New Bill Supports Use of Shelter Dogs to Help Veterans with PTSD

[elly1210]

Share for discussion and information.

ASPCA | New Bill Supports Use of Shelter Dogs to Help Veterans with PTSD

We applaud the United States House of Representatives’ for the passage of the Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act. This innovative bill, introduced by U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, D-N.Y., would establish a program where service members suffering from PTSD could train shelter dogs to be service dogs for disabled veterans.
“When more and more servicemen and women are returning from overseas with PTSD and other injuries, this bill will allow for our veterans to get the therapy and assistance they need and will give some worthy shelter dogs very good homes.” says Nancy Perry, Senior Vice President of ASPCA Government Relations.
The Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act was one of six bills that address veterans’ health issues to pass unanimously this week. The ASPCA thanks Rep. Grimm, himself a veteran, for his leadership on this important legislation to support our nation’s

[kiwilrdg]

I will track down the bill tonight and see what it actually says. The news reports and blogs about it really blur the term Service Dog, Emotional Support Dog, and Therapy Dog so much that it is hard to tell what the bill is really about.

[elly1210]

Congressman Grimm's floor speech on the Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act - Video | SILive.com

[elly1210]

The bill H.R. 3885 [111th] - Summary: Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act (GovTrack.us)

and full Read The Bill: H.R. 3885 [111th] - GovTrack.us

[I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO]

I am fostering dogs for a program like this in FL. They breed and raise GSDs for service dogs, but are now rescuing GSDs and training them in the same program for PTSD patients.

[AbbyK9]

Possibly unrelated, but I was watching a YouTube clip about an organization that is currently doing this, having Soldiers with PTSD help train dogs to become Service Dogs. See video below -

You Tube

You Tube

She talks about how she takes this dog, an SDIT, into Walmart where the dog is very anxious and frightened and works with him there, and how she hopes the dog will one day be her service dog. That's where the report just lost me. First, in most places SDITs do not have public access. Second, a dog with anxiety issues should never be a Service Dog - it needs to be a dog with absolutely stable temperament and no issues. I think it's wonderful that they're working to rehabilitate shelter dogs but this particular dog she was talking about should never even be considered as a Service Dog - though it will probably make someone a nice pet.

And that is one of my worries with programs such as these, that dogs will be unsuited for Service Dog work but will still become SDITs and eventually Service Dogs because it's "a good program" that helps shelter dogs as well as soldiers.

Does the bill specify what kind of experience these people who chose the shelter dogs are required to have? Or those who supervise the training? That would worry me if it's not included at all.

[elly1210]

Abby, I have the same exact concerns as you do that is why I posted this for discussion.

SDIT, do have pubic access depending on the state. Each state has a SDIT law on whether they have access like a full service dog.

Here in Ohio we are lucky and can bring our SDIT everywhere a full SD. Other states do defer and you need to know those laws.

[kiwilrdg]

The Bill states

(4) ensure that each assistance dog used in the program is purpose-bred for assistance dog work and has adequate temperament and health clearances;

But

“When more and more servicemen and women are returning from overseas with PTSD and other injuries, this bill will allow for our veterans to get the therapy and assistance they need and will give some worthy shelter dogs very good homes.” says Nancy Perry, Senior Vice President of ASPCA Government Relations.

I guess some folks didn't really read the bill.

[AbbyK9]

That aside, it seems like the bill has a lot of requirements that can be potentially very difficult to meet. For example, they require that each program is supervised by "a director of service dog training with a background working in social services, experience in teaching others to train service dogs in a vocational setting, and at least one year of experience working with veterans or active duty service members with post-traumatic stress disorder in a clinical setting"

I wonder how many Service Dog trainers are out there who have experience training service dogs in a vocational setting (teching others) and a year or more experience working with veterans or active duty service members?

They also want each site to have certified dog trainers, but don't specify how they need to be certified. Outside of CPDT, what dog training certifications are there? And do they mean the person is necessarily qualified to train Service Dogs?

They also require "that each assistance dog used in the program is purpose-bred for assistance dog work and has adequate temperament and health clearances". Would this not rule out the use of shelter dogs if they specify that the dog must be purpose-bred for assistance dog work?

[elly1210]

I would think that that statement would yes cancel out Rescue/Shelter Dogs UNLESS there is another BILL being revamped?

The Bill states
Quote:
(4) ensure that each assistance dog used in the program is purpose-bred for assistance dog work and has adequate temperament and health clearances;