Appeals court sides with family in service dog dispute

COLUMBIA -- A legal fight between a southwestern Illinois school district and a family over an autistic student's use of a service dog is pressing on despite an appeals court ruling favoring the boy.

The Mount Vernon-based 5th District Appellate Court has denied the Columbia school district's bid to put on hold a Monroe County judge's order allowing 5-year-old Carter Kalbfleisch's service dog into the school.

Circuit Judge Dennis Doyle last month entered a preliminary injunction to let the boy bring his dog into his pre-kindergarten classes. That order takes effect Monday.

The appeal was a request by the district to temporarily put Doyle's decision on hold while the entire appeal is under way.

The district says allowing the dog would harm at least one other student who is allergic to animals.