Service dog receives diploma alongside Saskatoon high school graduate

Teens across Saskatchewan are celebrating graduation this month, but as Carla Shynkaruk reports, at Evan Hardy Collegiate, the ceremony went to the dogs.

As students across Saskatchewan settle into summer break, one graduation moment in Saskatoon is continuing to warm hearts.

When Grade 12 student Kai Owen crossed the stage at Evan Hardy Collegiate, they weren’t alone. Walking proudly beside them was Aegius, a four-year-old English sheepdog-poodle mix and Kai’s service dog.

For Kai, graduating without Aegius simply wasn’t an option.

“My teachers and principals and everyone was just like, ‘Okay, we’re doing this. You’re not going across without him. We’re not going to let you,’” Owen told CTV News.

Aegius has been by Kai’s side for the past two years of high school, helping with daily tasks, alerting them when their blood sugar drops and aiding with their anxiety.

“He’s been there with me through everything. He’s the most important thing in my life because everything he does for me is irreplaceable,” Owen says.

The school wanted to recognize that support in a special way.

Not only did Aegius walk across the stage alongside Kai, he also received a diploma of his own, proudly carrying it away in his mouth.

Kai says even that came as a surprise.

“I thought they were going to hand me a blank piece of paper rolled up as kind of a joke. Then I opened the folder and saw his diploma. I didn’t even know about that part,” they said.

Only a handful of classmates knew the special moment was coming.

“Most of the people didn’t know. We only did one or two rehearsals because he’s just so good at picking stuff up like that. We didn’t really need to rehearse much,” Kai said.

Kai’s family was also caught completely off guard.

After the ceremony, there were plenty of hugs and tears of joy, for both graduate and service dog.

“They were doing rotations: hug the dog, hug me, then switching around,” Owen laughed.

The experience has given Owen career inspiration post-graduation.

“My biggest goal is to become a service dog trainer. I’ve loved the way I’ve been able to train him to be such a life-changing dog,” they said.

While Aegius may not have earned any classroom credits, staff at Evan Hardy Collegiate say he more than earned his place with the graduating Class of 2026, recognizing the role he played in helping Owen reach this milestone.

The pair wrapped up the celebration the same way many graduates do —posing for photos together, with one diploma tucked under the arm and the other proudly carried in Aegius’s mouth.

They even took a selfie taken which is one of many tricks the clever canine has learned.