CBC Radio (08/14/19) Van Evra, Jennifer

A photo of service dogs in training taking in a production of "Billy Elliot" at last week's Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada, has gone viral online. "The theater gives us the opportunity to expose the dogs to different stimuli such as lights, loud noises and movement of varying degrees," says K-9 Country Inn Working Service Dogs owner Laura Mackenzie. "The dogs must remain relaxed in tight quarters for an extended period of time." Dogs and their handlers are being taught to do everything a theater attendee does, like navigating safely though crowds, walking along narrow aisles and fitting into bathroom stalls, without distraction. The dogs attended one of Stratford's "relaxed performances" for people who need less intense lighting and gentler sounds, who tend to vocalize during performances, or who need to move around, making the shows perfect for autistics, parents with babies or young children, or people who have to get up during a show. Such productions are part of the festival's many accessibility efforts, which include performances with closed captioning for the hearing impaired, audio description for the visually impaired and braille programs and touch tours.

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