ICAN-trained facility dog goes back to school with the kids!
- Indiana Canine Assistant Network
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
As students return to Jackson Creek Middle School in Bloomington this fall, one member of the school community is just as excited for the new school year: Brady, the school’s black Labrador Retriever facility dog.
“Summers are hard for Brady,” school counselor Crystal Bratton shared with a smile. “He loves being at school. Being around the students is what makes him happiest.”
Crystal is beginning her fourth year as a counselor at Jackson Creek Middle School. After the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her husband, both educators, saw firsthand the growing social and emotional needs of students.
Inspired by another educator in the district who was partnered with an Indiana Canine Assistant Network (ICAN) facility dog, Crystal applied for a facility dog while teaching special education at Bloomington North High School.
Although she changed positions before being matched, Brady arrived at exactly the right time. A few months into her new role, Crystal asked her school’s social worker to be Brady’s secondary handler. Together, they attended ICAN’s Team Training at Pendleton Correctional Facility, where they learned how to work as Brady’s handlers and built a strong partnership that continues to support students.
Since being paired in October 2023, Brady’s role has continued to evolve. Each morning, he greets students in the atrium with his “say hello” cue, happily accepting pets, offering high-fives and fist bumps, and helping students start their day with a smile.
Today, Brady has become a beloved figure throughout the school district, and Crystal is helping other educators change lives, too. She has created a Facility Dog Handbook that outlines the process, answers common questions, and helps schools navigate what it takes to welcome an ICAN facility dog.
Thanks to the generosity of donors and volunteers who make these partnerships possible, even more students can benefit from a facility dog. You can also make a difference — visit icandog.org to learn how.
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