Murray Bridge High School in South Australia overturns ban of special needs student’s assistant dog

A special needs boy left heartbroken after his beloved assistance dog was denied entry to his new classroom will finally be reunited with his animal after the school announces a huge backflip.

Logan Reese, 12, from Murray Bridge in south-east Adelaide, has just started year seven and has a host of conditions including epilepsy, autism, cerebral palsy and an acquired brain injury.

He is rarely without his service dog Hunter, who has been his constant companion for the past six years.

The Labrador Retriever not only helps Logan develop his independence and reduces his anxiety, but is also trained to help keep him safe and help him when he has a seizure.

Logan’s mother, Murrianna, said she was recently told by Murray Bridge High School that Hunter was unable to accompany her son into the classroom due to concerns about allergies and the cultural needs of other students.

They also told him that the school needed to raise funds to pay for Hunter’s caretaker.

A furious Mrs. Reese fought the ban, which was struck down within hours of the story garnering national attention.

“Hunter is really important to Logan as his support partner to help him build his self-esteem,” Ms Reese told Daily Mail Australia.

“If Logan has a seizure or starts to choke, bark to let the adults know Logan needs urgent help.

“It also comforts and calms Logan in stressful and overwhelming situations and helps stabilize his capacity.”

‘In Logan’s words, ‘Hunter is my best friend.’

The school reversed its decision on Wednesday following a meeting with Ms Reese and representatives from the South Australian department of education.

She thought about enrolling her son in a private school and considered homeschooling before her current school, which has 1,200 students, reversed its decision.

“Logan broke down in tears Tuesday night because it was getting too hard for him,” Ms. Reese said.

Now he is excited to return.

She plans to return to Logan’s school on Thursday to help the dog acclimate to the new environment.

Hunter has escorted Logan inside numerous places, including shopping malls, cinemas, therapist appointments, hospitals and Adelaide Airport.

Her mother referred to the legislation in the Cat and Dog Management Act of 1995, which provides that a person who is totally or partially blind or deaf, or otherwise disabled, has the right to be accompanied by a licensed assistance dog in a public place.

“The response from the school did not surprise me, as I have tried to get him and Hunter into other schools in the past with similar responses,” Ms. Reese said.

“But I didn’t think it would be a problem since Logan was in his last elementary school for three years, which had no problem with Hunter.”

“In fact, it became a great teaching and learning tool for the other students.”

Ms Reese previously told Sunrise: “The primary school principal has been helping us try to get Hunter there, talking to them, so he doesn’t see a problem with Hunter being there.”

Ms. Reese hopes to share her ordeal to create change for all families with children with special needs who face similar obstacles in schools.

“We are willing to work with government departments if they stop putting obstacles in the way,” he said.

“It would be great if we didn’t have to fight so hard to get what our kids need.”

A spokesman for the education department said they were pleased to have reached a positive result and had begun recruiting a dog handler to care for Hunter while Logan was learning.

“The school has been supporting Logan with a 1:1 student support officer and is pleased with the way he has adjusted to secondary school,” a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

‘The dog will now begin an orientation after school hours to familiarize it with the school site and dog training will also be provided to the rest of the staff.

‘These cases can be complex, particularly in a school with 1,200 students, so it takes time to ensure that the needs of other students are also met, for example allergies.

“We are very pleased to have worked with the family to identify a positive outcome for Logan and look forward to his continued success at Murray Bridge High School.”

Daily Mail Australia also contacted the school for comment.

It’s not the first time Logan’s service dog has been denied entry.

In 2019, the Reese family booked a holiday at a holiday park in Adelaide, a place they had stayed three times before.

Arriving with the assistance dog, the family was denied entry and forced to cancel their vacation due to the facility’s “no pets” policy.

The venue at the time claimed that the dog’s accreditation provided had expired and was deemed invalid by staff.