CCSD considers allowing service, emotional support animals for students, staff
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Clark County School District students and staff may be able to bring a miniature horse or a dog to class, as long as it’s a service animal.
The Clark County School Board of Trustees is looking to adopt policies on welcoming service and emotional support animals.
“We can use them for amazing things like diabetic alert or epilepsy,” Kevin Martinez, the owner of the Doggy Dojo, said.
Martinez is in the business of training service dogs but said not all dogs are fit for that role.
To start, he recommends people find a trainer who can give guidance on what type of dog to get.
“These dogs are very unique and they’re trained, and need to be trained, and should be trained, at a very very high level to perform a task in order to help someone achieve some sense of normalcy in their day-to-day life,” Martinez said.
Nevada state law only recognizes dogs and miniature horses as service animals.
“An emotional support animal is not federally protected,” Martinez said. “It doesn’t require any specific type of training. It isn’t required to perform any specific type of tasks or anything.”
Anna Marie Binder, a CCSD parent, supports adding these policies. She’s been a part of several government special education committees.
“We have several children in our district that really need their service animals with them,” Binder said.
Binder said she understands the concerns of some parents who have kids who are allergic to dogs.
“I think sometimes the need for people who have those animals is going to be greater than the small accommodations for someone who may be allergic,” Binder said.
CCSD’s proposed policy states both service and emotional support animals can be removed for a list of reasons, with some being if they’re not housebroken or if they pose a threat to the health and safety of the community.
This new policy will go before trustees at least twice. They’ll debate it on Thursday and then again on May 16, when a final vote could happen.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
