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Veteran asks district to use pet-friendly de-icing salt after service dog injuries; superintendent offers follow-up
Summary
A local veteran and service-dog handler, Mark Eberly, told the board his service dog suffered paw problems after district use of standard rock salt on school walkways; he asked the district to provide animal-friendly salt and to allow safer drop-off access. Superintendent Dr. Hibbs said he would call and follow up.
During the public-comment period, Mark Eberly, who said he trains and donates service dogs to disabled veterans, urged the district to switch to pet‑friendly de‑icing products at school properties and to clarify pickup procedures so service‑animal handlers can safely retrieve children.
Eberly described repeated paw burns and dryness he attributes to the salt currently used around school entrances and said he had to wash his dog’s feet frequently. He also recounted an October interaction at Whitman Elementary in which a staff member asked him to move because of a child’s fear; after the school later issued a pickup-time rule limiting access to school property until 3:15 p.m., Eberly said that restriction left him with no practical way to pick up his son from the handicap parking area.
Superintendent Dr. Hibbs told Eberly he would call the next day to work on the pickup issue and said, "Let's see if we can come up with some creative solutions to both. I'll call you, Mark." He added that pet‑friendly salt is significantly more expensive but that the district would explore possible solutions. Board members and other audience members also offered support and encouraged direct education of staff about service-animal protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
