Title: DOGS Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Dogs Offering Gentle Support Act or the DOGS Act
This bill establishes a pilot grant program in the Department of Health and Human Services for eligible nonprofits to conduct routine dog-assisted therapy in various community settings and populations. The Government Accountability Office must report on the impact of the program.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6170 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6170

  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a 
    pilot program to study the efficacy of dog-assisted therapy on 
            vulnerable populations, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 10, 2020

 Mr. Lipinski introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a 
    pilot program to study the efficacy of dog-assisted therapy on 
            vulnerable populations, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Dogs Offering Gentle Support Act''or 
the ``DOGS Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Medical research has demonstrated mental, emotional, 
        and cognitive benefits of dog-assisted therapy in various 
        populations.
            (2) Vulnerable populations, such as children with low 
        reading comprehension, elderly nursing home residents and 
        veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, can see 
        particularly strong benefits from dog-assisted therapy.
            (3) Congress should support this growing body of research 
        by deploying Federal agency resources to determine the ways in 
        which dog-assisted therapy can be most beneficial.
            (4) Findings from the pilot program established under this 
        Act can be instructive to State and local governments, non-
        profit organizations and other entities seeking to make use of 
        dog-assisted therapy.

SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PILOT PROGRAM ON DOG-
              ASSISTED THERAPY.

    (a) In General.--Commencing not later than 120 days after the date 
of the enactment of the Act, subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall carry 
out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall make grants to 
appropriate non-government entities for the purpose of conducting 
routine dog-assisted therapy in various community settings and 
populations. In addition to the eligibility criteria in subsection (e), 
the Secretary may impose additional eligibility criteria necessary for 
the effective functioning of the pilot program.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this program is to add to the growing 
body of research on the effectiveness of dog-assisted therapy in 
various settings and among various populations, and to encourage the 
broader adoption of dog-assisted therapy in settings and among 
populations where such therapy offers proven benefits.
    (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that vulnerable 
populations should be prioritized in grant awards from the Secretary to 
eligible entities. Such populations may include, but are not limited 
to, patients in nursing or assisted-living facilities, children with 
intellectual and developmental disabilities in academic settings, and 
veterans seeking care in State or Federal veterans' facilities.
    (d) Duration of Pilot Program.--The pilot program required by 
subsection (a) shall be carried out during the 3-year period beginning 
on the date of the commencement of the pilot program.
    (e) Eligibility and Conditions on Receipt of Grants.--As a 
condition of receiving a grant under this section, a non-government 
entity shall--
            (1) submit to the Secretary certification that the entity 
        is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that visits community settings 
        with dogs for the purposes of providing dog-assisted therapy;
            (2) ensure that dogs making therapy visits are certified by 
        a therapy dog certification with demonstrated experience, 
        national scope, and recognized leadership and expertise in the 
        training of therapy dogs and their handlers;
            (3) agree to cover all costs in excess of the grant amount;
            (4) agree to a minimum number of routine visits to a 
        community setting, as determined by the Secretary to ensure 
        meaningful impact on those present in the setting;
            (5) ensure that any training of dogs does not involve 
        abusive methods such as shock collars, and instead uses 
        positive reinforcement training;
            (6) provide a wellness certification from a licensed 
        veterinarian for any dog making a therapy visit under this 
        program; and
            (7) submit to the Secretary an application containing such 
        information, certification, and assurances as the Secretary may 
        require.
    (f) Collection of Data.--In carrying out this section, the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) develop metrics and other appropriate means to measure 
        the impact of routine dog-assisted therapy on the populations 
        visited by non-government organizations approved under 
        subsection (e); and
            (2) establish processes to document and track the progress 
        of populations under the program in terms of the benefits and 
        improvements noted as a result of the program.
    (g) GAO Briefing and Study.--
            (1) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
        commencement of the pilot program under subsection (a), the 
        Comptroller General of the United States shall provide to the 
        Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives and to the Committee on Health, Education, 
        Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a briefing on the methodology 
        established for the program.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date on 
        which the program terminates, the Comptroller General shall 
        submit to the committees specified in paragraph (1) a report on 
        the program. Such report shall include an evaluation of the 
        approach and methodology used for the program with respect to--
                    (A) helping vulnerable populations overcome 
                emotional or cognitive challenges; and
                    (B) relevant metrics, including those developed by 
                the Secretary under paragraph (1) of subsection (f).
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