Diva, a black Labrador that students might encounter around campus, is unlike any other dog.

Her owner, Katina Boetger (junior-advertising and public relations), doesn't just have Diva as a pet. Boetger is training Diva for her 16-year-old sister, Kristin, who is unlike other teenagers who are practicing for their driver's licenses and going on their first dates. Kristin is autistic, has cerebral palsy and is severely mentally retarded -- which when compounded together is unlike any other case, Katina Boetger said.

When Boetger finishes training the "energetic" black Lab, she will send Diva to her younger sister and their parents in Erie.

"It has always been an option for my sister to have a dog to help her, and now she is getting to the age that Kristin needs independence and my parents need a break too," Boetger said. "When I saw Diva and Kristin reacting to each other, I knew Diva could help give Kristin the attention that she needs."

Boetger said she talked to her sister's doctors, and they said a family member could train a dog to help.

"I want her to be a companion for my sister and give her the attention that both of them need," she said.

Diva usually has a red backpack hooked to her back to learn to carry things and get used to having something strapped on her. Now, Diva carries Boetger's cell phone and keys to prepare Diva to carry her younger sister's medications.

Kristin Boetger suffers from seizures that cannot be detected. Studies have shown that some dogs can detect when their owners are going to have a seizure, Katina Boetger said, and she hopes Diva will pick up on her sister's abnormalities.

Another goal Boetger has for Diva is to understand one sign of sign language -- the sign to go to the bathroom. This is used so that Diva can get someone else's attention to help Kristin Boetger to the bathroom.

"Diva rarely ever barks. I want to train her to bark when she sees the sign for bathroom," Katina Boetger said.

Boetger said it is hard to tell how long it will take for Diva to be trained.

"She has to be perfect and stay right by [Kristin's] side," she said. "Because right now around campus, if squirrels or other dogs are around, [Diva] gets hyper."

Diva still needs to learn to control herself and get used to being around different people in many different environments, Boetger said.

"Diva rides on the bus with me to and from campus and there hasn't been any problems, and CATA [Centre Area Transportation Authority] has been absolutely wonderful," she said.

Boetger said most of her professors and classmates are more than happy to have Diva in their class.

Diva has been in class with Steve Manuel, senior lecturer of communications, all semester.

"The dog is very well-behaved to the point that I forgot she's in the front row of the classroom," Manuel said.

"I have no objections to having Diva in class, but she will have to take the exam, though," he said, laughing.

Most students don't mind her either.

"It is great to see that she is putting so much time into helping her sister and that everyone is working so well to help her," Derek Demeter (junior-telecommunications) said.

Most of the time, Diva gets more attention then her owner.

"Diva isn't known as my dog; I'm known as her owner," she said. "On the bus, people come on and they all say 'hi' to Diva, and they don't even look at me once. I think she is more popular than me."