A Boy and His Dog

After a brief court battle, the East Meadow School District in New York State will allow a deaf high school student to bring his service dog to school. More than a year ago, John Cave Jr., a 15-year-old from Nassau County, was refused the right to bring his yellow Labrador retriever, Simba, onto school property. In an important decision for service dogs everywhere, the state ruled against the school district, calling the refusal a violation of human rights. John Jr., who is accompanied by the dog at all times and is an expertly trained handler, depends on Simba to help him complete necessary tasks throughout the day.