I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3885 

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

on dog training therapy. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 21, 2009 

Mr. BROWN of South Carolina 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 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3885 IH

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 assistance dog training and handling. Such training 

17 area 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; 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3885 IH

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 dog trainers; 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 3885 IH

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

2 program is purpose-bred for assistance dog work 

3 and has adequate temperament and health clear4 ances; 

5 (5) ensure that each assistance dog partici6 pating in the pilot program is taught 90 commands 

7 pertaining to assistance dog skills; 

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

9 pilot program site or a volunteer foster home in the 

10 vicinity of such site while receiving training; 

11 (7) ensure that the pilot program involves both 

12 lecture of assistance dog training methodologies and 

13 practical hands-on training and grooming of assist14 ance dogs; and 

15 (8) ensure that the pilot program is designed 

16 to— 

17 (A) maximize the therapeutic benefits to 

18 veteran participating in the program; and 

19 (B) provide well-trained assistance dogs to 

20 veterans with disabilities. 

21 (e) VETERAN ELIGIBILITY.—A veteran with post22 traumatic stress disorder or other post-deployment mental 

23 health condition may volunteer to participate in the pilot 

24 program under subsection (a) if the Secretary determines 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 3885 IH

1 that there are adequate program resources available for 

2 such veteran at the pilot program site. 

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

4 training instructors under the pilot program under sub5 section (a), the Secretary shall give a preference to vet6 erans who have successfully graduated from post-trau7 matic stress disorder or other residential treatment pro8 grams and who have received adequate certification in as9 sistance dog training. 

10 (g) COLLECTION OF DATA.—The Secretary shall col11 lect data on the pilot program required under subsection 

12 (a) to determine how effective the program is for the vet13 erans participating in the program. Such data shall in14 clude data to determine how effectively the program as15 sists veterans in— 

16 (1) reducing stigma associated with post-trau17 matic stress disorder or other post-deployment men18 tal health condition; 

19 (2) improving emotional regulation; 

20 (3) improving patience; 

21 (4) instilling or re-establishing a sense of pur22 pose; 

23 (5) providing an opportunity to help fellow vet24 erans; 

25 (6) reintegrating into the community; 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 3885 IH

1 (7) exposing the dog to new environments and 

2 in doing so, helping the veteran reduce social isola3 tion and withdrawal and increase their sense of safe4 ty; 

5 (8) building relationship skills; 

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

7 (10) improving sleep patterns; and 

8 (11) enabling veterans to decrease the use of 

9 pain medication. 

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

11 year after the date of the commencement of the pilot pro12 gram under subsection (a), and each year thereafter for 

13 the duration of the pilot program, the Secretary shall sub14 mit to Congress a report on the pilot program. Each such 

15 report shall include— 

16 (1) the number of veterans participating in the 

17 pilot program; 

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

19 the Secretary under the pilot program; 

20 (3) the effects that participating in the pilot 

21 program has on the following— 

22 (A) symptoms of post-traumatic stress dis23 order and post-deployment adjustment difficul24 ties, including depression, maintenance of sobri25 ety, suicidal ideations, and homelessness; 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 3885 IH

1 (B) potentially relevant physiological mark2 ers that possibly relate to the interactions with 

3 the service dogs; 

4 (C) family dynamics; 

5 (D) insomnia and pain management; and 

6 (E) overall well being; and 

7 (4) the recommendations of the Secretary with 

8 respect to the extension or expansion of the pilot 

9 program. 

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

11 the term ‘‘service dog training instructor’’ means an in12 structor who provides the direct training of veterans with 

13 post-traumatic stress disorder and other post-deployment 

14 issues in the art and science of assistance dog training 

15 and handling. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS