Farmingdale High School Gets New Facility Dog Keanu

A 2-year-old dog named Keanu is headed to Farmingdale High School as the Long Island district's newest facility dog, trained in more than 40 tasks over 18 months with a volunteer puppy raiser before crossing the stage at a graduation ceremony in Medford. He joins a small, elite class of working dogs stepping into one of the more emotionally significant roles a school community can offer a canine: helping students and staff navigate grief, stress, and everyday school life. Keanu was one of 12 dogs honored alongside their handlers at the Medford graduation, according to ABC7 New York. Rudy Breedy, a representative of Canine Companions' Northeast region, described the path each animal takes before earning its new role, noting that the dogs spend 18 months with a volunteer puppy raiser before training and crossing what he called the finish line to become either a service or facility dog.

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