Appeals court allows autism helper dog in class

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Appeals court allows autism helper dog in class

3:03 AM CDT, August 28, 2010

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.

An Illinois appeals court has agreed to allow a central Illinois student to keep

his autism helper dog in school.

The Fourth District Appellate Court sided with the family of Kaleb Drew. They

had argued that the boy's yellow Labrador retriever is a service animal allowed

in schools under state law.

The boy's mother had testified that the dog prevents the boy from running away,

helps him focus on his homework and calms him when he has a tantrum.

The appeals court upheld the November decision of a County judge. The

court issued its opinion Tuesday.

The Villa Grove school district had opposed the dog's presence and argued that

it isn't a true service animal. A telephone message for the school district's

attorney was not immediately returned.

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