Twelve dogs entered Ontario’s Stratford Festival and didn’t even ask for popcorn.
They were part of a two-year program run by K-9 Country Inn Working Service Dogs, Laura MacKenzie’s organization that trains them to become service dogs. Before the theater, they had already been through zoos, the subway, and crowded fairs, all to get used to the lights and noises that someday they will have to ignore while caring for someone. That night, the challenge was different: to sit through the entire performance of “Billy Elliot: The Musical” without barking, moving, or stealing the spotlight.
They almost pulled it off. Most stayed curled up at their handlers’ feet, but a couple couldn’t resist and poked their heads above the seats to peek at the stage, just like any of us in the last row. Ann Swerdfager, from the festival, said that many audience members already bring their own service dogs to performances, so welcoming the trainees was a real pleasure.