Support dog Brittney brings comfort to students across Pershing County Schools
Check out the article in the Great Basin Sun!
https://greatbasinsun.com/news/2025/dec/24/support-dog-brittney-brings-comfort-to-students-across-pershing-county-schools/
When Special Services Director Kate Tousignant arrived at the Pershing County School District last August, she brought an early Christmas gift that’s still being unwrapped: a four-legged friend with a cold nose and an important job.
That friend is Brittney, a 7-year-old Labrador retriever mix who has spent more than five years as a working dog. Brittney was born, raised and professionally trained through the nonprofit organization Canine Companions and lives full-time with Tousignant.
“A typical day for Brittney includes visiting with students at the high school, working with students in the middle school’s Comprehensive Life Skills (CLS) class, and walking the halls of the elementary school, including special visits with the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) classroom,” Tousignant said.
Brittney is a certified facility dog, meaning she works alongside Tousignant to help students with disabilities. Her ADA certification enables her to assist students in school and community settings.
According to information provided by Canine Companions, facility dogs perform many of the same tasks as service dogs, including retrieving items, opening doors and providing calming pressure to help reduce anxiety.
Tousignant first learned about the program early in her career as a special education teacher. Years later, while teaching in Reno, she worked with students who were at or above grade level academically but struggled with social skills and functional communication.
That experience led her to reach out to Canine Companions and apply for the program. After four years on the waitlist, Tousignant traveled to Santa Rosa for two weeks of on-site training, where the handlers matched her with Brittney.
Now based in Pershing County, Brittney works with students throughout the district, from elementary school through high school. Tousignant said the dog’s presence helps students feel calmer and more supported during the school day.
Although Brittney works alongside special services staff, Tousignant said her impact reaches well beyond those classrooms. Students and teachers across the district regularly interact with Brittney, and her calm presence has become a familiar part of the school environment for the entire school community.