Claim: A service dog received a master’s degree from the University of Illinois.
Is this fact or fake, and where are the sources for this information?
The dog wore a cap and gown and accompanied its owner at the ceremony. The dog did not actually receive a degree.
24-year old Bridget Evans graduated with a master’s degree in community health and hospital administration from the University of Illinois. Her 6-year old service dog named Hero was allowed to attend with her while wearing a cap and gown.
Evans told Today.com, “He’s been with me through all my classes. He deserved a cap and gown as much as I did.”
An image of Evans and Hero went viral in May 2013 when a photo from the graduation ceremony was posted on Reddit. Evans has said that the dog knows over 40 commands, and helped her arrive to classes on time.
Below is a low-quality video of the graduation.
Source
Grad accepts diploma with cap-and-gown clad service dog (Danika Fears, Today: May 16, 2013)
