Alexis Westerfield (12) poses with (but doesn't touch!) Teddy - Mrs. Thurman's service dog

by Juana Roblero-Adams (11) 

 

Recently, at Owensboro High School, students may have noticed a service dog at our school in Mrs. Thurman’s classroom.

According to Thurman, “Teddy” -Theodore Roosevelt Thurman, is a Jack Russel Terrier, is  one year old and weighs ten pounds. Thurman states, “I am a Type 1 insulin dependent diabetic” and usually when her sugar is high or low her breath has a different scent.  “My service animal is trained to detect my blood sugar through scent recognition,” she says.  In the event of a blood sugar change, Teddy alerts her through a pawing motion. After he has attempted to alert her three times without no response, he is trained to bark and seek assistance.

Service dogs are been individually trained to perform a specific task for individuals who have disabilities. The disabilities can vary greatly, and so do the tasks that the service dogs perform. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, etc.

Students and adults should not touch or talk to a service animal while they are working. The American Disability Act or (ADA) protects individuals with many disabilities and requires businesses that serve the general public to allow people with access to their business or their property.

Kaysia Harrington, who has Thurman for African American History during second block on black days, says having the dog in the room has “not really been that noticeable.” 

Thurman takes Teddy outside between classes. 

Thurman says so far, having Teddy at OHS has “gone well.”  Except for a few whimpers during faculty meetings (the time of day when Teddy is used to being off duty) Teddy’s behavior has been optimal. 

 

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