IIB 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 3885 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 26, 2010 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

AN ACT 

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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

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

3 Therapy Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PRO5 GRAM ON DOG TRAINING THERAPY. 

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

7 days after the date of the enactment of the Act, the Sec8 retary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program 

9 for the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of addressing 

10 post-deployment mental health and post-traumatic stress 

11 disorder symptoms through a therapeutic medium of 

12 training service dogs for veterans with disabilities. 

13 (b) DURATION OF PILOT PROGRAM.—The pilot pro14 gram required by subsection (a) shall be carried out at 

15 least three and not more than five Department of Veterans 

16 Affairs medical centers during the five-year period begin17 ning on the date of the commencement of the pilot pro18 gram. 

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

20 medical centers for the pilot program required under sub21 section (a), the Secretary shall ensure that each medical 

22 center selected provides a training area for educating vet23 erans with mental health conditions in the art and science 

24 of assistance dog training and handling. Such training 

25 area shall— 


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1 (1) include a dedicated space that is suitable 

2 for grooming and training dogs indoors; 

3 (2) be wheelchair accessible; 

4 (3) include classroom or lecture space; 

5 (4) include office space for staff; 

6 (5) include a suitable space for storing training 

7 equipment; 

8 (6) provide for periodic use of other training 

9 areas for training the dogs with wheelchairs and 

10 conducting other exercises; 

11 (7) include outdoor exercise and toileting space 

12 for dogs; and 

13 (8) provide transportation for weekly field trips 

14 to train dogs in other environments. 

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

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

17 (1) administer the program through the Recre18 ation Therapy Service of the Department of Vet19 erans Affairs under the direction of a certified rec20 reational therapist with sufficient administrative ex21 perience to oversee all pilot program sites; 

22 (2) establish, for purposes of overseeing the 

23 training of dogs at medical centers selected for the 

24 pilot program, a director of service dog training with 

25 a background working in social services, experience 


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1 in teaching others to train service dogs in a voca2 tional setting, and at least one year of experience 

3 working with veterans or active duty service mem4 bers with post-traumatic stress disorder in a clinical 

5 setting; 

6 (3) ensure that each pilot program site has cer7 tified dog trainers; 

8 (4) ensure that each assistance dog used in the 

9 program is purpose-bred for assistance dog work 

10 and has adequate temperament and health clear11 ances; 

12 (5) ensure that each assistance dog partici13 pating in the pilot program is taught 90 commands 

14 pertaining to assistance dog skills; 

15 (6) ensure that each assistance dog live at the 

16 pilot program site or a volunteer foster home in the 

17 vicinity of such site while receiving training; 

18 (7) ensure that the pilot program involves both 

19 lecture of assistance dog training methodologies and 

20 practical hands-on training and grooming of assist21 ance dogs; and 

22 (8) ensure that the pilot program is designed 

23 to— 

24 (A) maximize the therapeutic benefits to 

25 veteran participating in the program; and 


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1 (B) provide well-trained assistance dogs to 

2 veterans with disabilities. 

3 (e) VETERAN ELIGIBILITY.—A veteran with post4 traumatic stress disorder or other post-deployment mental 

5 health condition may volunteer to participate in the pilot 

6 program under subsection (a) if the Secretary determines 

7 that there are adequate program resources available for 

8 such veteran at the pilot program site. 

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

10 training instructors under the pilot program under sub11 section (a), the Secretary shall give a preference to vet12 erans who have successfully graduated from post-trau13 matic stress disorder or other residential treatment pro14 grams and who have received adequate certification in as15 sistance dog training. 

16 (g) COLLECTION OF DATA.—The Secretary shall col17 lect data on the pilot program required under subsection 

18 (a) to determine how effective the program is for the vet19 erans participating in the program. Such data shall in20 clude data to determine how effectively the program as21 sists veterans in— 

22 (1) reducing stigma associated with post-trau23 matic stress disorder or other post-deployment men24 tal health condition; 

25 (2) improving emotional regulation; 


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1 (3) improving patience; 

2 (4) instilling or re-establishing a sense of pur3 pose; 

4 (5) providing an opportunity to help fellow vet5 erans; 

6 (6) reintegrating into the community; 

7 (7) exposing the dog to new environments and 

8 in doing so, helping the veteran reduce social isola9 tion and withdrawal and increase their sense of safe10 ty; 

11 (8) building relationship skills; 

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

13 (10) improving sleep patterns; and 

14 (11) enabling veterans to decrease the use of 

15 pain medication. 

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

17 year after the date of the commencement of the pilot pro18 gram under subsection (a), and each year thereafter for 

19 the duration of the pilot program, the Secretary shall sub20 mit to Congress a report on the pilot program. Each such 

21 report shall include— 

22 (1) the number of veterans participating in the 

23 pilot program; 

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

25 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 


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1 issues in the art and science of assistance dog training 

2 and handling. 

Passed the House of Representatives May 25, 2010. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


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