Brainerd Schools Officially Allow Service Animals

Brainerd Public Schools have always allowed their students and staff to have service animals if they are needed. However, at the last school board meeting the district officially passed a formal policy on service animals.

The policy complies with federal law stating that dogs and miniature horses can be used as service animals. In order for a student or staff member to have a service animal, the person must have a disability and the animal must be trained to perform a task in response to the disability. Before the formal policy was passed, the school district had already allowed two students to be accompanied by their service dogs.

The Brainerd School District decided to pass the policy as more community members are now using their facilities.