic attacks, whether by chemical release or Gilbert’s tendency to freeze up in congested areas. “She will guide me through crowds and lead me through exits.”
Gilbert said the attacks happen less often now because of Luna’s “blocking” technique— a preemptive move by the dog physically standing between the handler and the anxiety trigger.
But Luna is not perfect. She is still fine-tuning her new profession.
“Luna still has little mistakes because they are not robots,” Gilbert pointed out. “She was a pet first so she still can get sniffy. She’s curious but not enough to break her stay.”
Gilbert started classes in the fall of 2017 because her high school had both physical and emotional barriers. She receives mixed reactions when people see her with a service dog. The majority exclaim, “A dog!”, “Oh, how cute!” and “Can I pet her?”
“Sorry,” Gilbert said. Service dogs on duty must never be touched nor distracted. On occasion, people will attempt to talk directly to Luna. When Gilbert declines, saying it will divert the dog’s attention away from the handler’s needs, most people understand. But she has also received a few aggressive responses, going as far as threatening Gilbert or Luna. Sometimes people become angry and cast judgment on Gilbert for having a service dog.
“Don’t put down someone with a service dog just because you can’t see a disability,” Gilbert advised. “They aren’t there for everyone else. They are there to focus on their handler and do their job.”
She also stressed asking permission before taking pictures and to never let your children run up to a service animal.
“Treat both the handler and the service dog with respect,” Gilbert said.
Even if therapy and emotional support dogs are not allowed on campus, they still have merit. The emotional support animal comforts one person while the therapy dog serves a community, such as hospitals, nursing homes or special reading programs.
Oscar, a nine year-old Great Pyrenees is a certified therapy dog but he didn’t start out that way. The tall, white dog resembling a sheepdog’s silky cousin was rescued at age five by student Michael Young and his wife. Oscar’s comforting skills were discovered by accident two years ago when he destroyed a screen while breaking out of the house to look for his owners. Because of this separation anxiety, Young, an interfaith pastor and counselor, began taking him to work at The Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center.
“Oscar’s presence kept veterans calm,” Young said. “He would roam around so the office gave him a job.”
When Oscar found his calling, he was not yet certified. Young inquired over the phone and was told Oscar wouldn’t pass because of a disability that prevents him from sitting.
“His temperament and presence, especially around anxious and traumatized clients, showed he would do an excellent job, so we registered him online and bought him a vest,” Young said. “Therapy dogs are good listeners and he likes to be petted. He loves hugs. Children have used him as a pillow.”
Oscar has also played receptionist by alerting Young when a client had come in.
Whatever role working dogs are providing, they are proving to be essential companions. And what lucky dogs they are, not having to fill out a W-2.
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