When Victor Bal walks across the stage to receive his mechanical engineering degree at Montreal’s École Polytechnique, his service dog Kopeck will be by his side—as she has been for every single class.
When Bal was 12, he was one of the first students to attend classes with a service dog that was trained by Quebec’s Mira foundation to support youth with autism spectrum disorders. Now the foundation says that at the age of 27, Bal is among the first people to benefit from a Mira ASD service dog to graduate from university.
“She’s my partner, she’s my ally,” he said of Kopeck, an eight-year-old Labrador/Bernese Mountain Dog cross. “Not long ago I called her my shield and sword to face the world because she gave me the tools I need to be a working member of society and be the best version of myself.”
The bond between a dog and their owner is a powerful thing, but for Bali and Kopeck, it’s on another level. She is with him 24 hours a day, seven days a week, bringing him peace and comfort wherever he goes.
While her presence is mostly passive, she is trained to recognize signs of stress and distract her by nudging her or making noises.
She also takes time off. When Bal takes Kopeck to a patch of grass and takes off her harness—her sign to stop working—she runs and plays like a puppy, chasing a stick.
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Before getting a service dog, Bal says he struggled to get through even elementary school. Now, he is graduating from a top university.
“What changed? It was the dog,” he said.
He said Kopeck and her predecessor not only helped him study, but also helped his social skills and self-esteem.
For example, he says that as a child he was careless about crossing the road. When he got his first dog, he started looking both ways before crossing.
“I want(ed) to protect the dog, I didn’t want her to get hurt,” he said. “So the dog helped me protect myself, preserve myself, and help me love myself.”
Over the years, he has also become comfortable sharing his story with others in order to give hope to people who are struggling.
While he credits Kopeck with enabling his success, Bal also had to work hard. In addition to autism spectrum disorder, he has other diagnoses, including ADHD. All of these have led to challenges with writing, focus and hyperactivity.
However, he developed an interest in robotics as a child, which gave him a “fire” for science that has never been extinguished, despite the challenges and doubts he faces.
Bal said he’s learned along the way that he doesn’t have to conform to other people’s timelines. It took him six years to finish high school, four for junior college and five years for his bachelor’s degree. “It took more time, but I did it and that’s what matters,” he said.
As Bal walks his dog at Polytechnique, multiple staff members recognize him and call out, offering congratulations on his graduation.
Marie-Michèle Vézina, a counselor for students with disabilities, says more than 1,000 students at Polytechnique have used accessibility services this school year, up from 40 about 15 years ago. The accommodations they receive are individualized and may include extra time on exams, vision and hearing aids, and personalized coaching.
She said Bal and Kopeck have become “champions” of school accessibility services because of their popularity among students, teachers and staff.
“It was easy to work with Victor because he knows his limits and wants to improve and is always trying to be the best version of himself,” she said. She said Kopeck’s presence in the classroom led to questions at first, but the pair later became a normal sight.
“I think if there’s another student in the future who wants to be here with a dog, we’ll be ready,” she said.
Bal said he’s still a little in disbelief about graduating, but he’s already looking to the future. He is currently looking for work, with the goal of becoming a member of the order of Quebec engineers. Kopeck, of course, will be by his side every step of the way.
&copies 2026 The Canadian Press
