I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 183 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program 

on dog training therapy. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 4, 2013 

Mr. GRIMM (for himself and Mr. MICHAUD) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a pilot program on dog training therapy. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Dog Training 

5 Therapy Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PRO7 GRAM ON DOG TRAINING THERAPY. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Commencing not later than 120 

9 days after the date of the enactment of the Act, the Sec10 retary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program 


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1 for the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of addressing 

2 post-deployment mental health and post-traumatic stress 

3 disorder symptoms through a therapeutic medium of 

4 training service dogs for veterans with disabilities. 

5 (b) DURATION OF PILOT PROGRAM.—The pilot pro6 gram required by subsection (a) shall be carried out at 

7 least three and not more than five Department of Veterans 

8 Affairs medical centers during the five-year period begin9 ning on the date of the commencement of the pilot pro10 gram. 

11 (c) LOCATIONS OF PILOT PROGRAM.—In selecting 

12 medical centers for the pilot program required under sub13 section (a), the Secretary shall ensure that each medical 

14 center selected provides a training area for educating vet15 erans with mental health conditions in the art and science 

16 of service dog training and handling. Such training area 

17 shall— 

18 (1) include a dedicated space that is suitable 

19 for grooming and training dogs indoors; 

20 (2) be wheelchair accessible; 

21 (3) include classroom or lecture space; 

22 (4) include office space for staff; 

23 (5) include a suitable space for storing training 

24 equipment; 


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1 (6) provide for periodic use of other training 

2 areas for training the dogs with wheelchairs and 

3 conducting other exercises; 

4 (7) include outdoor exercise and toileting space 

5 for dogs; and 

6 (8) provide transportation for weekly field trips 

7 to train dogs in other environments. 

8 (d) DESIGN OF PILOT PROGRAM.—In carrying out 

9 the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall— 

10 (1) administer the program through the Recre11 ation Therapy Service of the Department of Vet12 erans Affairs under the direction of a certified rec13 reational therapist with sufficient administrative ex14 perience to oversee all pilot program sites; 

15 (2) establish, for purposes of overseeing the 

16 training of dogs at medical centers selected for the 

17 pilot program, a director of service dog training with 

18 a background working in social services, experience 

19 in teaching others to train service dogs in a voca20 tional setting, and at least one year of experience 

21 working with veterans or active duty service mem22 bers with post-traumatic stress disorder in a clinical 

23 setting; 

24 (3) ensure that each pilot program site has cer25 tified service dog training instructors; 


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1 (4) ensure that in selecting assistance dogs for 

2 use in the program, dogs residing in animal shelters 

3 or foster homes are looked at as an option, if appro4 priate, and ensure that all dogs used in the program 

5 have adequate temperament and health clearances; 

6 (5) ensure that each service dog in training 

7 participating in the pilot program is taught all es8 sential commands pertaining to service dog skills; 

9 (6) ensure that each service dog in training 

10 lives at the pilot program site or a volunteer foster 

11 home in the vicinity of such site while receiving 

12 training; 

13 (7) ensure that the pilot program involves both 

14 lecture of service dog training methodologies and 

15 practical hands-on training and grooming of service 

16 dogs; and 

17 (8) ensure that the pilot program is designed 

18 to— 

19 (A) maximize the therapeutic benefits to 

20 veterans participating in the program; and 

21 (B) provide well-trained service dogs to 

22 veterans with disabilities. 

23 (e) VETERAN ELIGIBILITY.—A veteran with post24 traumatic stress disorder or other post-deployment mental 

25 health condition may volunteer to participate in the pilot 


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1 program under subsection (a) if the Secretary determines 

2 that there are adequate program resources available for 

3 such veteran at the pilot program site. Veterans may par4 ticipate in the pilot program in conjunction with the com5 pensated work therapy program of the Department of Vet6 erans Affairs. 

7 (f) HIRING PREFERENCE.—In hiring service dog 

8 training instructors under the pilot program under sub9 section (a), the Secretary shall give a preference to vet10 erans who have successfully graduated from post-trau11 matic stress disorder or other residential treatment pro12 grams and who have received adequate certification in 

13 service dog training. 

14 (g) COLLECTION OF DATA.—The Secretary shall col15 lect data on the pilot program required under subsection 

16 (a) to determine how effective the program is for the vet17 erans participating in the program. Such data shall in18 clude data to determine how effectively the program as19 sists veterans in— 

20 (1) reducing stigma associated with post-trau21 matic stress disorder or other post-deployment men22 tal health condition; 

23 (2) improving emotional regulation; 

24 (3) improving patience; 


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1 (4) instilling or re-establishing a sense of pur2 pose; 

3 (5) providing an opportunity to help fellow vet4 erans; 

5 (6) reintegrating into the community; 

6 (7) exposing the dog to new environments and 

7 in doing so, helping the veteran reduce social isola8 tion and withdrawal; 

9 (8) building relationship skills, including par10 enting skills; 

11 (9) relaxing the hyper-vigilant survival state; 

12 (10) improving sleep patterns; and 

13 (11) enabling veterans to decrease the use of 

14 pain medication. 

15 (h) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Not later than one 

16 year after the date of the commencement of the pilot pro17 gram under subsection (a), and each year thereafter for 

18 the duration of the pilot program, the Secretary shall sub19 mit to Congress a report on the pilot program. Each such 

20 report shall include— 

21 (1) the number of veterans participating in the 

22 pilot program; 

23 (2) a description of the services carried out by 

24 the Secretary under the pilot program; 


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1 (3) the effects that participating in the pilot 

2 program has on the following— 

3 (A) symptoms of post-traumatic stress dis4 order and post-deployment adjustment difficul5 ties, including depression, maintenance of sobri6 ety, suicidal ideations, and homelessness; 

7 (B) potentially relevant physiological mark8 ers that possibly relate to the interactions with 

9 the service dogs; 

10 (C) family dynamics; 

11 (D) insomnia and pain management; and 

12 (E) overall well-being; and 

13 (4) the recommendations of the Secretary with 

14 respect to the extension or expansion of the pilot 

15 program. 

16 (i) DEFINITION.—For the purposes of this section, 

17 the term ‘‘service dog training instructor’’ means an in18 structor who provides the direct training of veterans with 

19 post-traumatic stress disorder and other post-deployment 

20 issues in the art and science of service dog training and 

21 handling. 

Æ 


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