Parents of students at Sheppard Public School are once again putting pressure on the Waterloo Regional District School Board following its decision to remove the service dog program from classrooms.

For more than five years, two specially trained dogs have visited the Kitchener school to help students experiencing discomfort or stress. This was part of the Canine Assisted Response Program organized through National Service Dogs.

The program was suddenly canceled just days before the start of the school year. Parents say they were not informed of the school board’s decision.

The Waterloo Regional District School Board told CTV News in October that the pilot program ended due to lack of data.

On Monday, two parents seeking to reinstate the program spoke at a public school board meeting. The Executive Director of National Service Dogs was also on hand to express her support for the initiative.

The delegates alleged that the school board provided inaccurate information by claiming that the cancellation of the program had been communicated to parents in advance.

“There’s a lot of mistrust right now about how parents are communicated and how much transparency is shared,” parent Madison Kolberg said at the meeting. “I think we’re really disappointed with that side of things, with the way we’re being communicated. I approach this conversation, and my delegation, from a place of shared curiosity, trust, and partnership.

In a statement to CTV News Tuesday, the school board said it informed dog owners and staff of the cancellation before September. They also said they discussed ending the program with school board members in October.

More to come.