6 Accommodation of Service Dogs in a Teaching Lab

By Dominique Daniels

Introduction

Some disabled students require the use of a service dog to safely perform daily tasks including school and lab work.  A service dog is a dog that has been trained to aid or guide a person with a disability (Ontario Service Dogs Act, 2016). To become certified, service dogs undergo rigorous training for both their tasks as service dogs and for appropriate behaviour in public settings. There are many types of service dogs including guide dogs, mobility assistance dogs, diabetic alert dogs, seizure alert and response dogs, and many more. Service dogs are identifiable by either a vest or harness worn by the dog, or through medical documentation carried by the handler (AODA, 2005). In Ontario, service dogs are to be treated the same way as any other accessibility aid and must be allowed access to public places and school facilities (Ontario Service Dogs Act, 2016).

Service Dog Etiquette

Service dogs have important jobs and must be given the space to focus on their tasks. In a lab setting, this focus is even more important as distracting a service dog can have serious consequences for the safety of the student and the dog.

The following behaviours are very distracting to service dogs and should be avoided unless given specific permission by the handler:

• Petting or touching the service dog
• Speaking to the service dog
• Whistling, waving, or calling to get the attention of the service dog
• Feeding the service dog

When speaking to someone with a service dog, always remember to address the person, not the dog. Be respectful of the student’s private medical information and only ask questions about the function of the service dog when the information is needed for safety or accessibility reasons. To protect the privacy and safety of the student, never take or post pictures or videos of a service dog on social media without specific informed consent from the student.

Safety

Learning laboratory health and safety practices are an important component of undergraduate lab courses. Lab courses are an excellent opportunity for students with service dogs to learn appropriate lab safety measures for their dog prior to pursuing research lab work. Safety decisions should be made in collaboration with the student as each service dog team will have different needs and safety concerns based on the nature of the dog’s tasks. However, any service dog will need to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and have a safe place to sit or lay down during the lab sessions.

PPE

Service dogs require protection from the same hazards as humans, therefore they also require the same level of PPE as humans. Depending on the activities and hazards of the lab, service dogs should wear lab coats, goggles, and boots.  Activities with a high risk of spill should be performed away from the dog, and a non-absorbent mat may be needed for the dog to sit on to prevent spills from reaching their spot on the floor. Keep in mind that many breeds of dog can be service dogs and the specific recommendations below may not be the best choice for every dog. As such, the student should be consulted before any PPE is purchased to ensure it will fit the service dog.

Service dog PPE

Service dogs can wear the same lab coats as humans, which often can be purchased at a Campus Bookstore or Science Store for roughly $30.00 CDN. To ensure comfort and avoid restriction of movement, the size of the lab coat should be chosen based on the width of the dog’s shoulders. To put a lab coat on a dog: the front legs go through the arms of the coat and the back of the coat drapes over the back of the dog. Excess material can be tucked into the bottom of the service dog vest to avoid dragging behind or tripping. Note that there are not currently any legitimate lab coats made for dogs. The “dog lab coats” available online are meant for use as a costume, not as protective equipment. Only purchase a lab coat from a legitimate PPE supplier.

It can be difficult to find appropriate eye protection for dogs. The most common choice for working dogs is Rex Specs as they have a tight seal around the eye area to protect from splashes, and the polycarbonate lenses are shatter proof and have passed the ANSI z87.1-2010 Impact Resistance Test. The Working Dog model of Rex Specs can be purchased online at rexspecs.com for roughly $80.00 USD.

There are many options for foot protection for service dogs. An easily available option is Pawz boots which are available in many sizes and can be purchased at most pet stores for roughly $20.00 CDN for a package of 12 boots. These boots are disposable but can be worn multiple times before being worn out. These boots come in packages of 12 because they do not last long, but this may be advantageous for lab work as it means they can be thrown away if they come into contact with a spill. Some dogs find the rubber texture of the boots uncomfortable, but baby socks may be worn under them for extra comfort. There are also cloth boot options for dogs that are reusable, but these may be too warm for indoor use and costly if they need to be thrown away after exposure to a spill.

If large spills are a risk in the lab, then a non-absorbent mat should be used as a safe surface for the dog to sit or lie on. Many non-absorbent mats are available at pet stores and can be cut to the appropriate size for the dog and area. One option is the Cushioned Crate Mat made by Mid West, which can be purchased at most pet stores for roughly $50.00 CDN. This mat is water resistant and easy to clean and disinfect.

Other Safety Considerations

Service dogs require a safe place to sit or lay down while students perform experiments. Students with service dogs should be assigned a bench near a safe area where the dog will not be tripped over or stepped on. This could be a bench near the perimeter of the room or one that is next to an unoccupied bench. Some labs have spots under the lab bench that the dog can sit in, depending on their size. The needs of each service dog team are different, and the student should always be consulted when choosing the safest bench for them.

Dogs have a stronger sense of smell than humans and this is often what allows service dogs to perform jobs such as seizure detection. As such, service dogs can be more sensitive to strong odours in the lab. When service dogs are present, extra caution should be taken to perform experiments with strong odours in a fume hood and away from the service dog. Additionally, dogs can also be more sensitive to noise than humans. To protect their hearing, service dogs should be kept away from very loud equipment (e.g., sonicators), but when moderately loud noise is present, a student may choose to use cotton balls as ear plugs for their service dog.