Receiving a Service Dog

Do you think having a Service Dog helps those with PTSD or other trauma?


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C Walk

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
Registered Member
Let me share this awesome news to everyone. There is a lot of talk going around that receiving a service dog is difficult. This statement is somewhat true. However, I found an organization in the Central Louisiana area that provides fully trained services dogs for free. These dogs are available to Active Duty personnel, veterans and special needs dependants. I applied about one month ago for PTSD and receive my service dog yesterday and I’m still on Active Duty. You will receive everything, the dog’s credentials; vest and the toys and more. The organization is called Brothers and Sisters in Arms Dog Training, Inc. Here is the history of the organization:
“We are a non-profit organization located near Fort Polk, Louisiana. Our organization's primary goal is to improve quality of life for our active duty soldiers, military veterans, and their special-needs dependents by providing them with highly trained Service Dogs.
Phil Ruddock, founder of Brothers and Sisters in Arms Dog Training, INC, is a Desert Storm veteran with PTSD and TBI. His Service Dog, Mia, has helped him regain a sense of normality after many years of suffering from PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Since 1991, he has advocated for improved mental health resources and access to trained PTSD Service Dogs for active duty military members, veterans, and first responders. He has worked with several organizations that train Service Dogs, but saw a need in the Fort Polk area and decided to create Brothers And Sisters In Arms Dog Training, INC to fill that need.
Our soldiers have been exposed to many things that make it difficult to adjust to a "normal" life once they return from overseas. Some wounds are visible but others are not. We believe that a trained Service Dog helps our Soldiers transition back to normal life.
We would welcome the opportunity to earn your trust and deliver you the best service in the industry.
We provide the training of Service Dogs, within the guidelines designated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), to active duty military members and Veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder/syndrome (PTSD/PTSS), and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
We will also help children with autism, epilepsy, and other developmental disorders as well as Firefighters, Police officers and their families.
If you need help and you don't fit into one of these categories, contact us anyway and we will see if we can help.”
You can find more info on their website at www.brotherandsisterptsddogs.org. I hope this organization can help you all as it has helped me.
 
Awesome! I've been searching the internet high and low for something like this! Did you have to go to Louisiana for training with the dog? Every program I've seen has required pretty extensive training at their location at your own cost.
 
Depends on where you're at, there are many organizations. I'm an Active Duty Marine in Southern California & am in the process of this same thing with an Organization known as Sherri's Project: Wounded Warrior Pack. They're a non profit organization ran/owned by Veterans as well. They can test your own pet to see if they would be a good candidate or can provide a service dog in training too. I can't wait to start!
 
Awesome! I've been searching the internet high and low for something like this! Did you have to go to Louisiana for training with the dog? Every program I've seen has required pretty extensive training at their location at your own cost.

I live nearby so I'm scheduled to bring him back to the trainer once a week to see our progress together. The cost is $0, but of course you have to provide your own transportation.
 
I live nearby so I'm scheduled to bring him back to the trainer once a week to see our progress together. The cost is $0, but of course you have to provide your own transportation.

Dear CWalk:

Thank-you for posting this information about a location in the Louisiana region for service dog trainers.

It is this kind of organization that can do so much good for Veterans who suffer from PTSD.

I wish there was a data base list of service animal trainers and/or providers on the web.

Your posting this info might be a very helpful lead to someone who is within driving distance to this location in Louisiana.

Thanks for posting!

nwlivewire
 
Dear nwlivewire,

You're welcome! We have to help each other out. One way of helping is to spread and share knowledge to those who are looking for help.
 
I know this thread is a couple years old but I am seeking information about acquiring a service animal. I'm having trouble understanding the process of getting one. How can I find a site that shows locations near my area where I can train for one? Thanks for any help!
 
I might add, caring for a service dogs takes some time and energy. I've personally know wounded warriors who received service dogs and loved it and others than could not cope with the responsibilities.
 
Glad you found some info related to your desire.

Best wishes
Mike
 
I might add, caring for a service dogs takes some time and energy. I've personally know wounded warriors who received service dogs and loved it and others than could not cope with the responsibilities.

ALL- I agree to some degree with ChaplainCharlie- as I know a veteran who was offered as service dog from another veteran, that was too disabled to care for it, and was having to be placed in a "Supervised" Care environment. That being said, this same veteran had another animal, that served same purpose, and is in fact very helpful to them and helps keep them "focused" on other things, at times, and "makes" them laugh, etc....!!! Furthermore, this veteran has been recommend by US DVA providers, several times, to "obtain" a service dog! So that being said, there is most likely "great utility" to "service-animals" in veterans lives- like helping with veteran (of all conflicts) "Suicide Prevention" (see PEBForum web-address: http://pebforum.com/threads/va-rele...trategy-for-preventing-veteran-suicide.45884/ ), etc..., as well as "assisting" in getting "re-purposed" dogs that might have otherwise been destroyed- sadly by mostly "volunteer" Service Dog Organizations......or "charities"....???? Also, know a Vietnam Veteran, who simply got a regular dog, per US DVA recommendation-once again, and greatly assisted them...... Furthermore, some US DVA PTSD Programs etc... make accomidation for Service Animals to "reside" with the veteran while attending the "program"....

Unfortunately, the US DVA of itself does not offer "training" nor "issue" in and of itself Service Dogs to veterans, that I am aware of despite such things as "VA tightens oversight after outrage over conducting experiments on dogs, then killing them" by Donovan Slack, USA TODAY Published 6:30 a.m. ET Sept. 25, 2017 | Updated 11:12 p.m. ET Sept. 25, 2017 at web-address: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...ter-surgery-failures-canine-deaths/690684001/

Is this not "somewhat" diametrically opposed- the US DVA conducts "research" on dogs and "destroys" them, but does not of itself, train nor greatly assist veterans in obtaining a "service dog" despite recommend "veterans" obtain one.......well a question for other's- perhaps?????

Per PEBForum Post below- as website still giving me issues at: http://pebforum.com/members/jason-perry.1/#profile-post-comment-880
If i was prescribed a service dog for my PTSD and i am found fit for duty by the board will they take him away/ limit him from me? I am Active duty Navy going up for Post traumatheadache, transit alteration of awareness, MTBI, post concussion syndrome, PTSD, insomnia and Si joint disfunction and sacrolitis
Gba19 .
Apr 9, 2018
HMRHED Unfortunately, the Military does not currently recognize "Service Dogs" for PTSD or other MH related issues. Therefore a board's findings would be irrelevant. One more reason to contact your Congressional representatives and urge that the VA and the DoD recognize the benefits of Service Animals outside of major physical disabilities, as the ADA currently provides for! Lets get this ball rolling!!

Apr 23, 2018

Anyway, it is very expensive to train a "fully-certified" Service Dog and perhaps the below links may be of assistance for those interested:

http://www.muttswithamission.org/ Mutts With A Mission

http://www.hero-dogs.org/veterans/ Service Dogs for America's Heroes

http://patriotpaws.org/ Patriot Paws

ALL- hope this helps and perhaps get's some folks to thinking about "urging" US DVA, through Veteran Service Organizations (VFW, American Legion, DVA, etc..), elected Representatives, etc...to perhaps, in and of itself, either "provide" service animals or assist much more in helping US Veterans it recommends them to obtain one......?????

PS: See "How Much Is That Doggie In The Window - Patti Page" at YouTube video website at YouTube video web-address:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AkLE4X-bbU
 
ALL- thought I would add to this post/thread about “H.R.4764 - Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) Act of 2016-114th Congress (2015-2016)” (see text of H.R. 4764 copied-cited below) at web-address: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4764/text (accessed at 0333 AM EDT) that learned about through a “booklet” scanned and sent me from “Freedom Service Dogs of America” (See attached file: “Freedom Service Dogs of America- Battle Buddy Booklet-PAWS Act- 21 JULY 2018.pdf” ) that states:
H. R. 4764
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program to provide service dogs to certain veterans with severe post-traumatic stress disorder.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 16, 2016
Mr. DeSantis (for himself, Mr. Rooney of Florida, Mr. Rothfus, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Nugent, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mrs. Ellmers of North Carolina, Mr. Meadows, Mr. Byrne, Mr. Bishop of Michigan, Mr. Flores, Ms. McSally, Mr. Jolly, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Salmon, Ms. Gabbard, and Ms. Sinema) 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 to provide service dogs to certain veterans with severe post-traumatic stress disorder.
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 “Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) Act of 2016”.
SEC. 2. Findings.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) An estimated 14 percent of members of the Armed Forces returning from active duty service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
(2) The resulting hyperstimulation of the fight-flight-freeze response associated with post-traumatic stress disorder poses a threat to the successful societal reintegration of such members of the Armed Forces.
(3) Animals such as dogs can buffer this stress response when humans fail to provide social support.
(4) Interaction with dogs has been shown to modulate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, such as anxiety, including fear response and hyperarousal, interpersonal difficulties, social isolation, physical pain, and sleep disturbances.
SEC. 3. Pilot program on Department of Veterans Affairs provision of service dogs to certain veterans with severe post-traumatic stress disorder.
(a) In general.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting through the Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation, shall carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall provide to eligible veterans with service dogs. The provision of a service dog under the pilot program shall be done in addition to other types of treatment provided for post-traumatic stress disorder and shall not replace established treatment modalities. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish veterinary health insurance for each dog provided under the pilot program.
(b) Eligibility.—
(1) INITIAL ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for a service dog under the pilot program a veteran shall—
(A) be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder rated at a severity level of three or four on the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM–5 (CAPS–5);
(B) have been treated and have completed an established evidence-based treatment and remain significantly symptomatic, as evidenced by the Global Assessment of Functioning or a similar clinical metric;
(C) have served on active duty in the Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001; and
(D) have not experienced satisfactory improvement in post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms after being treated with established evidence-based therapies.
(2) ONGOING ELIGIBILITY.—To remain eligible to receive canine health insurance furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs, a veteran shall see a physician who is a primary care provider or mental health care provider at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility at least quarterly.
(c) Contract authority.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall enter into such contracts as may be necessary for the procurement and training of service dogs with appropriate providers that are certified by Assistance Dogs International or a similar organization that—
(A) on average, provides one-on-one training for each service canine for a minimum of 30 hours over at least 90 days including a wellness verification from a licensed veterinarian;
(B) provides an in-house residential facility in which service dog recipients stay for a minimum of ten days while receiving at least 30 hours of training with their new service canine;
(C) ensures all service canines pass the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen test prior to permanent placement with a recipient; and
(D) provides follow-up support service for the life of the service canine.
(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not obligate or expend more than $27,000 for the procurement and training of any dog under a contract entered into under this subsection.
(d) GAO study.—Not later than 180 days after the termination of the pilot program under this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the pilot program. Such report shall include—
(1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot program with respect to—
(A) helping veterans with severe post-traumatic stress disorder live normally;
(B) relevant metrics, including reduction in metrics such as reduction in scores under the post-traumatic stress disorder checklist (PCL), improvement in psychosocial function, and therapeutic compliance;
(C) lessening the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder; and
(D) reducing the dependence of participants on prescription narcotics and psychotropic medication; and
(2) the recommendations of the Comptroller General with respect to the continuation or expansion of the program.
(e) Authorization of appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2022 $10,000,000 to carry out the pilot program under this section.
(f) Offset.—The amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated for Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Human Resources and Administration for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2022 shall be reduced by $10,000,000.
(g) Termination.—The authority to carry out a pilot program under this section shall terminate on the date that is five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.”


Text of H.R. 4764 copied-cited Above from: H.R.4764 - Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) Act of 2016-114th Congress (2015-2016)at web-address: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4764/text (accessed at 0333 AM EDT)

Information aboutFreedom Service Dogs of Americacan be found at web-address: https://freedomservicedogs.org/ accessed on 21 JUL 2018 at appx. 0319 AM EDT

{Below “Freedom Service Dogs of America Staff Contactscited-copied from web-address: https://freedomservicedogs.org/about-us/our-staff/ accessed on 21 JUL 2018 at appx. 0324 AM EDT

Staff -Michele Ostrander, President and CEO [email protected] /
Laura Edwards, Director of Dog Operations [email protected]
Erin Conley, Director of Communications [email protected]
Lindsay Ganassa, Director of Philanthropy [email protected]
Patricia Al-Abssi, Administrative Assistant [email protected]
Kimberlee Bow, Client Services Coordinator [email protected]
Lisa Davenport, Content Coordinator [email protected]
Stephanie Guild, Animal Health Manager [email protected]
Ryan Holman, Volunteer Manager [email protected]
Morgan Karol, Dog Training Manager [email protected]
Fran Menley, Dog Intake Manager [email protected] }

ALL- it appears not much action has been taken on this bill since July 2016- see below:

Below cited-copied from Congress.gov: “H.R.4764 - Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) Act of 2016” at web-address: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4764/related-bills

Related Bills: H.R.4764 — 114th Congress (2015-2016)All Information (Except Text)
A related bill may be a companion measure, an identical bill, a procedurally-related measure, or one with text similarities. Bill relationships are identified by the House, the Senate, or CRS, and refer only to same-congress measures.
Bill Latest Title Relationships to H.R.4764 Relationships Identified by Latest Action
S.3051 Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) Act of 2016 Related bill CRS 06/13/2016 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
S.3132 Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) Act of 2016 Related bill CRS 07/06/2016 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.”

(Could not format above exactly- too many issue site!!!)

Above cited-copied from Congress.gov: “H.R.4764 - Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) Act of 2016” at web-address: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4764/related-bills

Below are links to The American Kennel Club standards cited in the Bill as well as Assistance Dogs International standards that “Freedom Service Dogs of America Utilizes”:

The American Kennel Club “Canine Good Citizen (CGC)at web-address: https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/ accessed on 21 JUL 2018 at appx. 0310 EDT

Assistance Dogs International-ADI Standards” at web-address: https://www.assistancedogsinternati...ownload-the-Summary-of-ADI-Standards-here.pdf accessed on 21 JUL 2018 at appx. 0312 AM EDT (See Attached File From Above Web address: ” Download-the-Summary-of-ADI-Standards-here.pdf “ )
Assistance Dogs International (Setting standards for the assistance dog industry since 1987) – “Standards for Training and Placement of Service dogs for Veterans with Military-Related PTSD” at web-address: https://www.assistancedogsinternati...s-for-service-dogs-for-military-related-ptsd/ accessed on 21 JUL 2018 at appx. 0316 AM EDT

One thing the Bill leaves out is Veterans of Gulf War I, as well as surviving Vietnam, Korea, and World War II veterans….

ALL- per “Freedom Service Dog’s of America if veterans want to see the US DVA ever “perhaps” provide this service – “Service Dogs” to veterans- then one should perhaps write their respective elected Officials as well as those on the US House Committee On Veteran Affairs at web-address: https://veterans.house.gov/ as well as the VFW, American Legion, Disabled Veterans of America- DAV, etc…..?????

If decide to write- just a caution from PEBForum PostResource Vietnam Vet's -"The US Army in Vietnam" -"The Bud Harton Collection at the Texas Tech Virtual Vietnam Archive"-Perhaps????at web-address: http://pebforum.com/threads/resourc...s-tech-virtual-vietnam-archive-perhaps.44432/ that states:

Finally, Below Something veterans-ALL- should be aware of but simply seems to be a degree of “apparently” “High-Double Standards” given all in media but once again could simply be wrong:

Below copied cited from “18 U.S. Code § 871 - Threats against President and successors to the Presidency” at web-address: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/871 Cornell Law School-Legal Information Institute accessed on 20 JUL 2018 at appx. 1455 PM EDT

“(a) Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits for conveyance in the mail or for a delivery from any post office or by any letter carrier any letter, paper, writing, print, missive, or document containing any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, the President-elect, the Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President of the United States, or the Vice President-elect, or knowingly and willfully otherwise makes any such threat against the President, President-elect, Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President, or Vice President-elect, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

(b) The terms “President-elect” and “Vice President-elect” as used in this section shall mean such persons as are the apparent successful candidates for the offices of President and Vice President, respectively, as ascertained from the results of the general elections held to determine the electors of President and Vice President in accordance with title 3, United States Code, sections 1 and 2. The phrase “other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President” as used in this section shall mean the person next in the order of succession to act as President in accordance with title 3, United States Code, sections 19 and 20.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 740; June 1, 1955, ch. 115, § 1, 69 Stat. 80; Pub. L. 87–829, § 1, Oct. 15, 1962, 76 Stat. 956; Pub. L. 97–297, § 2, Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1318; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)”

Above copied cited from “18 U.S. Code § 871 - Threats against President and successors to the Presidency” at web-address: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/871 Cornell Law School-Legal Information Institute accessed on 20 JUL 2018 at appx. 1455 PM EDT

ALL_ PEBFourum Post: “VA Releases State-level Veteran Suicide Data, National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide” (at web-address: http://pebforum.com/threads/va-rele...preventing-veteran-suicide.45884/#post-208090 ) for as stated in attached scanned file from Freedom Service Dogs of America- "Freedom Service Dogs of America- Battle Buddy Booklet-PAWS Act- 21 JULY 2018.pdf-" on “Why Service Dogs Are So Important for our Returning Service Members” (as no page numbers) they mention the “22 per day” veteran suicide rate and describe how “service dogs “ help mitigate this…..

ALL- hope this greatly assist’s some veteran out their in need of a Service Dog and in getting “H.R.4764” amended to include all surviving combat veterans of all US Conflicts and “PASSED”……???????

{Or perhaps an online “petition” may be in order someone could start like some of the “Service Dog Organizations” themselves and post link here on PEBForum for veterans to sign??????}

Then perhaps it might be as “The Andrews Sisters” song “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” at YouTube video “The Andrews Sisters - Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (1941)” courtesy of YouTube video at YouTube web-address:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm1wuKvrxAw


[IS ANYONE ELSE HAVING ISSUES THIS WEB SITE????]
 

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