On the recordMay 24, 2010
I rise in support of H.R. 3885, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on dog training therapy. This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a 5-year pilot program in at least three medical centers for assessing the effectiveness of treating postdeployment mental illness, such as PTSD, through assistance dog training. The pilot would allow veterans battling these invisible wounds to assist certified dog trainers in training assistance animals. The veterans will work with their dogs in their care, the trainers who are guiding the curriculum and with other wounded warriors to train dogs to become valuable therapy animals, with the animals having learned some 90 different commands. At the same time, the veterans learn valuable lessons about themselves and their world, which they need to learn so they can recover and reintegrate into society. Once trained, the therapy dogs will be provided to other disabled veterans to aid them in daily activities, like opening doors, retrieving fallen items, et cetera. As an added benefit, the veteran dog trainers are provided vocational experience should they choose to pursue service dog training as a career path.
