Dogs banned at Sea to Sky school

By ENZO GALLARDO

A parent’s request to pause a policy banning dogs in school was denied by the Sea to Sky School District, preventing her daughter, who the parent says relies on her emotional support dog to manage anxiety, from bringing the animal to school.

During a 15-minute presentation to the district board at its Feb. 12 meeting, the Pemberton parent outlined dog types and how schools in rural areas lack mental health resources. “I’m here to speak specifically regarding the critical role dogs have as a disability accommodation … and how the policy as it stands is a barrier to my daughter’s education currently,” the parent said.

Banning dogs as way of protection

The district’s policy regarding animals on school property bans dogs inside schools at all times and outside during school hours. Only certified guide or service dogs under B.C. law and therapy animals with approved
educational plans are permitted. The family’s untrained family dog doesn’t meet district certification standards. Provincial law, like the Guide Dog and Service Dog Act, sets certification standards, but districts determine school rules. Updated on Dec. 11, 2024, after an incident where a child was bitten by a dog, the district’s policy added stricter rules to reduce liability, allergy concerns and emergency risks. Its most recent update excludes students and others with anxiety or learning challenges who rely on dogs for mental health support.

Celeste Bickford, a board trustee, praised the parent’s action while explaining the reasons that led to the recent policy review. “We came to this decision to revise the policy in the first place, not because we don’t want to support children, but because we had to make the difficult decision about how to protect everybody,” Bickford said.

Dog expert says there are other ways to allow dogs in campus

Superintendent Chris Nicholson said that even though the policy was tightened, there are specific pathways that allow for the presence of certain dogs in schools designed to balance student needs with legal and safety requirements. “The board will be holding to the current policy as is because we don’t have the safety questions answered. I would just say I don’t think we can put a pause on the policy. That puts us in very precarious position,” Nicholson said.

Dog experts mark distinctions between dog types. “Therapy dogs provide psychological or physiological comfort to individuals other than their handler,” said Quille Kaddon, general manager of Vancouver ecoVillage, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing therapeutic services and mental health wellness.
She said therapy dogs are trained to provide comfort and affection to multiple people in group settings, such as schools or hospitals.

Emotional support dogs, however, focus on offering companionship and emotional relief to their owners, helping with conditions like anxiety, depression, or panic attacks. “The concept of an emotional support dog is very ambiguous, and it’s not recognized in the therapeutic community,” said Stanley Coren, a University of British Columbia psychology professor emeritus and dog expert. He said such dogs lack formal status and are often misused. He suggested a certified therapy dog with a canine good neighbour certificate from the Canadian Kennel Club as a solution. Coren said if the parent’s request is in fact a legitimate case — where the dog serves as an emotional support animal, backed by a therapist confirming, “this dog is not going to bite,” and an evaluator confirmation of its training and safety with minimal certification — he’d expect the district to allow it.

The parent did not reply to the Voice requests for comment. Her name was withheld by the Voice to avoid identifying her daughter.