original artwork by Citlali Diaz
by Lucille Gradillas
The 4th period bell rang and students are making their way through the halls. They plug in their headphones and tune out the world, just trying to get to their class. Everything’s normal. The same as usual. That’s when they notice it. Walking on all fours, with big ears and a bright vest that reads “Service Dog.” The students are surprised at first, but just continue walking to class. Congratulations; these students reacted the way they’re supposed to when they notice a service dog.
Students this school year might spot a dog in the hallways, don’t worry though, because this dog is a highly trained animal whose job is to help a student who needs it. Special dog trainers have trained Willow (the dog) to perform specific tasks to help aid a student in certain situations, but she usually just plops her head down on her big paws as sophomore Ann Gutierrez puts it.
“Willow usually stays under the [student’s] desk and goes to sleep, sometimes she’ll shake herself and just make a sound or something but that’s about it,” Gutierrez said. “I wouldn’t say she’s a distraction though, just because I know she’s there and I get used to her. I’m pretty sure it’s hard for any dog lover to just ignore a dog, so to some people it may be a distraction but to most it’s more like ‘oh it’s a dog’ and that’s that.”
She’s exactly right too, just like how you wouldn’t stare at a person with a wheelchair or point out a person’s crutch, you shouldn’t point or stare at a service animal. A person with social anxiety already feels like everyone’s watching and staring at them and then when you add a service dog to the mix it brings more attention to them, and possibly can heighten their anxiety. Even cooing at the dog may lead to some serious situations as service dog trainer Letticia Pugh explains.
“A service dog, as long as its working, is supposed to be focused on the person it’s serving, so if kids touch, approach, or talk to the dog, it pulls their attention away from what they’re supposed to be doing and it could possibly miss a command and could cost somebody their life,” Pugh said.
Naturally students want to pet a dog, except this dog is performing a job and should not be bothered. It’s not the end of the world if someone wants to pet Willow, as long as they don’t actually pet her, it’s perfectly harmless and fine.
“The dog is very cute, I wanted to pet it but I still haven’t because of the fact that it’s a service dog and it says ‘do not pet it,’” Gutierrez said.
Most of the time, people don’t necessarily mind if you pet their service dog, however, you should always ask first.
“I think as we get used to people having animals out in the school setting and the idea that they are providing a service just like any other human were to do with that individual, the service animal still has a task to do,” campus 504 modification administrator Teri Pulido said.
Willow, the service dog, is a crucial part of the student’s life, without her, who knows what could happen. She is at Holmes for a reason, so please be respectful to Willow and the student. Ask permission from the student to pet her first, and remember to welcome Willow into the Holmes Husky community in the proper way.